Pay special attention to .380 vs. 9mm ammo while shooting

[Tinner666]

Those rounds DO headspace on the front of the casing and a .380 WILL drop into the 9 mm chamber.
The extractor will hold the case against the breechface firmly enough to allow the firing pin to fire the shell.

Aaaah! I didn't think of the extractor gripping the shell. Thanks! I'll remember that one.

 

[LarryC]

Actually can't see shooting .380 in a 9mm being dangerous at all. The bullet is actually the same diameter - both are 9mm - .380 is 9mm Corto. I have one semi-auto (Astra 400) that is actually a 38 / 9mm Largo. Barrel is marked that way. My son & I bought some surplus ammo for it, then I disassembled a half dozen bullets, miked all dimensions, weighed the bullets, then we measured the velocity of 10 rounds. The bullet weight, velocity and all dimensions matched the standard 38 super round. We have since reloaded 38 super to the same velocity and ran a couple boxes through with no failures or pressure signs of any kind. Not to shabby a handgun.

 

[daddymikey1975]

Surely I am not the only one that has done this? Anyone else do something similar?

Shot some .380 through my KelTec P11 (was supposed to be going through my P3AT).. it fired but would not eject. I too was puzzled. I too figured it out and felt kinda stupid

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Autos headspace on the neck, but some, like the .45GAP in a .45ACP, a .40SW in a 10mm, or a .380ACP/9x17/9K in a 9mm/9Luger/9Parabellum/9x19 will headspace from the extractor. They'll likely fire, pretty likely operate the action, somewhat likely eject, not very likely be safe. This is why I label all my mags for model, caliber, and capacity, and I'm totally anal about packaging my ammo.

 

[XtremeVel]

Surely I am not the only one that has done this? Anyone else do something similar?

Not that combination, but....

The one that always got me was the Glocks with the ability to shoot different calibers... I never sent a 9mm down a .40 or .357 sig barrel but for some reason I always found a way to send the .357 through a .40 barrel... It wouldn't matter that I always color coded my MTM ammo boxes and always double checked...

The combination I really worry about is .44 mag and .45 Colt... I have a pair of 7 1/2 inch stainless RedHawks and a pair of fairly similiar looking Blackhawks in each caliber...

 

[PaulKersey]

At a recent range visit, I noticed a distinctly differently recoil impulse than I am accustomed to in my Glock 23. There was a good reason for that - I had put a couple of 9mm rounds in the middle of a 40 mag. They fired but it was clear that something was wrong. No damage to the gun thankfully.

 

[mikedippert]

I loaded 9mm Luger in a M&P.40. It was my friend's dad's gun. Luckily I noticed I was loading round noses where flat noses should be going.