SS 9mm replacement cylinders for K frame

[jtcarm]

Actually, everyone competing seriously with revolvers in USPSA and ICORE run .38 Short Colts.

I beg to differ. 9mm outnumbered the .38 SC/LC almost 2-1 at the 2017 Nationals.

https://uspsa.org/magazine/view//2018-00#page=40

I regard IDPA rules as idiotic because they further handicap revolvers vs autos, when the revolver division is tiny. You’ve got to be die-hard revolver to shoot the division. If it could be more competitive, more people would shoot it. Plus I’d invest in an 8-shot revolver if I could run it in USPSA and IDPA. I’m not going to buy a 627 to shoot USPSA once a month.

IDPA already bears little semblance to real world. Not 10% of shooters run what they carry, or how they carry.

Who EDCs a Glock 34 under a shoot-me-first vest?

[RevolverRob]

I beg to differ. 9mm outnumbered the .38 SC/LC almost 2-1 at the 2017 Nationals.

https://uspsa.org/magazine/view//2018-00#page=40

Interesting.

It would be nice to know how many were surveyed. Any ideas? Percentiles mean more in the context of the sample size they represent.

Also to note: 99% of shooters are running handloaded ammo - the majority of them 160-grain Bayou Bullets. Whether they are running the 9mm 160 (.356" diameter) or the .38/.357 160 (.358" diameter) - the point remains that they aren't using factory .355" bullets. The reason why is because of sub-par accuracy from the 9mm guns using factory ammo.

Which returns us back to the OP - and my answer to the OP's question:

Don't spend your time converting a .357" barrel gun into a 9mm. .38 LRNs are currently about $230/1000 from various sources. The 9mm you're planning to shoot is probably cheaper, like $200/1000 but will likely give you sub-par accuracy.

Instead, take the cash spent on a conversion and buy a case or two of .38 and a stack of Safariland Comp III speed loaders or a stack of Speedbeez Dade-Type Loaders . Since you can't run 9mm moonclips in IDPA and you can't compete at a high level running a 6-shot gun in USPSA, speed reloading with a 9mm moonclip gun is cart before the horse in that realm.

[RevolverRob]

Who EDCs a Glock 34 under a shoot-me-first vest?

Not me. It's a 1911 under a shoot-me-first vest.

[OlongJohnson]

[willie]

The expense involved would allow purchase of a Ruger 9mm LCR. Then if you are not pleased, you can sell the Ruger.

[Norville]

Interesting.

It would be nice to know how many were surveyed. Any ideas? Percentiles mean more in the context of the sample size they represent.

.

There were 26 shooters at 2018 Revo Nationals. Probably all were surveyed, but such a small group represents a dead division.

[Spartan1980]

Also to note: 99% of shooters are running handloaded ammo - the majority of them 160-grain Bayou Bullets. Whether they are running the 9mm 160 (.356" diameter) or the .38/.357 160 (.358" diameter) - the point remains that they aren't using factory .355" bullets. The reason why is because of sub-par accuracy from the 9mm guns using factory ammo.

Correct. 3" to 5" groups at 25 from a rest out of 929s (with their long barrel and sight radius) is pretty much the norm. Put in a .358" hi-tek coated bullet and it shrinks to 1". You'll never get good accuracy out of a .3575" +/- .0005" barrel with .355 bullets. Remember the old Ruger SA .357 gun that came with a 9mm cylinder? Those extra cylinders didn't get used much.

Also with a .38 you can run moons, speedloaders or loose rounds if your gun is cut for moons. With 9mm you can't. Well I guess you could run loose rounds if the cylinder is reamed to headspace properly. My 625 will. But it's definitely a NY reload proposition.

[jtcarm]

Better still, spend that conversion cost on a Lee Classic Turret press kit ($219 on Amazon)

By purchasing components in bulk and loading cast bullets (that includes Hi Tek coated), you can produce .38 ammo for under 15-cents per round.

Let’s say you buy brass-cased .38 ammo for 25-cents apiece (about as cheap as you’ll get brass). Then the equipment will have paid for itself in 2500 rounds, or 6 months if you shoot 100 rounds per week.

I guess you can buy 9mm ammo for about the same price as the .38 handloads, but I would not be optimistic about the accuracy of a .355 factory bullet out of a .357 bore.

[03RN]

7cpr for rimrock 158 grain bullets.
3cpr for primers
$23/lbs of unique 5.2grains per round

Brass from 20cpr perfecta .38. Wish I bought more than 2 cases.