9 major or 38 SC

[JJB05]

I am shooting Limited this year, however due to father time, my eyes are getting worse and will be switching to Open next year.  I haven't decided on a gun builder yet, but i am leaning towards a 9 major gun.  I have talked to some people who have said 9 major guns tend to have some reliability problems.  I have no idea if this is true, however would like to get some input from the Open folks out there to help with my decision making.  Which do you prefer and why? Thanks in advance.

[Jfitz427]

5 minutes ago, JJB05 said:

I am shooting Limited this year, however due to father time, my eyes are getting worse and will be switching to Open next year.  I haven't decided on a gun builder yet, but i am leaning towards a 9 major gun.  I have talked to some people who have said 9 major guns tend to have some reliability problems.  I have no idea if this is true, however would like to get some input from the Open folks out there to help with my decision making.  Which do you prefer and why? Thanks in advance.

If your 9 major gun is build by a reputable gun builder it will have no reliability problems. Mine was build by Don at venom customs, and it runs 100%. Especially nowadays with the micro dots like the RTS2 or DPP etc instead of a big cmore it really makes reliability easy. So my vote would be for 9 major. 

[JJB05]

Just now, Jfitz427 said:

If your 9 major gun is build by a reputable gun builder it will have no reliability problems. Mine was build by Don at venom customs, and it runs 100%. Especially nowadays with the micro dots like the RTS2 or DPP etc instead of a big cmore it really makes reliability easy. So my vote would be for 9 major. 

 

Thanks for the info....i would definitely go with a reputable builder...dont wanna drop that much cash on trash.

[Shmella]

Lol

[jcc7x7]

I've shot 9mm Major for about 4-5 years.

Worse case is an off set mount and slide ride c-more

Or you can go mini dot or 90 mount.

Most will run fine with some work on the extractor/ejector etc.

I run all range brass and do not sort other than for stepped cases.

38SC

IF you don't mind picking your brass up at matches not a problem.

Being an older guy myself I don't like bending over any more than I have to LOL.

So I shoot 9mm Major

[echotango]

22 minutes ago, JJB05 said:

I have talked to some people who have said 9 major guns tend to have some reliability problems. 

Must of been 38 shooters. No issues with 9. I run range brass with no issues and once fired for majors. 

Edited March 6, 2019 by echotango

[JJB05]

30 minutes ago, jcc7x7 said:

I've shot 9mm Major for about 4-5 years.

Worse case is an off set mount and slide ride c-more

Or you can go mini dot or 90 mount.

Most will run fine with some work on the extractor/ejector etc.

I run all range brass and do not sort other than for stepped cases.

38SC

IF you don't mind picking your brass up at matches not a problem.

Being an older guy myself I don't like bending over any more than I have to LOL.

So I shoot 9mm Major

 

Yeah  guy at my club shoots 38SC and he spends more time hunting for his brass than anything else.

[JJB05]

1 hour ago, echotango said:

Must of been 38 shooters. No issues with 9. I run range brass with no issues and once fired for majors. 

 

Thanks...dont have a ton of Open Shooters at my club...good to hear this.

[Joe4d]

1. Find  better eye doctor.,, for irons,, get some glasses, dominant eye focused on front sight,,, weak eye on target,, so far working good for me everywhere but the liquor  store,,  kept missing the counter.
2.  That dont work look into carry optics...  ALOT cheaper,, shoot basic production gun with a slide ride optic and 23 round mags,, pretty cool

 

[sean_stw]

  I shoot 9 major and dont have any issues but it seems that most top shooters use 38sc. it should be more reliable but as others have said 9maj works great as long as its tuned properly, also pressures should be a little lower with 38sc and there are more options for powder. If money isn't a concern for you deffinitly 38sc but money is always a concern lol 

 

20 minutes ago, Joe4d said:

That dont work look into carry optics...  ALOT cheaper,, shoot basic production gun with a slide ride optic and 23 round mags,, pretty cool

Like Joe4d said if your really looking to shoot with a dot, carry optics is a great cheap way to shoot with a dot. Open is a lot of fun but it can also be a lot of work and can be extremely expensive.

Edited March 6, 2019 by sean_stw

[36873687]

I have 38 an 9 barrel. An my 38  barrel sits in the safe. I’m ocd on my loading an make sure i pick out step brass u can shoot cheap range brass. I never have to rack my 9 maj guns. 

[IDAHOAASHOOTER]

4 hours ago, JJB05 said:

I am shooting Limited this year, however due to father time, my eyes are getting worse and will be switching to Open next year.  I haven't decided on a gun builder yet, but i am leaning towards a 9 major gun.  I have talked to some people who have said 9 major guns tend to have some reliability problems.  I have no idea if this is true, however would like to get some input from the Open folks out there to help with my decision making.  Which do you prefer and why? Thanks in advance.

ALOT of info on here about the differences, I run 9 Maj and will continue to do so. Runs great, very flat, I have load data for 5 powders. If I took the time to dial in HS6 it would be 6 available. I've found I personally like Silhouette. With a KKM and 3 holes. 

[FTP_Shooting_Sports]

There are TONS of threads on the difference but it really boils down to brass cost. If you can afford the 38 SC brass, the larger case capacity gives you more powder choices and it is easier to load and not have powder spillage. Also, the rimless brass stacks better in the magazines and thus could be slightly more reliable. Since just about all the brass is the same brand, the ejection pattern is more consistent which is more of a concern to people running slide rides than micro dots.

 

With that being said, you can make 9mm major gun run great but most builders will recommend running the micro red dot or using one brand of brass.  I run 9mm major myself

[zzt]

I went through the same decision process about 18 months ago.  I have been shooting 40 Open for the past three years  Really, the only downside is bullets cost a cent more and mag capacity is 3 fewer.  There are several advantages.

 

I decided I wanted a 9mm Open gun.  I RO so essentially every match is a lost brass match for me.  The thought of leaving 7000 38SC cases on the ground each year decided me on 9mm.  I'm glad I made that choice.  I buy fully processed brass for 4 cents each.  I have no problems loading them, and I don't mind leaving them on the ground.

 

I built my own Open gun.  I was told by several M shooters that I would spend the first six  months getting mags to feed right and the gun to eject.  I had none of those problems.  I was even able to get the gun to shoot minor (150PF) loads reliably.  That's something neither of my two 40 Open guns can do.

 

If you throat your barrel so you can run 1.161" OAL ammo and use slow powders, you can make major at SAAMI max pressure.  So it is quite safe.  I'm sure WAC, CFE and Silhouette are safe as well, because they are the powders my friends use.  Me, I just switched to Major Pistol powder and love it.

[Hi-Power Jack]

I have two left hands, and ten thumbs, and my 2 TruBor's run

perfectly if the mags are in good shape and the guns don't need

new springs - and that's with an upright C-More     

 

If $$$$ are NOT an issue - or if you're planning on gunning for a

GM card, go with the .38 Super.

 

Otherwise, there is almost no disadvantage to using a 9mm Major     

[Foxbat]

That horse is still kicking? 

[B_RAD]

On 3/5/2019 at 8:06 PM, Jfitz427 said:

If your 9 major gun is build by a reputable gun builder it will have no reliability problems. Mine was build by Don at venom customs, and it runs 100%. Especially nowadays with the micro dots like the RTS2 or DPP etc instead of a big cmore it really makes reliability easy. So my vote would be for 9 major. 

Yes, go with a reputable builder.  

 

I just got my gun from Don. I've had some issues. First thing Don said was send it to me. Problems turned out to be my fault but Don didn't even skip a beat. He said send it to me. Can't say enough about the guy!  

 

The gun is awesome and Don is a stand up guy!

 

I went 9 major btw. 

 

 

[echotango]

2 hours ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

 

If $$$$ are NOT an issue - or if you're planning on gunning for a

GM card, go with the .38 Super.

Not sure why 38 would get you to GM and not 9mm?  9 got me there just fine. 

 

I think this is the stupidest debate(not directed at you Jack).  Pretty much ford vs chevy. Shoot what you like to shoot.  The cost of brass is insignificant when you break it down and include match costs, travel expenses plus 2 or 3 $5-7k open guns and gear.  I chose 9 because that is all I load and shoot and didn't see the need to load something else.  Never have had an issue or doubted my decision.  3 shooters I shoot with have switched from 38 and re-barreled to 9.  I also shoot with several 38 shooters.  Everyone's guns work.  

 

Another thing to look at is see how long a 9mm open gun lasts in the classifieds vs a 38......

Edited March 22, 2019 by echotango

[GrumpyOne]

1 hour ago, Foxbat said:

That horse is still kicking? 

[BigBamBoo]

I always wonder about the comments of with 9 you do not have to pick up brass.

 

Only to hear “I shoot 9mm range brass”? 

 

So is someone else else picking up the brass off you?

 

 

[nelson1each]

Don’t have to worry about picking up brass every single match....RO a major once a year and I’m in the positive on brass shooting 9major. Knock on would my CK open guns have ran like champs. Open is so much fun!

[Hi-Power Jack]

7 hours ago, echotango said:

1.  Not sure why 38 would get you to GM and not 9mm?  9 got me there just fine. 

 

2.  I think this is the stupidest debate(not directed at you Jack).  

 

1.  Yeah, as I mentioned, not really much advantage to the .38 Super, but there are a couple pros,

longer OAL helps feeding in a 1911/2011 and wider choice of powders.  But, I agree with you,

Echo, we've got a M shooter locally who swears by 9mm Major, and even me 

is still plugging away with a 9mm. and I've made it all the way to B- .    

 

2.  Not really a debate, or a dead horse, to anyone who's about to make the choice - always

good to hear it from us "experts", and that's all JJB05 is doing - just asking for advice.   This

is all "dead horse" to us veterans, but new info for newbies    

 

 

[echotango]

9 hours ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

 

1.  Yeah, as I mentioned, not really much advantage to the .38 Super, but there are a couple pros,

longer OAL helps feeding in a 1911/2011 and wider choice of powders.  But, I agree with you,

Echo, we've got a M shooter locally who swears by 9mm Major, and even me 

is still plugging away with a 9mm. and I've made it all the way to B- .    

 

2.  Not really a debate, or a dead horse, to anyone who's about to make the choice - always

good to hear it from us "experts", and that's all JJB05 is doing - just asking for advice.   This

is all "dead horse" to us veterans, but new info for newbies    

 

 

[zzt]

18 hours ago, BigBamBoo said:

I always wonder about the comments of with 9 you do not have to pick up brass.

 

Only to hear “I shoot 9mm range brass”? 

 

So is someone else else picking up the brass off you?

 

 

 

Yes.  I buy once fired, mixed headstamp brass that has been fully processed.  It is resized, deprimed, swaged, push through sized, cleaned in SS media and lightly waxed.  6000 cost me $200.  That's enough to get me through one season, because I retrieve my practice brass.  At matches I shoot it and leave it.  The price recently went up the $250/6000, but it is still worth it to me not to have to do anything to it but reload.

[Posvar]

On 3/23/2019 at 1:57 PM, zzt said:

 

Yes.  I buy once fired, mixed headstamp brass that has been fully processed.  It is resized, deprimed, swaged, push through sized, cleaned in SS media and lightly waxed.  6000 cost me $200.  That's enough to get me through one season, because I retrieve my practice brass.  At matches I shoot it and leave it.  The price recently went up the $250/6000, but it is still worth it to me not to have to do anything to it but reload.

AmmoBrass?