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View Full Version : Need some confirmation on slugged barrel and powder coated bullets



Pyrex
10-09-2018, 12:17 AM
I just slugged the barrel on my 9mm Colt SMG and ended up with a .357" groove diameter, when spinning the bullet in the caliper I see .3575, so it may be a little over. I'm working up a load with a 125gr (drops 130gr) Lee mold and powder coating. I coated these bullets a few years ago (had a few kids in between) and forgot to size them before loading them. They all seem to measure .358 so I think I'll be fine, just wanted confirmation, and what diameter I should size to with powder coated bullets with a .357 bore diameter? Thanks!

bstone5
10-09-2018, 12:28 AM
All powder coated bullets for a 9 mm gun I size to .357. The size of .357 allows the same bullet to be shot in a 9 mm gun or a 38'Special revolver. A 125 gran powder coated bullet works well in both caliber guns. Load a lot of 3 grains of Trail Boss in a 38 Special for my wife and her older sister to shoot. My wife is 72 years in age and can go through a lot of ammo when we go to the gun club.
Being old is OK as long as we can still get around the range to put up targets.

Ramson222
10-09-2018, 02:33 AM
.358 should be fine, I wouldn't size them any smaller before you have tested a few. .358 is what I shot through my camp nine and is currently what I feed my berreta fs.

Pyrex
10-09-2018, 08:14 AM
All powder coated bullets for a 9 mm gun I size to .357. The size of .357 allows the same bullet to be shot in a 9 mm gun or a 38'Special revolver. A 125 gran powder coated bullet works well in both caliber guns. Load a lot of 3 grains of Trail Boss in a 38 Special for my wife and her older sister to shoot. My wife is 72 years in age and can go through a lot of ammo when we go to the gun club.
Being old is OK as long as we can still get around the range to put up targets.

That is awesome. There's hope yet for my wife! Thank you.

Big Boomer
10-10-2018, 10:48 PM
I have two 9mms, one .38 Spl. and one .357 Mag. I use a Lee 125 gr. rn 6-cavity mould that drops right at .359 and weighs 130 grs. I polished out a .357 Star die to .3585, carefully checking along the way that up to that diameter the boolits would plunk fit the chambers of the 9mms. Polish too much then the usefulness of the sizing die is limited. Fortunately, that size works in all four handguns. I powder coat with Smoke's clear and am now to the place where I am working up loads to find the sweet spot in accuracy with all four of these handguns. A good 1 inch Vernier caliper is your friend when it comes to this kind of work. Big Boomer