Can Brazos .38 wadcutters be loaded in 9 mm?

I wonder if the .356 sized can be loaded in 9 mm? I'd be worried about setback during cycling. And, of course, 147 grain 9 mm data wouldn't be for the same COAL...

https://www.brazosprecision.com/38-148gr-Button-Nose-WCBevel-BaseGroove-695ct-0067bullet_p_15.html

They've got the sizing options to fit your bore but you might have issues with case volume causing pressure issues and they will no longer fill the magazines which may cause feed issues. Why not just use a SWC or TC profile? 1911/38WC pistols are designed around the WC so they can fit in the standard depth magazine. Also I think 9mm cases might be tapered which might bulge your cases when using a bullet this long/deep.

9 mm cases are, in fact, slightly tapered and I would think that, combined with insufficient case volume, would rule out the use of wadcutters in 9mm pistols.

Federal cases are straight wall. I've done it with a Beretta which as you know uas a stupidly fast twist capable of stabilizing 158 swc too.

Bruce,
When you say that "i've done it", are you saying that you have loaded the Brazos 148 gr. button-nosed bullets in your Beretta pistol without any problems?  Just curious because I have a supply of those bullets and never tried loading them in 9 mm cases.  I don't own a Beretta pistol but have two 1911s in 9 mm.  I also have an ample supply of Federal 9 mm cases.

Jim E.

With 148gr wadcutters... The case is too small to sit them flush, and seated out, the bullet will engage the rifling early, preventing the cartridge to go into battery (I suspect, never tried). 

I suggest you try loading a cartridge without primer or powder to see if it'll fit in the barrel.

I would advise against some of you giving Buck anecdotal and possibly unsafe loads. I'm no safety freak but this load is checking a lot of the boxes in the wrong column for me.

Rather than their 148 Wadcutter, I’d look seriously at their 150 gr 9mm SWC.  Most 9mm do not have the throating to accommodate the WC shape.  I have a couple of 9mms that have throats short enough to not chamber all factory ammo.

Don't see it working in a semi auto but there are 9mm revolvers out there if you really want to play with the combination.

Buck13 wrote:I wonder if the .356 sized can be loaded in 9 mm? I'd be worried about setback during cycling. And, of course, 147 grain 9 mm data wouldn't be for the same COAL...

https://www.brazosprecision.com/38-148gr-Button-Nose-WCBevel-BaseGroove-695ct-0067bullet_p_15.html

Hard pass my friend.  The oal would have to be so short that you'd have issues feeding.  The 150 swc is a real winner though.  Very accurate!

deleted due to redundancy

Lightfoot wrote:

Hard pass my friend.  The oal would have to be so short that you'd have issues feeding.  The 150 swc is a real winner though.  Very accurate!

This one?  Not sure how I overlooked that...I'd like it better if it was a plain base, but maybe you can't have everything.
https://www.brazosprecision.com/9mm-150gr-SWCBevel-BaseGroove-690ct-0067bullet_p_76.html

What charge do you like for propelling them?  I have a Dan Wesson PM9, if that is relevant in some way.

Buck13 wrote:

Lightfoot wrote:

Hard pass my friend.  The oal would have to be so short that you'd have issues feeding.  The 150 swc is a real winner though.  Very accurate!

This one?  Not sure how I overlooked that...I'd like it better if it was a plain base, but maybe you can't have everything.
https://www.brazosprecision.com/9mm-150gr-SWCBevel-BaseGroove-690ct-0067bullet_p_76.html

What charge do you like for propelling them?  I have a Dan Wesson PM9, if that is relevant in some way.

I need to check my notes if I have them.  But my memory says 3.5 of Sport Pistol

They are seated long and they do work in a Beretta. I would have to check my notes for loadings and powders.

Berettas are long throated. Recall that there are 147 gr 9 mm loadings

W/C seating depth to bullet base is the same.

bruce martindale wrote:Federal cases are straight wall. I've done it with a Beretta which as you know uas a stupidly fast twist capable of stabilizing 158 swc too.

What twist rate? I thought Beretta's were 1:32.

Pretty sure it is 1:10 with stock barrel.

They make a 148 BN, I would not use that one. 

A regular 158gn swc sized at .357 may work but be careful about pressure signs.

I tried 158 swc in a 38 Super. it was like a shotgun pattern at 50 yards.

Lightfoot wrote:

Buck13 wrote:

Lightfoot wrote:

Hard pass my friend.  The oal would have to be so short that you'd have issues feeding.  The 150 swc is a real winner though.  Very accurate!

This one?  Not sure how I overlooked that...I'd like it better if it was a plain base, but maybe you can't have everything.
https://www.brazosprecision.com/9mm-150gr-SWCBevel-BaseGroove-690ct-0067bullet_p_76.html

What charge do you like for propelling them?  I have a Dan Wesson PM9, if that is relevant in some way.

I need to check my notes if I have them.  But my memory says 3.5 of Sport Pistol

Have you used anything other than Sport Pistol with the 150's? (can't find anything on Sport Pistol to compare other powders to it)

Thanks!

I don’t have a lot of experience with SportPistol powder, but it seems to be a pinch (and I mean NOT VERY MUCH ) slower than bullseye powder.

Thanks Wobbley!

I had some 147 RNFP that shot fairly well in the Beretta, so I ran a few across the Chrono and then matched the velocity using the 150 LSWC as a starting point using some WST. We'll see how they look on paper tomorrow. I loaded a few with 231 in the same velocity range as well and may try that later. N320 may get a try as well.

Started by making a shoulder seating stem for the 150 LSWC. I use a Dillon SDB for this load development stuff.


I shoot .45, but this just looked like something interesting to play with...