38 Super is 9mm?

[CTBay]

I haven’t gotten together everything I need to start reloading yet. I have been picking up bits and pieces at auctions here and there. Today I got a .357 SIG die kit for $40 ($70 new) and some .357 SIG bullets. I also got a 500ct box of Rainier Ballistics 38 Super bullets. I don’t have any 38 Super firearms so I thought I might sell them. When I was looking them up it would appear the diameter is the same as 9mm. Will I be able to load 9mm with these? If so I will probably keep them.

 

[AllenM]

Yes you can use them in 9mm. The 357 sig bullets too if they are .355 dia

 

[BigRed]

I haven’t gotten together everything I need to start reloading yet. I have been picking up bits and pieces at auctions here and there. Today I got a .357 SIG die kit for $40 ($70 new) and some .357 SIG bullets. I also got a 500ct box of Rainier Ballistics 38 Super bullets. I don’t have any 38 Super firearms so I thought I might sell them. When I was looking them up it would appear the diameter is the same as 9mm. Will I be able to load 9mm with these? If so I will probably keep them.

Welcome to reloading.... just one of many discoveries you can expect to make on the journey.

Best wishes!

 

[Cameramonkey]

you might have to play around a bit since its an unusual weight. Tweak a 124gr recipe and you should be set. You're gonna want a chrono if you decide to use them.

 

[Mongo59]

I like it in the movies where they pick up a spent projectile and say, "It's a 9mm" like the can tell it from a .380, .38 Super, .38 Spl or a Largo...

 

[LarryC]

In my collection I have an Astra 400 (Italian semi-auto handgun from 2nd WW). On the barrel it has stamped 38 - 9mm Largo). Checking all my reloading manuals and specs on both rounds, there is a very slight difference in the case measurements (.001" or .002" can't remember) .

Anyhow I obtained some original 9mm largo ammo and shot some over my Chronograph - the velocity was almost exactly the same as 38 Super. I have reloaded 38 super and shot several rounds without any issue at all.

Several years ago I purchased a garage full of reloading equipment and supplies from a gentleman going through a divorce. Some was beginning to rust so I put it in a bucket of oil. There were many dies etc. for obsolete calibers but I did not sell anything. Over the years I have found uses for quite a bit of the items!

 

[DoggyDaddy]

The Astra is a Spanish gun, not Italian... Just sayin'.

Astra 400 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[armalitesheepdog]

you might have to play around a bit since its an unusual weight. Tweak a 124gr recipe and you should be set. You're gonna want a chrono if you decide to use them.

Definitely this.
Getting a cronograph made my reloading a whole new experience when I could see the actual results of any tweaks. Its a level of satisfaction to see whats actually going on.

 

[ECS686]

You should be GTG however, Watch your overall length. The only issue you might run into with putting ball type bullets in a 357 Sig case is like the 40 a lot of specific 357 Sig bullets have a flatter nose profile to keep the loaded round from being too long and effect feeding.

 

[russc2542]

If you have several minutes, look up all the pistol cartridges .355-.357.

Then widen it to .350-.360 diameter lol

Then look up all the names for .380acp.

 

[CTBay]

The .357 SIG bullets were in a plain white box with handwritten label. I measured with a caliper to make sure thats what they were. I was expecting .357 and they came to .355. Then I looked it up and found thats right.

I have seen reloading equipment at auctions and estate sales again and again. Until I want it. Haven’t seen any in a while. Might have to pay retail.

 

[billybob44]

I haven’t gotten together everything I need to start reloading yet. I have been picking up bits and pieces at auctions here and there. Today I got a .357 SIG die kit for $40 ($70 new) and some .357 SIG bullets. I also got a 500ct box of Rainier Ballistics 38 Super bullets. I don’t have any 38 Super firearms so I thought I might sell them. When I was looking them up it would appear the diameter is the same as 9mm. Will I be able to load 9mm with these? If so I will probably keep them.

"Today I got a .357 SIG die kit for $40 ($70 new) and some .357 SIG bullets."
^^^
Are you going to load ammo for the .357 Sig?
If so, It SURE does help to run all of your .357 Sig cases through a .40 S&W Carbide die first.
This helps to get good case neck tension that the .357 Sig size die will apply...Bill.

 

[BugI02]

The .357 SIG bullets were in a plain white box with handwritten label. I measured with a caliper to make sure thats what they were. I was expecting .357 and they came to .355. Then I looked it up and found thats right.

I have seen reloading equipment at auctions and estate sales again and again. Until I want it. Haven’t seen any in a while. Might have to pay retail.

I believe the spec on 38 super is 130 grain .356, but that extra 1/1000th of an inch has never seemed to make much of a difference

 

[Leadeye]

I load 38 ACP with 125 grain Lee RNFP sized to .358. Works well in all my Colts.

 

[CTBay]

"Today I got a .357 SIG die kit for $40 ($70 new) and some .357 SIG bullets."
^^^
Are you going to load ammo for the .357 Sig?
If so, It SURE does help to run all of your .357 Sig cases through a .40 S&W Carbide die first.
This helps to get good case neck tension that the .357 Sig size die will apply...Bill.

Its one of the calibers I am interested in reloading but I don’t even have a press yet. Thats good info, thanks!