spook Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 (edited) I searched but found nothing. Would it be a feasible option to machine a 686 for clips (TK's 9x19 clips) and just process the 9mm brass as if it were 38 short colt? That means sizing 9x19 brass in a 38/357 sizer and loading 357 bullets. I figured this would make for a soft shooting IPSC revolver and less of a hassle matching clips and headstamp. Edited June 19, 2014 by spook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooper_999 Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Not worth the hassle. Just use 38 Short Colt brass with Hearthco clips and you're done. You can't size the 9mm completely to fit the 357 chamber. The chamber needs to be reamed to fit the 9mm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook Posted June 19, 2014 Author Share Posted June 19, 2014 Not worth the hassle. Just use 38 Short Colt brass with Hearthco clips and you're done. You can't size the 9mm completely to fit the 357 chamber. The chamber needs to be reamed to fit the 9mm. Thanks Sascha Do you use Starline exclusively? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooper_999 Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Yes. Buy once, cry once. Same with Hearthco clips. You can reload the starlines several times so the invest is worth it. And the fit of starlines with Heartco's is just perfect and always the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook Posted June 19, 2014 Author Share Posted June 19, 2014 Thanks! Revo is starting to itch again I figured, since IPSC is sticking to 6 rounds for now, going 686 might be nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ede Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 I have a 9x23 686 use 9mm in TK clips. Will run on 9x19, 9x21, 9x23, .38 Super. Works great I used it mostly for Steel Challenge and local USPSA matches. Sits in my safe now and seldom gets used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook Posted June 19, 2014 Author Share Posted June 19, 2014 I have a 9x23 686 use 9mm in TK clips. Will run on 9x19, 9x21, 9x23, .38 Super. Works great I used it mostly for Steel Challenge and local USPSA matches. Sits in my safe now and seldom gets used. Sounds nice. Do you use the proprietary dies for those calibers, or do you use a 9x23 sizing die for them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevolverJockey Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Also worth mentioning; the 9mm will wobble around a bit more than .38SC - all semi auto rounds do because the rims are smaller and provide less support. It isn't as noticeable with a .45 or a .38 Super 8-shot because the rounds are nearly touching, but with the extra space I think you would notice. As others have said, not worth it. Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 (edited) Yeah, resizing the tapered 9mm case (0.391”) to .38 special diameter (0.379”) and using them in a stock .357mag chamber doesn't work. However, resizing straight walled .38 super cases (0.384) with a .38 special/.357mag sizing die to achieve the 0.379" .38 special case diameter is possible. >>>>>>>>>>> Warning: Everything below is just some rambling information about my tinkering with 38super cases in my 627 and might bore you into a coma. You’ve been warned! I’ve been playing with.38 special cases cut down to about 0.900 (a.k.a 38 mid) in my 357magx8times S&W 627 and had the idea about just using .38 super cases since the .38 mid is basically replicating the .38 super case as far as length and capacity goes. The .38 super case will size down and easily fit in the chambers of the 627 with no problem. If sizing used brass that has been bulged there may be a few that don’t fit after sizing, but most cases size down OK. The big issue is with the moon clips. The 38 special moon clips do not work with the .38 super case so you have to use .38 super/9mm moon clips. For the S&W 627 the outside diameter of the 38 super moon clip is about 0.050” larger than the 38 special moon clip and won’t fit in the stock .357magnum 627 cylinder recess. Other than the moon clip outside diameter issue they fit the .357 mag 627 just fine. The case head projection of the moonclipped cases from the back of the cylinder is nearly identical between the .38 super and .38 special. The .38 special is about .084” max (moonclip = 0.025, case rim = 0.059 per SAAMI), and the .38 Super is about 0.085” max (moonclip = 0.035, case rim = 0.050” per SAAMI). So, using a disk sander I removed about 0.025” from the tip of each “star point” on a 38super/9mm moon clip and made sure the modified moon clip fit my 357mag 627 cylinder recess (took all of about 2 minutes). Then I sized some 38 supers using a 38special/357mag sizing die, primed the empty cases and ran them through the gun to ensure each went “bang” and there was no binding. I loaded up about 16 undersized 38 super cases as a trial using same load data I’m using for 38 mid, and shot them with no issues as far as function or extraction goes. The bullets hit the target and they seemed to group, but I need t to do a lot more tinkering with the load and concept before I commit to shaving the OD on a bunch of 38super/9mm moon clips and running undersized 38 super brass in my 357mag S&W 627. Edited June 21, 2014 by Bamboo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ede Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 I use a 9x19 U die and Lee FCD. Have only fired a few Supers in it, never 9x21 or 9x23. I've been told .380 will also work but never tried it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook Posted June 20, 2014 Author Share Posted June 20, 2014 (edited) RJ, Bamboo & Ede, thanks for the input. Very interesting stuff. I am biased towards fixing the gun to shoot the easier to get components and clips, rather than crying everytime I step on a $7 moonclip at a match. Easiest fix might be to just get a 625 again, but somehow I like the idea of having a very soft shooting 6" revolver. Also, K-frames and L-frames can be had for as little as $100 over here, so it might be worth tinkering with. Edited June 20, 2014 by spook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmoney Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Welcome back, Spook! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook Posted June 21, 2014 Author Share Posted June 21, 2014 Thanks Carmoney! Verstuurd vanaf mijn LG-D802 met Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniele Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Have the gunsmith ream the 38/357 chambers in 9mm; as its work is required to shoot moonclipped round Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hearthco Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 9mm brass would be horribly sloppy. 9mm/38 super brass require moonclip to be at least .035 thick. "Buy once, cry once" I LOVE that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickey Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Yeah, resizing the tapered 9mm case (0.391”) to .38 special diameter (0.379”) and using them in a stock .357mag chamber doesn't work. However, resizing straight walled .38 super cases (0.384) with a .38 special/.357mag sizing die to achieve the 0.379" .38 special case diameter is possible. >>>>>>>>>>> Warning: Everything below is just some rambling information about my tinkering with 38super cases in my 627 and might bore you into a coma. You’ve been warned! I’ve been playing with.38 special cases cut down to about 0.900 (a.k.a 38 mid) in my 357magx8times S&W 627 and had the idea about just using .38 super cases since the .38 mid is basically replicating the .38 super case as far as length and capacity goes. The .38 super case will size down and easily fit in the chambers of the 627 with no problem. If sizing used brass that has been bulged there may be a few that don’t fit after sizing, but most cases size down OK. The big issue is with the moon clips. The 38 special moon clips do not work with the .38 super case so you have to use .38 super/9mm moon clips. For the S&W 627 the outside diameter of the 38 super moon clip is about 0.050” larger than the 38 special moon clip and won’t fit in the stock .357magnum 627 cylinder recess. Other than the moon clip outside diameter issue they fit the .357 mag 627 just fine. The case head projection of the moonclipped cases from the back of the cylinder is nearly identical between the .38 super and .38 special. The .38 special is about .084” max (moonclip = 0.025, case rim = 0.059 per SAAMI), and the .38 Super is about 0.085” max (moonclip = 0.035, case rim = 0.050” per SAAMI). So, using a disk sander I removed about 0.025” from the tip of each “star point” on a 38super/9mm moon clip and made sure the modified moon clip fit my 357mag 627 cylinder recess (took all of about 2 minutes). Then I sized some 38 supers using a 38special/357mag sizing die, primed the empty cases and ran them through the gun to ensure each went “bang” and there was no binding. I loaded up about 16 undersized 38 super cases as a trial using same load data I’m using for 38 mid, and shot them with no issues as far as function or extraction goes. The bullets hit the target and they seemed to group, but I need t to do a lot more tinkering with the load and concept before I commit to shaving the OD on a bunch of 38super/9mm moon clips and running undersized 38 super brass in my 357mag S&W 627. I tried the same thing and the brass stuck in the cyl. It come out with a little effort but you sure wouldnt want to shoot it in a match, so is this common ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 I didn't get any sticking, but I also didn't explore this much more as I went to 38 short colts. Not sure if sticking would be common or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrDanCheck Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 My ADD kicked in tracking this tread. I have a 686 that's cut for 9mm and 38 super. Tom at TKs will cut your cylinder and you should buy his moon clips. When running 9mm brass the is important. Starline and Winchester are the best. Its tight and right. I run 356. Bullets. I ran 15k rounds last year on this set up. I don't even change the setting for my bottom feeders. Side note: TKs moon clips fit 9mm and 38 super brass I hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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