If I’m doing my own reloading of my 9mm pistol rounds why couldn’t I use that same lead for my 9mm airgun or any other equivalent powder burner caliber?
Gonna ask this in complete ignorance
- Thread starter Kneepit
- Start date
@Kneepit
I don’t have an answer for you other than, I’ve shot pistol reloads as airgun slugs in my Benjamin Bulldog M357. A member gave me some, I shot them, liked them, and bought more.
Edit: see post #s 88, 95, & 96 in the following thread.
Benjamin - Benjamin Bulldog M357 Impression
Looks to be a great gun< especially for folks without a 3/8 drill, and the inability to operate one, and a way to buy Pitbull, parts. My Bulldog has been shooting at the m357 power range for several years, and has done so much of the time as a 24 inch barreled carbine. If you have a oem...
www.airgunnation.com Last edited:
Upvote 0
Ezana4CE --=--
9mm works out to be ~ .356" diameter, while the '.38 caliber' diameter is ~ .375" (.001" difference).
Usually in lead, they are cast at approximately ~ .001" larger, while copper jacketed is normally spot on in caliber diameter.
The reasoning for this is that the lead will expand to fill the barrel/rifling after it leaves the forcing cone, which is larger than the bore. Also, since many manufacturers make firearms, there a slight differences in actual bore diameter. Lead conforms better under those conditions.
Since jacketed bullets have a harder exterior made of copper, they are manufactured much closer to the actual diameter of the SAAMI specifications. They also do not conform as well through the forcing cone, but apparently, still catch the rifling within the bore due to being close in size.
Small diameter lead bullets tend to leave lead in the barrel due to leaking gases around the bullet and high heat in PB's. Only the leakage would occur in an air gun of course.
I suppose that is the reason the SOME bullets do not work as well in an air gun as they do in a PB.
It has also been developed over a very long period for PB's specifically.
I would suspect that shooting the copper jacketed bullets out of your Bulldog would not be as accurate....unless that is what you tried. Either way, your particular Bulldog must have had the correct diameter in order for them to shoot as well as you describe.
mike
9mm works out to be ~ .356" diameter, while the '.38 caliber' diameter is ~ .375" (.001" difference).
Usually in lead, they are cast at approximately ~ .001" larger, while copper jacketed is normally spot on in caliber diameter.
The reasoning for this is that the lead will expand to fill the barrel/rifling after it leaves the forcing cone, which is larger than the bore. Also, since many manufacturers make firearms, there a slight differences in actual bore diameter. Lead conforms better under those conditions.
Since jacketed bullets have a harder exterior made of copper, they are manufactured much closer to the actual diameter of the SAAMI specifications. They also do not conform as well through the forcing cone, but apparently, still catch the rifling within the bore due to being close in size.
Small diameter lead bullets tend to leave lead in the barrel due to leaking gases around the bullet and high heat in PB's. Only the leakage would occur in an air gun of course.
I suppose that is the reason the SOME bullets do not work as well in an air gun as they do in a PB.
It has also been developed over a very long period for PB's specifically.
I would suspect that shooting the copper jacketed bullets out of your Bulldog would not be as accurate....unless that is what you tried. Either way, your particular Bulldog must have had the correct diameter in order for them to shoot as well as you describe.
mike
Upvote 0
.38 caliber bullets usually measure 0.357" to 0.359", with .358" being the original diameter.
9mm is 0.3543"
I doubt if a copper jacketed bullet would work as the pressure in an air gun would not be enough to force it into the rifling, but I'm willing to learn.
9mm is 0.3543"
I doubt if a copper jacketed bullet would work as the pressure in an air gun would not be enough to force it into the rifling, but I'm willing to learn.
Upvote 0
The lead itself should work fine I find that the purer the lead content the better.
As for using pure lead 9mm bullets as slugs, the others have covered the matter well.
As for using pure lead 9mm bullets as slugs, the others have covered the matter well.
Upvote 0
im going todo some tests with my 58 cal air gun and buy sabots to use with 45 cal slugs to hopefully achieve a higher fps and fpe and i doubt i will be able to save money on ammo if i factor in the cost of the sabbots but it should be fun
Upvote 0
