Unsafe ammunition and firearms combinations

[Lennie]

One unsafe item on this SAAMI list, which surprised me, is shooting 9mm NATO in firearms rated for just 9mm ammunition. I was also quite surprised at the number of cartridges that can be chambered in a dangerous combination.

https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Unsafe-Arms-and-Ammunition-Combinations-Web-Site-and-Brochure-Master-Revised-8-24-2020.pdf

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[Member 34319]

I call bull, you ain't fitting a 40sw into a 9mm.

 

[Mikej]

And I can testify to the fact shooting 9mm in a .40 S&W isn't going to hurt you!
At least I don't see how it could hurt you, or the gun for that matter. All it does is unevenly balloon out the case, and not cycle. The bullet tumbled into the target about a foot low. ?YMMV.

Edit: Something I hadn't considered has been brought up below. It CAN lead to some pretty hairy consequences if a person isn't paying close attention.

 

[Lennie]

And I can testify to the fact shooting 9mm in a .40 S&W isn't going to hurt you!
At least I don't see how it could hurt you, or the gun for that matter. All it does is unevenly balloon out the case, and not cycle. The bullet tumbled into the target about a foot low. ?YMMV.

I feel angels watched over you that day. What probably happened is the extractor held the 9MM round in place which somehow enabled the firing pin to hit the primer of the 9 mm round.

Here is my experience. A few years ago, I took a number of friends shooting. Amongst the firearms, we were shooting on that occasion, was a 9mm pistol and a 40 S&W pistol. They were my pistols and had very similar magazines. One of my friends inserted a loaded 9mm pistol magazine into the 40 S&W and released the slide. He then pulled the trigger, nothing happened. After a moment, in case of a hang fire, he opened the slide and looked into an empty chamber. He then removed the magazine and realized it was the 9 mm magazine. He then inserted the corrected magazine, closed the chamber and fired. Big mistake because when he had originally closed the slide on the 9 mm mag, the slide velocity rammed the loaded 9mm round down into the barrel. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but the 40 S&W pistol suffered major damage.

Because of this event, I make sure everything related to a 9 mmm pistol is put away prior to shooting a 40 S&W. I have since learned that I am not the only person to experience this kind of event. A 9 mm round with enough slide velocity can be pushed down into the rifling of a 40 S&W barrel.

 

[drstrangelove]

They said I couldn't use my 308 match catridges in my 7mm mag huntin rifle... what gives?

 

[titsonritz]

One unsafe item on this SAAMI list, which surprised me, is shooting 9mm NATO in firearms rated for just 9mm ammunition. I was also quite surprised at the number of cartridges that can be chambered in a dangerous combination.

https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Unsafe-Arms-and-Ammunition-Combinations-Web-Site-and-Brochure-Master-Revised-8-24-2020.pdf

Sub-machine gun ammo.

 

[Mecanik]

They tell you to not shoot 5.56 Nato in a .223 chamber. How many of us have done that.. Also I think most of those combinations are not because it's overly dangerous but because it's not a good practice to shoot the wrong ammunition. Why would you want to anyway? I've shot .380 in a 9mm Mak with no apparent issues.. and .270 in a 30-06

 

[Mikej]

Here is my experience. A few years ago, I took a number of friends shooting. Amongst the firearms, we were shooting on that occasion, was a 9mm pistol and a 40 S&W pistol. They were my pistols and had very similar magazines. One of my friends inserted a loaded 9mm pistol magazine into the 40 S&W and released the slide. He then pulled the trigger, nothing happened. After a moment, in case of a hang fire, he opened the slide and looked into an empty chamber. He then removed the magazine and realized it was the 9 mm magazine. He then inserted the corrected magazine, closed the chamber and fired. Big mistake because when he had originally closed the slide on the 9 mm mag, the slide velocity rammed the loaded 9mm round down into the barrel. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but the 40 S&W pistol suffered major damage.

That's a heck of a I good point I'd not though of.
I would like to think my usual attention to detail would have had me sense something off. This was quite a few years ago. I started loading my own 12/11 and my incident was 2-3 years after, I'm thinking. It did, at that time, burn into my brain to avoid such a goof.

 

[Capn Jack]

Another reason I don't own a 300 Blackout...

 

[ilikegunspdx]

One unsafe item on this SAAMI list, which surprised me, is shooting 9mm NATO in firearms rated for just 9mm ammunition. I was also quite surprised at the number of cartridges that can be chambered in a dangerous combination.

https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Unsafe-Arms-and-Ammunition-Combinations-Web-Site-and-Brochure-Master-Revised-8-24-2020.pdf

Agree about 9mm nato. I was told by IWI Israel that their Jericho 941 pistol is made for 9mm NATO as standard cartridge which they consider very close to 9mm +p. (Gun is rated for both +p and +p+ as I understand it).

So shooting 9mm NATO in a gun not rated for +P would be close to shooting +p ammo in a gun not rated for +P, based on the info from IWI.

 

[RVTECH]

I found this list a little odd.

While there were some cartridges in the lists that would no doubt possibly chamber in the particular gun listed on the left there were many that would never even chamber due to a considerably larger caliber or case.

Heck, .380 in a .38 Special? A .380 round will fall into a .38 cylinder and never be hit by the firing pin.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Saami Davis Jr. had a glass eye. Coincidence? I think not!

 

[Mecanik]

Another reason I don't own a 300 Blackout...

I sold mine when I realized it would fall into my 5.56 chamber...

 

[RVTECH]

I can verify a .243 being shot out of a .25-06 one time.....

 

[Capn Jack]

Here, hold my beer....You can make shot shells out of 30-06 cases for your 1917 revolver. Trim the -06 cases just short of the 1917 cylinder. They fit right into the half moon clips. Use .410 wads and your choice of shot, roll crimp with a .44 crimping die.

 

[3MTA3]

Two observations:

1. I had no idea that you could even fit a 40 S&W into a 9mm chamber
2. They missed the 7.62x51 chambered rifles as not being safe for 308 Winchester ammunition (although it's been done thousands of times)

EDIT: clarified point 2 above

 

[Mikej]

Two observations:

1. I had no idea that you could even fit a 40 S&W into a 9mm chamber
2. They missed the 7.62x51 as not being safe for 308 Winchester (although it's been done thousands of times)

1: I didn't try a .40 in a 9mm chamber. But a 9mm falls right in!

2: It's the other way around as I understand it. 7.62 X 51 is a lower pressure round than .308. I did a good amount of reading on it as I picked up a BM59 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beretta_BM_59 which is a Garand action with the on op-rod. There is a caution against using the higher pressure .308 round as there is a chance of ripping the rim off due to a more violent action. 7.62 X 51 brass is also a little thicker/beefier.

 

[PORSCHE928S4]

I found this list a little odd.

While there were some cartridges in the lists that would no doubt possibly chamber in the particular gun listed on the left there were many that would never even chamber due to a considerably larger caliber or case.

Heck, .380 in a .38 Special? A .380 round will fall into a .38 cylinder and never be hit by the firing pin.

You have to aim straight up !

 

[orygun]

I found this list a little odd.

While there were some cartridges in the lists that would no doubt possibly chamber in the particular gun listed on the left there were many that would never even chamber due to a considerably larger caliber or case.

Heck, .380 in a .38 Special? A .380 round will fall into a .38 cylinder and never be hit by the firing pin.

No doubt about the .380 and I didn't read the list, but maybe they meant 38 Auto and 38 Super Auto? Those will chamber and fire in a 38 Special.

My Bro in law mentioned some shells sticking in his revolver. (nice S&W Model 67) He said they were +P. When I checked out the ammo it was 38 Super +P! He shot a little better than half a box of 50 before he gave up. I explained the difference and then gave the remaining ammo to another member.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

7mm-08 in a .270 WSM. I can confirm that this combination will result in a rapid self disassembly of a firearm. Yea, I did it and I had over 40 years of shooting experience behind me without a single incident. It was a little difficult to cam the bolt and I should have red flagged and stopped there. I mean this is basic stuff. I'm very fortunate that I wasn't severely injured. Long story short. My daughter and I finished a hunt and she dropped her rounds in my box when we were packing up. I don't blame her. I'm 100% responsible for my own stupidity. Next outing, well, things went badly for me. It's embarrassing to admit to this whole event, but I will on the off chance that it might save someone else from serious injury.