Anyone load a 38/.380 bullet into a 9mm casing for steel challenge?

[Jungleweasle]

My son is converting from 22 to 9mm. My son is 12 but he is a little guy (60 pounds) so I would like to reduce recoil as much as possible. I have asked around about some recipes and spring configuration for a Glock 17 that would make it shoot softer. I have had a couple folks mention loading a 38/.380 bullet into a 9mm casing. I wanted to see if anyone has been doing this and if it works well. Thoughts/concerns?

 

[dennishoddy]

My son is converting from 22 to 9mm. My son is 12 but he is a little guy (60 pounds) so I would like to reduce recoil as much as possible. I have asked around about some recipes and spring configuration for a Glock 17 that would make it shoot softer. I have had a couple folks mention loading 38 into 9mm. I wanted to see if anyone has been doing this and if it works well. Thoughts/concerns?

Why? Just reduce the powder load.

 

[MR.T.]

I don't understand,
Load 38 into the 9mm,
Its just a heavier bullet by doing that.

Heck, I load 9mm bullets into my 38 cases all the time. It doesn't make a difference. We are talking a .001 of an inch difference in dia.

Do like Dennis said & just keep reducing the powder load till you get to one that will still function the gun reliably.

 

[Ignored Member]

Use 147 grain with the lowest grains listed in the reloading book for the powder you're using. You can then drop the grains by .5 until you get something reliable and soft.

 

[Jungleweasle]

Why? Just reduce the powder load.

I have lowered the powder as much as I can right now. But it’s still a little much for him. I’ve heard about that some people are getting a power factor around 100 with the 38 loading into a 9mm. But I may not have the sprigs set up properly the way I have it. So I would love any suggestions on a spring set up?

 

[Jungleweasle]

I don't understand,
Load 38 into the 9mm,
Its just a heavier bullet by doing that.

Heck, I load 9mm bullets into my 38 cases all the time. It doesn't make a difference. We are talking a .001 of an inch difference in dia.

Do like Dennis said & just keep reducing the powder load till you get to one that will still function the gun reliably.

Maybe I am referring to it incorrectly since I have just learned about it. But I think it’s actually loading a .380 into a 9mm. I will correct it in the header up top. Thank you

 

[CHenry]

Feed that kid some meat n taters! lol
Or wait till he grows into 9mm.

 

[NightShade]

Right, it's a simple physics thing. The heavier the bullet and the more powder the harder the recoil is going to kick.

So a heavier pistol, like a 1911 compared to a polymer glock or M&P with a light bullet. Something like a 95grain bullet with as light of a powder load as possible that will allow the weapon to reliably function. You will have to drop the recoil spring way down though for it to reliably function with an extremely light loading. It's going to be a dance of getting the light spring, developing a loading that will work with it correctly and then seeing if that will work for your son.

So you may be better off with a slightly heavier pistol or developing a loading for a 380 instead and going that route.

 

[CHenry]

a slightly heavier pistol

Operator

 

[Ignored Member]

A heavier bullet like 147 with less powder will have a softer feeling recoil than say a 115 grain which calls for more powder.
The lighter the bullets have more snap to the recoil.

For my daughter when she was 13, I used a 147 grain bullet with 3.2 grains of HP-38 and and 11lb recoil spring in an M&P 5"