.355 Or .356 Bullets?

[Big Guy]

I currently shoot a DP ministroker with a Bar-Sto barrel in .38 super (.356). For my next order of bullets, should I go with the .355 (which I have been shooting for the last 6 months) or change to the .356 bullet? How much of a difference with regards to accuracy is there between the two rounds? Also, should I go with the JHPs or FMJs?

Edited October 15, 2006 by Big Guy

[Radical Precision Designs]

I only wish there was a bigger variety of .356 sized bullets available. Yes, even for .355 gauged barrels. No, your gun will not blow up from "higher pressures". IMHO.

JHP's have a few advantages over FMJ's, especially if you shoot open.

The FMJ's normally have exposed lead tails which flash/vaporize and foul up your comps eventually. But they are usually cheaper.

JHP's ( ) are indeed fully encapsulated with no lead to vaporize. Also because of the empty(?!) hollow point, tends to make the bullets longer, which also seem to help the comps baffles do their job better.

So, guess which size and shape I'd prefer...

[Big Guy]

I only wish there was a bigger variety of .356 sized bullets available. Yes, even for .355 gauged barrels. No, your gun will not blow up from "higher pressures". IMHO.

JHP's have a few advantages over FMJ's, especially if you shoot open.

The FMJ's normally have exposed lead tails which flash/vaporize and foul up your comps eventually. But they are usually cheaper.

JHP's ( ) are indeed fully encapsulated with no lead to vaporize. Also because of the empty(?!) hollow point, tends to make the bullets longer, which also seem to help the comps baffles do their job better.

So, guess which size and shape I'd prefer...

OK. If I understood correctly, you recommend the .356 in JHP.

Now, since I will be using a certificate from Montana Gold and MG either sells the .356 in FMJ or the .355 in JHP, which one you recommend????

[Jack Suber]

Mario,

Take a look at the Montana Gold Complete Metal Jackets. We are using the 124s in .356 in a 9mm barrel. They shoot great.

I have seen a lot of JHPs that had polishing media in the jacket cavity and this would get loose and cause jams.

Take care.

Jack

[Big Guy]

Mario,

Take a look at the Montana Gold Complete Metal Jackets. We are using the 124s in .356 in a 9mm barrel. They shoot great.

I have seen a lot of JHPs that had polishing media in the jacket cavity and this would get loose and cause jams.

Take care.

Jack

Jack,

Are you referring to the 124 gr. CMJ in .355?

I just checked the MG web and they only carry the .356 in either a 125 or 130 gr. FMJ.

Has anybody tried out the new Montana gold 121 gr. IFP bullets?

[f250sd]

I have some MG 121gr IFP bullets. They look to be their 115gr. JHP bullets with the hollow point filled with lead.

[DJPoLo]

I have some MG 121gr IFP bullets. They look to be their 115gr. JHP bullets with the hollow point filled with lead.

And therefore no cleaning media can get lodged in the bullet and then dislodged in the gun.

However, FWIW, I swear by Hornady 121 HAPs in my DP mini gun. .355 or .356 makes no difference as far as I can tell.

-Chet

Edited October 15, 2006 by DJPoLo

[shred]

In fact, Hornady variously labels the boxes .355 or .356, and they all come out at .3555. The difference is so small as to be negligable for 99% of shooters.

[George]

You SHOULD match the bullet diameter to the bbl diameter if possible, but as mentioned earlier, it won't hurt to use a .356er in a .355" bbl as long as you are sensible in how you work the load up. I wouldn't go .002 over though!

As far as undersize bullets go (.355er in a .356" bore), it can cause escalated throat erosion because of the increased amount of blow-by at the moment the bullet is just starting to move and has not quite obdurated enough to fully seal the bore. A small thing, but a measurable one as far as bbl life expectancy goes. Accuracy can also vary with this bullet/bbl size combo, but my .356 .38 stupor shoots .355 Remington Golden Sabre JHP's like they were specially made for it, so there you go :-)

[al503]

In fact, Hornady variously labels the boxes .355 or .356, and they all come out at .3555. The difference is so small as to be negligable for 99% of shooters.

I've found the same with zero's .355 and .356. All measure at .3555.

The 124 MG 9mm JHP measures .354 with the same calipers.

[TMC]

Will Schuemann told me he uses Remington .357 bullets in his guns .355 barrels. He said pushing a larger bullet down the bore will do less damage than gas cutting (gas going past a smaller dia. bullet that does not seal the bore).

[Jaxshooter]

I was told the same thing by Wil. I have switched bullets and was able to reduce the powder charge slightly and the accuracy is excellent.

[George]

A .002 oversize bullet is not a problem if the load is developed for that pressure situation, but I found that a 147gr .357 Nosler I tried in a .355 bbl pireced primers at 165 pf with AA7, but ran up to 180 pf and barely flattened primers with a .355 jacketed CP 135 grainer. I was able to stuff almost 4 grains more powder under the .355 135grainer than I could under a .357 147 grainer. This is about twice the difference I would have expected if only the bulllet weight was different, not the projectile diameter.

Remember that Wil is only talking about bbl life and bbl throat damage and not pointing out anything relating to the pressure curve you can get behind a .002 oversized bullet. It is very bad juju to just toss the same powder charge under this type of bullet/bore combo that someone else is using under a matched bullet diameter and bore size combination. The pressure upcurve that can happen with a largeer than normal bullet diameter is not linear and this type of thing should be approached with extreme caution IMHO!