Any recommendations for a bullet size and shape that will serve me well in both a 9mm and 38 cal.?
Or should I just buy a mold for a 9mm? Looks as if my 158 g SWC (.358" dia.) bullets are not a good 9mm load.
thanks in advance for any help --- Fay

It is possible to use the 158 gr lead SWC in a 9mm. Just need ti find the right OAL and maybee throat the barrel.

For 9mm practice, I use a 160 gr RN meant for the 38 Super. Light charge of AA#2. Requires the use of the Lee Factory Crimp die as some cases will bulge a little. The FCD will smooth this out. The same bullet would work in a 38 Special.

It's of little help to you now, Saeco used to make a wonderful 140 grain SWC for 30-357 that also works like a charm in my friends half dozen Browing High Powers.
I used the bullet for 15 years of out door Bullseye.
Never won much but that is the shooter, not the bullet.
The same friend with the Browning High Powers finds that .357 or 358 bullets do well in every 9mm that he has played with.

Jim

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Cast bullets are the true and rightous path to shooting bliss

Thanks Jim and Ironhead, think I will load a few and give it a try. tight groups - Fay

The Lee 105 gr SWC makes nice round holes & shoots well in both of my 9's and in my 38/357 revolvers.
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Just my thoughts. I reload for the 9mm and the 38; but don't use the same bullet.

The 9mm is usually and automatic handgun while the 38s are usually wheel guns.

Automatics were born with feed problems and will always have them...just the nature of the beast. Wheel guns (aka revolvers) feed anything at all.
So I'd pick a bullet with lots of nose taper and one that feeds reliable in your 9mm...then just use it in the 38. Both rounds are very accurate so it isn't going to matter from an accuracy perspective.

I think the 115 grain Hornady .355 feeds very reliable (FMJs are even better) then just load that in the 38.Not sure if game is your object of just shooting/plinking. I've killed groundhogs, and snakes with it.

My concern with one bullet for both is bullet diameter. 9mm runs .355-.356 whereas 38's run .357-.358. You could use the same bullet but they would need to sized for their particular use for best results.

I use a Lee 125 gr. LRNFP in my 9mms, .38s, and .357 Magnums. While 9mms are supposed to be .355"-.356" you should slug your barrel to make sure (I have 2, 9mms and one is .356" and one is nearly .357"). For my 9mms I size .357" and for my .38/.357 Mag. I size .358". I could prolly run .357" in all guns, but get leading in my Taurus .357 when I use .357" bullets. RNFP feeds well in my 9mms (FMK, and Chinese Tokerev), and is pretty accurate in my revolvers.