Need Some 9mm Ammo Help

Karl/PA · 07-05-2022, 09:07 PM

Making the change from 9x18 Mak to 9x19 Luger (or NATO). Want everything to be the same to match the Kel Tec Sub 2000. Problem I'm running into is that no one seems to agree on the uses for each of the three main types of ammunition. Most list the 115 gr. as range & target yet others call it the recommended carry load for police use. It is the most used and sold and I still have to wonder why?

The 124 gr. seems to me to be the most suitable and NATO uses it and refers to it as a plus P load.

Finally, what is the purpose of the 142 gr. load? Is it the poor man's plus P?

Seems I get different information from each source I try.

Sanders · 07-05-2022, 09:35 PM

With the 115 load, it is most common mostly because of price, and reduced recoil for those shooting micro compacts and women. I use it mostly as plinking ammo.

The 124 loads I find to be the most accurate and comfortable to shoot for me. I'm not entirely convinced on what people call +P loads. There are several youtube videos debunking +P being significantly more powerful than regular loads.

The heavier bullets tend to be subsonic. That's where the popularity of the 147 gr. bullets comes from. They are more effective out of pistol caliber carbines and sub guns with suppressors.

belt-fed · 07-05-2022, 09:51 PM

[

The heavier bullets tend to be subsonic. That's where the popularity of the 147 gr. bullets comes from. They are more effective out of pistol caliber carbines and sub guns with suppressors.[/QUOTE]

yes 147 gr work very well with a can at lest in mp5 with a omega 9 can

500grains · 06-14-2023, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sanders

I'm not entirely convinced on what people call +P loads.

+P refers to the pressure to which the ammo is loaded. If the box does not say +P, then it is regular pressure ammo.

Sanders · 06-14-2023, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 500grains

+P refers to the pressure to which the ammo is loaded. If the box does not say +P, then it is regular pressure ammo.

There doesn't seem to be any consistency as to what +P actually is, even with same manufacturers. This is based on tests different folks have done recording velocity and penetration using same bullet weights and profiles.

One manufacturer's standard loading will have more velocity than another's +P loading with the same bullet weight and profile.

It's not something I've been interested enough in to look up if there's a SAAMI spec for what +P is supposed to be vs. standard ammo.

REDOAK · 07-06-2022, 07:53 AM

147 grain are great in my M11 with Lage upper and old-school SWD suppressor.

graynote · 07-14-2022, 04:19 PM

Quit thinking of bullet weight to equate to use.

Think of jHP, bonded, or polymer tip bullets for killing. They can range anywhere from 90 gr up to 150 gr.

Think of FMJ, plated or poly-coated as range ammo. They don’t work as well in flesh.

Think of subsonic ammo (usually 147 gr or 150) as suppressed ammo.

In testing, it is almost universally accepted that the best ballistic performance comes from high-pressure 124 gr bullets such as the Speer Gold Dot or Federal Hydra-Shok.

Karl/PA · 07-18-2022, 02:47 PM

Thanks guys.

CherokeeGunslinger · 08-04-2022, 05:12 AM

Doesn't really matter in my book. Any cheap ammo will work for plinking and target practice. Any bullet weight will suffice for self-defense, as long as that bullet is a good design of bonded JHP (think HSTs and FTXes). I don't care about saving a few cents between buying 115gr and 124gr for target practice, so my arsenal is stocked with 124gr 9mm.

Grain weight only really matters in the realm of precision shooting, suppressor use, and keeping uniformity between carry and practice ammo.

I run 124gr Federal HSTs in my carry gun (a PF940v2, AKA a scary ghost gun) and they work just fine. I'd feel just as protected with the 147s. I don't see that many 115gr defensive loads on the market, but that doesn't mean a loss of 11 grains makes a JHP suck.

Once I get a Banshee Mk9GS and a suppressor, I'll likely switch to feeding my PF940v2 the 147gr stuff for uniformity.

klauss · 09-27-2022, 08:06 AM

To dredge up an oldish thread

What’s the best budget 9mm? Wife wants to get in a lot more practice time with her PDP for CCW and also get more time on the scorpion( PCC 16 inch barrel)

aviator · 09-27-2022, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by klauss

To dredge up an oldish thread

What’s the best budget 9mm? Wife wants to get in a lot more practice time with her PDP for CCW and also get more time on the scorpion( PCC 16 inch barrel)

I personally use Hornady Critical Defense in my 9mm, it's 115 gr, but face it, if you are going to have to use it it will be at less than 30 feet so it's good enough to do some flesh damage.

May also look into ammo restrictions on the gun itself, I've seen guns which are not rated at more than 115gr. because of cartridge pressure. They are not cheap.

Budget ammo, look here

ammoseek.com

Sanders · 09-27-2022, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by klauss

To dredge up an oldish thread

What’s the best budget 9mm? Wife wants to get in a lot more practice time with her PDP for CCW and also get more time on the scorpion( PCC 16 inch barrel)

Whatever is on sale for the best price. Except there is one manufacturer who sells reloaded ammo that is dirty as hell. I can't recall the name, but the boxes are red, white and blue. I'd recognize them if I saw them in the store. Never had any problems, even with them, except they were such dirty rounds.

dinkydow · 10-07-2022, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sanders

Whatever is on sale for the best price. Except there is one manufacturer who sells reloaded ammo that is dirty as hell. I can't recall the name, but the boxes are red, white and blue. I'd recognize them if I saw them in the store. Never had any problems, even with them, except they were such dirty rounds.

Some of their shit is flaked shotgun powder. Nasty shit.

bill3542 · 09-27-2022, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karl/PA

Making the change from 9x18 Mak to 9x19 Luger (or NATO). Want everything to be the same to match the Kel Tec Sub 2000. Problem I'm running into is that no one seems to agree on the uses for each of the three main types of ammunition. Most list the 115 gr. as range & target yet others call it the recommended carry load for police use. It is the most used and sold and I still have to wonder why?

The 124 gr. seems to me to be the most suitable and NATO uses it and refers to it as a plus P load.

Finally, what is the purpose of the 142 gr. load? Is it the poor man's plus P?

Seems I get different information from each source I try.

What's wrong with the Makarov for carry, there a great pistol for that.

Karl/PA · 09-30-2022, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bill3542

What's wrong with the Makarov for carry, there a great pistol for that.

Can't put the 9x18 MAK load into the 9x19 2000 sub. Agree the Mak is a great carry gun but it only carries 6 rounds. I use a P64 or a PA63 for carry.

07-05-2022, 09:07 PM	#1
Karl/PA Resident Curmudgeon Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: South-Central PA Posts: 11,989	Need Some 9mm Ammo Help Making the change from 9x18 Mak to 9x19 Luger (or NATO). Want everything to be the same to match the Kel Tec Sub 2000. Problem I'm running into is that no one seems to agree on the uses for each of the three main types of ammunition. Most list the 115 gr. as range & target yet others call it the recommended carry load for police use. It is the most used and sold and I still have to wonder why? The 124 gr. seems to me to be the most suitable and NATO uses it and refers to it as a plus P load. Finally, what is the purpose of the 142 gr. load? Is it the poor man's plus P? Seems I get different information from each source I try. __________________ Karl Alcohol is a perfect solvent: It dissolves marriages, families and careers.

07-05-2022, 09:35 PM	#2
Sanders Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 66,557	With the 115 load, it is most common mostly because of price, and reduced recoil for those shooting micro compacts and women. I use it mostly as plinking ammo. The 124 loads I find to be the most accurate and comfortable to shoot for me. I'm not entirely convinced on what people call +P loads. There are several youtube videos debunking +P being significantly more powerful than regular loads. The heavier bullets tend to be subsonic. That's where the popularity of the 147 gr. bullets comes from. They are more effective out of pistol caliber carbines and sub guns with suppressors. __________________ "The truly dangerous man dresses inconspicuously and is soft- spoken. He walks away from most confrontations. The only time you learn that the truly dangerous man is mad at you is a split second before you die, for he never fights. He only kills. The truly dangerous man knows that fighting is what children do and killing is what men do." - Charley Reese 1986 3

09-27-2022, 08:06 AM	#10
klauss Poof no eyebrows Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Somewhere in the USA Posts: 4,079	To dredge up an oldish thread What’s the best budget 9mm? Wife wants to get in a lot more practice time with her PDP for CCW and also get more time on the scorpion( PCC 16 inch barrel) __________________ alterius non sit qui suus esse potest!-"Let no man belong to another who can belong to himself." Heîs oiōnòs áristos, amýnesthai perì pátrēs- "There is only one omen, to fight for one's country"

07-05-2022, 09:51 PM	#3
belt-fed Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: land of browning Posts: 2,479	[ The heavier bullets tend to be subsonic. That's where the popularity of the 147 gr. bullets comes from. They are more effective out of pistol caliber carbines and sub guns with suppressors.[/QUOTE] yes 147 gr work very well with a can at lest in mp5 with a omega 9 can

07-06-2022, 07:53 AM	#6
REDOAK Intelligent Posterior Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,715	147 grain are great in my M11 with Lage upper and old-school SWD suppressor.

07-14-2022, 04:19 PM	#7
graynote Member Join Date: May 2021 Location: Free America Posts: 292	Quit thinking of bullet weight to equate to use. Think of jHP, bonded, or polymer tip bullets for killing. They can range anywhere from 90 gr up to 150 gr. Think of FMJ, plated or poly-coated as range ammo. They don’t work as well in flesh. Think of subsonic ammo (usually 147 gr or 150) as suppressed ammo. In testing, it is almost universally accepted that the best ballistic performance comes from high-pressure 124 gr bullets such as the Speer Gold Dot or Federal Hydra-Shok.

07-18-2022, 02:47 PM	#8
Karl/PA Resident Curmudgeon Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: South-Central PA Posts: 11,989	Thanks guys.

08-04-2022, 05:12 AM	#9
CherokeeGunslinger Thundersticks Galore Join Date: Aug 2022 Location: Ohio Posts: 35	Doesn't really matter in my book. Any cheap ammo will work for plinking and target practice. Any bullet weight will suffice for self-defense, as long as that bullet is a good design of bonded JHP (think HSTs and FTXes). I don't care about saving a few cents between buying 115gr and 124gr for target practice, so my arsenal is stocked with 124gr 9mm. Grain weight only really matters in the realm of precision shooting, suppressor use, and keeping uniformity between carry and practice ammo. I run 124gr Federal HSTs in my carry gun (a PF940v2, AKA a scary ghost gun) and they work just fine. I'd feel just as protected with the 147s. I don't see that many 115gr defensive loads on the market, but that doesn't mean a loss of 11 grains makes a JHP suck. Once I get a Banshee Mk9GS and a suppressor, I'll likely switch to feeding my PF940v2 the 147gr stuff for uniformity.