The Mature & Ubiquitous 9mm

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One Ping Only

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When George Luger designed the 9mm Parabellum in 1901, 123 years ago and 3 years before John Browning created the .45ACP in 1904, I’m not sure he expected the longevity of his creation, not did he expect how modem technology & ballistics could transform the 9x19 into what the cartridge is today.

Its many variants have something for just about everybody- that is, if used within its limits. An anti bitey-scratchy of the grizzly kind cartridge it’s not. Sure it may kill one, but your far better off with something much harder-hitting.

So, in light of the former .45ACP thread, I thought it would be good to chew the fat about a few others…9mm gets the spotlight here.

What are your favorite loads for those who run 9mm machines? What are your likes/dislikes about the 9mm?
 
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I'll start...though I haven't burned as much powder in the 9mm's as many of you, so far I'm a bit ambivalent about FMJ fodder- but I do like to plink with the same 124 gr weight as I usually load when seeking a defensive load in a JHP... in the latter application I also like 147gr JHP, but haven't shot as much of it.

In the 115 gr category (FMJ) I've shot Remington, PMC, Sellier & Bellot, Winchester (White Box), Fiocci, CCI Blazer., and a few other brands I can't recall at the moment..the dirtiest was the Winchester WB, followed by S&B. All ran like stink.

My kids brought over some mystery brand reloads from somewhere when they were doing one of their cross-country hauls....nothing but problems at the range. Before you spend $$ on an unknown Reman brand that looks like a great deal- buy one box of them and take them to the range. See if they have any duds, or consistent misfeeds. That mystery brand I just mentioned wouldn't run well.

US Cartridge is the only REMAN brand I myself have purchased, in 124 gr FMJ, and out of 250, I had one misfire. NO feeding/cycling issues, and the rest were great.

Defensive loads: we have SIG Sauer V-Max 124 gr JHP's and the SC's usually are loaded with those for the right reasons. Cycling is wonderful, accurate, no misfires. We also have some other Nosler ASP 124 gr, A particular SIG (IIRC) NATO +P 124 JHP in brown boxes, some SIG 365 115gr for the missus' SC, Federal 124gr HST, etc....actually we have a little gaggle of self-defense rounds with a few other usual brands you're likely familiar with.

I'd have to go look to see what's in the cabinet for 147 gr JHPS- I think SIG might be one, be we have far less 147 than 124 gr onhand. I do like the recoil impulse of the heavier bullets. YMMV.

But to get back to the 9mm's infancy as FMJ BALL ammo- that ugly little cloud hung over its head for decades.....in contrast, there is so much to choose from today ..the 9mm is NOT to be dismissed...and its popularity is well-earned. Bullet and load innovations. Great stuff.

What I've not tried yet is any Cor-Bon, Underwood, Lehigh Defense, Buffalo Bore, or other VERY high-octane loads yet. But it seems the 9mm has enjoyed a few "new leases on life" over the last 30 years. Maybe it's finally (and likely) reached its Zenith in capability. Among our other interests, I can't imagine not having a 9mm semiautomatic or two or three in the stable.
 
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I was watching "The First 48" (a homicide investigation reality show) with my daughter last night. One was a case in New Orleans (shocking, eh?). It was determined that a 9-mm pistol was used in this murder. One of the detectives actually said, "There are probably HUNDREDS of 9-mm pistols in this city."

LOL! Hundreds?? Really? Just HUNDREDS? Thousands, dude. Thousands.
 
One Ping Only said:
My kids brought over some mystery brand reloads from somewhere when they were doing one of their cross-country hauls....nothing but problems at the range. Before you spend $$ on an unknown Reman brand that looks like a great deal- buy one box of them and take them to the range. See if they have any duds, or consistent misfeeds. That mystery brand I just mentioned wouldn't run well.
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The LEAST of my concerns with mystery reloads (or reloads from ANYone not personally known to me)... is whether any are "duds." I'd be more worried about ka-booms.

No reloads for me. I won't touch'em. I place a high value on my appendages and pretty face.
 
There's a world of difference between "reloads" and remanufactured ammunition using pre-fired brass. I won't shoot anyone else's reloads or allow anyone to shoot any of my own reloads! However, in addition to S&B, Norma, PMC, Remington, WWB and several other brands of factory ammunition, I have fired a lot of 124 gr remanufactured ammunition made by Capitol Cartridge, Co. purchased from 2A Warehouse, as well as a few other brands of reman, but the manufacturer name(s) escape me at the moment.

My SD 9mm ammo has historically been almost exclusively 147 gr Fed HST, followed by 147 gr Winchester Ranger T or 124 gr and 147 gr Speer Gold Dot. 🤠
 
In about 2004 a contract driver where I worked and I discussed 9mm. He was a class three shooter with a Swedish K, an Uzi and a Sten MkII. He said not to go lighter than 124gr bullets and not slower than 1100 feet per second with ball ammo.

He had LEO relatives in several states and metros'. They thought the 124gr Nyclads was the ammo to carry. The catch was you had to be a cop to get any. I asked his opinion on other ammo. He said any major manufacturer who sells a 124gr hollow points will get you by IF IT FEEDS like you want and YOU CAN HIT YOUR TARGET where you want at the distances you shoot. And being able to do this quickly is a plus.

The old joke was brought up, Who would you be more afraid of? Woody Allen with a 44 Magnum or Clint Eastwood with a ..22? The answer was Eastwood because he hit what he was shooting at. So over the years as I lived and learned, I went with Hornady Critical Defense FTX's and SIG Sauer Elite Defense V-Crown's if I think I'll have to shoot the 200lb varmint class course.

For the rest of my shooting I shoot my cast Lee 124gr .356" truncated cones or round noses that I powder coat. With my bullet metal the round noses end up with a 20 caliber flat point nose after sizing. And My bullets run about 4gr heavier because they're softer with more lead and less tin as a "by the way".

I load these with 6 to 6.2 grains of Herco Powder because it works well, fills the case and is a really good mid range powder for almost every handgun caliber I shoot. I haven't chronographed the 6.2 load but the 6.0 load runs around 1090fps out of my Taurus G2C's 3.25" barrel.. I "think" 6.2 will push the speed to around 1200 fps and will check that out after winter's over if I can

The 6.2gr load is taken from page 44 of the 1992 Reloaders' Guide for Hercules Smokeless Powders for the worriers about my load data source. The same load goes through to the 2005 edition after Alliant bought Hercules on page 42.

But the bottom line for this is having a bullet that feeds and being able to hit where you aim. Like I say on all the boards I frequent "ROUNDS ON TARGET". Most people don't shoot or dry fire nearly enough. After all, How do you get to Carnegie Hall?
 
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Racer88 said:
The LEAST of my concerns with mystery reloads (or reloads from ANYone not personally known to me)... is whether any are "duds." I'd be more worried about ka-booms.

No reloads for me. I won't touch'em. I place a high value on my appendages and pretty face.
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Yeah. They had nothing but issues with them. My Daughter-in-law was grabbing a magazine for my echelon and was going to load it with that crap. I kindly intercepted it and said "no thanks", went back to the good stuff I brought.

The US Cartridge box of remanufactured ammo (115gr) that I'd acquired ran through my builds flawlessly with the exception of one bad primer. That's the first and last box of reman I'll buy.... stick to factory fodder...aside from if I take up reloading again, as I do have the gear here. TBH, I don't see myself doing that again, but it might happen. lololol ...too many other obligations.
 
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9mm - I normally run IMI 124 +P hollow points. 1911 and well everything
45ACP Black Talon I got lifetime supply when it came out
 
One Ping Only said:
When George Luger designed the 9mm Parabellum in 1901, 123 years ago and 3 years before John Browning created the .45ACP in 1904, I’m not sure he expected the longevity of his creation, not did he expect how modem technology & ballistics could transform the 9x19 into what the cartridge is today.

Its many variants have something for just about everybody- that is, if used within its limits. An anti bitey-scratchy of the grizzly kind cartridge it’s not. Sure it may kill one, but your far better off with something much harder-hitting.

So, in light of the former .45ACP thread, I thought it would be good to chew the fat about a few others…9mm gets the spotlight here.

What are your favorite loads for those who run 9mm machines? What are your likes/dislikes about the 9mm?
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That's a fact I love to quietly point out to folks who want to argue that .45 ACP is an "outdated" cartridge! ;)
 

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