Open 9 with a short barrel

[mcoliver]

Open gun with a 4.5" barrel configured to run 9 major. Is it just a simple matter of reaming the barrel to 38 super specs and start shooting in super?

Thanks.

[Larry White]

Depends on your slide, if you have a true 9mm slide a 38 super wont work. But 38 super comp or 9x23 will. If you have a 9mm/ 38 super slide you can use super or super comp or 9x23. If your mags use spacers you will need springs and followers. Larry

[Cameron]

May I ask why the switch from 9 major to .38 super? I was deciding to go from .38 super to 9 major next year just for brass cost reasons only.

[Kingman]

I am going from Super to 9 September 1, mainly because of brass cost. In 3 Months I have dumped over $200 worth of super brass at various ranges in Area 8. Basically every match here so far seems to be a lost brass match.

[Jon Merricks]

Somebody else might chime in but I don't think that will work. The 9mm is tapered and if you just ream out the length your brass will swell at the base. At least that's my understanding.

[Newguy]

STI does not make a special 9mm slide--their slides are .38 super/9mm. SVI slides have an interchangeable breach face. So, the slide should not be a problem. STI barrels for .38/9mm are both .355 (I assume the same is true for SVI and other barrels).

You should be able to ream out the barrel for a .38 super since the 9mm is a shorter cartridge. The only thing you _may_ have to change is the extractor (I'd try it first), take the spacers out of the 9mm mags (if they're STI) and buy new followers if the mags are STI.

Another option is to buy a second barrel and set it up for .38 super, swap out the comp and see if you like it.

[joshua]

It's a case of grass is greener on the other side... If you really want to race and don't care about brass price then te 38supercomp will give you the gas volume and feeding reliability that is superb. The supercomp doesn't have a rim, it stacks flat on top of of each other so you don't get the rattle effect/loose stacking in your mags. I never had a jam with supercomp except for a superfaced one that I missed gauging. Don't go for super, go for the supercomp.

[Kingman]

Depending on how many rounds I had through the BBL I think I would just put a new bbl in.

I would plan on replacing BBL if more than say 15k through it. If more than 50k through top end replace the whole top end.

Sometimes these numbers are significantly lower depending on care maintenance cleaning and type of loads.

[mcoliver]

Great replies guys.

For some reason I got the impression I needed a 5" barrel to run super. Turns out it's a non issue eh?

Thanks a lot.

  May I ask why the switch from 9 major to .38 super? I was deciding to go from .38 super to 9 major next year just for brass cost reasons only.

Cameron, I confess, I'm still building the gun. Getting once-fired 9mm brass is so much easier that's why I'm considering the 9 major. However, I just wanted to know what my options will be if I hit a wall with my load development. We do not have a lot of options back here on powder selection. Thanks.

[Harmon]

merricks is right, 9mm is tapered, super is not..it will work, i know a guy that has one...cases look funny because they are semi bulged and the dillon die doesnt size them all the way out.

technically you could ream it to 9X23 or 9x21....or you could ream to 38 super, your brass isnt gonna last long though.

what part of the world are ya from....if you can get HS6 or HS7, go for the 9....sure you could also try the VV powders or SP2, its all really just a matter of what you like...3n37, 4756, 7625, SP2, they all feel a little different, but none of them is bad...the sweetest 9mm comp gun i have shot was JL hardys 9mm...with sp2 powder....sweet, nice and flat.