any experience with steel case 9mm in revolvers?

Jayne

Jayne

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I've tried steel case .357 in my 608 and it was horrible. Fired cases stuck so bad I gave up using it after the first two cylinders full.

Google seems to show the usual "steel recks yer guns!" and "steel ain't good quit bein' cheap" stuff but no one seems to talk about it sticking in cylinders or not in 9mm.

Anyone have first hand experience with it a 9mm wheel gun? What have you run it in and which were successful and which failed?
 
I've run a few cylinders of 9mm in an LCR and Chiappa rhino. Cases stuck badly compared to brass.

Had to use a pen to pop some of them out.
 
Slacker said:
However, the bigger question is if the rims are compatible with moon clips.
Very tight tolerances.
Click to expand...

Right, forgot about that.

If using ammo I already use isn't possible and I have to use different 9mm, I might as well just reload some .38 for my existing wheel gun. I have the technology to do that, and for the cost of a new wheel gun I can buy a lot of powder and bullets.
 
Jayne, several years ago when the first 8 shot Nframes came out, I got one. They were relieved for full moon clips and I, along with some others, looking for the quickest edge we could get, shortened about 160 .38 cases by about half. This made for a super short snubby cartridge. Hard to explain what an advantage it was. My old head is failing me at the moment but I can remember the times were easily measured on the timer.
If you want to play the game and are not already into the 9mm, this might be down your alley.
After all THAT, to try to give you some advice on the OP, I don't use steel in handguns. That's just me. It did cost a lot of time to come to that conclusion.
 
I had one experience with .38 steel in a revolver. That was enough for me. :(
 
Have you tried stripping the lacquer the night before? Should be easy to do and may alleviate sticking.
 
BatteryOaksBilly said:
Jayne, several years ago when the first 8 shot Nframes came out, I got one. They were relieved for full moon clips and I, along with some others, looking for the quickest edge we could get, shortened about 160 .38 cases by about half. This made for a super short snubby cartridge. Hard to explain what an advantage it was. My old head is failing me at the moment but I can remember the times were easily measured on the timer.
If you want to play the game and are not already into the 9mm, this might be down your alley.
After all THAT, to try to give you some advice on the OP, I don't use steel in handguns. That's just me. It did cost a lot of time to come to that conclusion.
Click to expand...

Now that is an interesting idea! I can see how that would help reloads drop in much easier. I have seen a lot of gamer tricks in competition but never that one. I wonder whether it is disallowed by the rules in IDPA or USPSA or even cowboy action. Makes me want to try revolvers just to use that trick. Already have a case trimmer and a cut off saw for 300BLK conversion.
 
Steel and aluminum don't rebound like brass and causes sticking in some guns. I've never tried steel in a revolver but I have tried aluminum. It will be harder to eject where brass will come right out. I would think you'd have more problems with the rim and moon clips using steel ammo.
 
JimP42 said:
Now that is an interesting idea! I can see how that would help reloads drop in much easier. I have seen a lot of gamer tricks in competition but never that one. I wonder whether it is disallowed by the rules in IDPA or USPSA or even cowboy action. Makes me want to try revolvers just to use that trick. Already have a case trimmer and a cut off saw for 300BLK conversion.
Click to expand...

I believe it's been used a lot in USPSA. Starline even makes .38s short brass for purchase.

https://www.starlinebrass.com/brass-cases/38-Short-Colt-Brass/
 
Cool. That would be easier to see the powder reloading to instead of the deeper 38 special case.
 
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