LCR 9 mm

[kd4rgwml]

I know I'm missing something but a friend asked me if a 9 mm LCR could be loaded with 380 using moon clips?
He's not happy with 9 mm and doesn't reload.

 

[sharpshooter33]

No I would say not. I"m sure someone would say you can get away with it, but the LCR 9mm is not designed from the 380.

Someone correct me if I"m wrong here. Aside from being a smaller cartridge length wise, I believe there may be some other dimensions that are different, even though the 380 is also called the 9mm short.

I've heard some other revolvers use shortened rounds and they had the cylinder walls do something weird.

Best bet is to ask Ruger direct. They have a customer service email that is pretty responsive.

LMK what you hear I am curious.
Thanks

 

[sharpshooter33]

found this same argument on AR15.com
http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=5&f=33&t=124594

 

[skeeter]

9mm is a tapered case the 380 is straight walled. 380 is not just a shortened 9mm. The taper of the 9mm prevents it from being shot in 38/357 guns with moon clips.

 

[5of7]

The 9MM is tapered, as has been said above, while the 380 is straight. This leaves a considerable portion of the 380 case not supported by the chamber at the head of the cartridge.

Shooting a .380 in a 9MM chamber would result in a severely bulged case and/or a likely ruptured case.

You don't want that.... 8)

 

[s4s4u]

The 380 is .374 at the base and .373 at the mouth, and the 9mm is .394 at the base and .380 at the mouth. I'd think it would be a bit of a sloppy fit in the cylinder and the in moonclip.

 

[kd4rgwml]

i told my friend that no 380 would not work in a 9mm just couldn't remember why. Thanks for the information.

 

[ediogenes]

Well, I beg to differ. It has 'worked' for me, just not very well. .380 will load in my 9mm Beretta 9000S, if I tap the magazine to seat the cartridges as far back as possible, and the pistol will shoot, but the recoil spring is too strong for the slide to move sufficiently to load the next round, as one might expect. It's a single shot operation - you gotta work the slide manually.
In my 9mm Ruger Speed-Six, the cartridges fit loosely in the moon clip (don't drop it!) and loading is a little dicey, but they do shoot. Extraction is no problem. There may have been bulged or split cases, but I didn't think to look at 'em.
I see little use in it, except if I had only .380 ammo and a 9mm gun. I did that little experiment with that contingency in mind, however unlikely it may be.

 

[sharpshooter33]

you can probably drop a 243 in a 308 and fire it...Don't make it right or good 8)

Well, I beg to differ. It has 'worked' for me, just not very well. .380 will load in my 9mm Beretta 9000S, if I tap the magazine to seat the cartridges as far back as possible, and the pistol will shoot, but the recoil spring is too strong for the slide to move sufficiently to load the next round, as one might expect. It's a single shot operation - you gotta work the slide manually.
In my 9mm Ruger Speed-Six, the cartridges fit loosely in the moon clip (don't drop it!) and loading is a little dicey, but they do shoot. Extraction is no problem. There may have been bulged or split cases, but I didn't think to look at 'em.
I see little use in it, except if I had only .380 ammo and a 9mm gun. I did that little experiment with that contingency in mind, however unlikely it may be.

 

[Fox Mike]

If you want to look at the differences look here. 9mm then 380
http://www.saami.org/pubresources/cc_drawings/Pistol/9mm%20Luger%20-%209mm%20Luger%20+P.pdf

http://www.saami.org/pubresources/cc_drawings/Pistol/380%20Automatic.pdf

 

[sharpshooter33]

How about subsonic 9mm ammo? Anyone ever try running it thru the LCR 9mm to see how recoil is? Or any other problems?

 

[Rainy Day Shooter]

Why download (with sub-sonic ammo) a revolver specifically designed for SD loads?
If a 380 is what he can comfortably shoot why not consider the LCP and be done with the experiment?

 

[diyj98]

I agree. Or if a standard 115 grain 9mm factory load is too much for him, go with an 38 LCR and find a mild factory target load.