what weight 9mm do you shoot?

[dahermit]

Back in the early sixties, I had a WWII Walther P-38 for which I could still buy surplus 9mm ammo. As I remember, the bullet weight was about 117 grains, and the bullets I bought for hand loading were about the same weight.

My conclusion was that if the military's (don't know which country they originated in), found 115-117 grain bullets to be the way to go for warfare, they likely knew what they were doing.

A couple of months later, I was casting the 120 grain Lyman Truncated Cone bullets for that P-38 anyway.

I currently shoot powder coated Lee 120-2R-PB bullets in my only remaining 9mm, a Browning H.P. However, I shoot RCBS 120 grain round-nose, gas checked bullets in my .38 Supers.
These are the RCBS Gas Check bullets:

[Lt.Nick]

I use 147 because I run a suppressor often. 147 functions and is very quiet.

[ThesNazud]

I use whatever fmj is cheapest for rang/plinking, and carry 147 Golden Sabers for defense.

[Willie Lowman]

I shoot matches with 124 grain FMJ's and carry 124 grain +p Gold Dots

[Ignition Override]

115 grain because it usually costs less: Win., Rem., Wolf and Tula.

The only 'issues', which are minor, have been a few weak extractions (FTE) with Win. white box - only with "white box". To be expected.

The functions with Tula, Wolf and Rem. have been perfect. Please read this again, so that nobody reads Into it.

The guns: German Sig P225 (Not a P6... a true proofmarked German commercial 225), S&W 908 (3rd Gen.), Walther P99 AS and CZ PCR (75D).

[101combatvet]

Training? What does that mean?

[mgulino]

Shoot 124 jacketed RN and 125 Hi-Tek coated for range use. Carry 115 critical defense.

[kenny53]

I shoot 115gr fmj most of the time, I carry 115gr hp most of the time, sometimes the first few rounds are 115gr hp +p+. I don't shoot it and hope I never do. If I do shoot it somebody has threaten me or my darling bride.

[Geezerbiker]

Since my only 9mm is a S&W shield and it has a rather short barrel, I load my 9mm rounds with 100g bullets. Hornady XTP hollow points for carry and Xtream 100g plated hollow points for target practice.

I have a Lee mold that makes a nice 95g RN bullet but I haven't tried loading any for this gun yet. Maybe one of these days.

Tony

[Tom-R2]

I load some 124s, and some 147s. Lots of my range reloads I use either plated 135s from Rocky Mountain Reloading, or coated 135s from Bayou Bullets.

[badge851]

Different strokes for different folks. I feel you should shoot the bullet weight that is most accurate in your gun(s). My experience in two firearms is as follows...

My first-generation, circa 2011, Ruger® LC9, hammer-fired DAO has a marked preference for 147gr ammunition. Thus that is what I shoot at the range and what I carry in the gun. Specifically for the range...
• https://winchester.com/Products/Ammu...n/USA/USA9JHP2

and for a carry load...
• https://winchester.com/Products/Ammu...ender/S9MMPDB1

Conversely, my 2021 Taurus® Mdl G3C is the most accurate with 124gr ammunition; thus I use...
• https://www.federalpremium.com/handg.../11-AE9AP.html

and...
• https://www.federalpremium.com/handg.../11-PD9P1.html

[CavGuy]

For training, I load 147 gn with IMR Target at 933 FPS. For off the shelf ammo, I shoot Federal Syntech 147 gn and 150 gn. The reason for this is as I'm getting older, I prefer the softer recoil of subsonic ammo. For defense, I use 108 gn Norma Monolithic Hollow Points. These clock in at 1,312 FPS and 413 ft/pounds of energy. The reasons are these expand to 0.9", they have a huge amount of energy, and their bullet shape runs in all my guns.

[RickB]

115. The entire point of shooting 9mm is low recoil, yet I see people putting 124 and 147 +P on a pedestal and it's like at that point you may as well use .40 S&W. The 115 grain stuff is plenty effective even from a short barrel, and is really the best fit for the small subcompact 9mm's people are gushing over nowadays.

For a given level of "power", heavier bullets produce less felt recoil than lighter ones. Comparing 115, to 147 +P, is apples and oranges.

[GarandTd]

I was primarily 115 grain, but realized I liked the recoil impulse of 147 grain much better.

[Don P]

135 grain

[4V50 Gary]

Presently? If I find it, I buy it! I haven't found it for over a year here. Hoarders here grab everything.

[jrothWA]

1124 gr across the board.

919 was designed with the 124.

[gwpercle]

The original design was a 124 gr. truncated cone .
It killed so well during WWI there was accusations of the load being in violation of the Geneva Conventions Humanitarian Laws of Armed Conflict ... so the bullet was changed from the original and highly effective 124 gr. truncated cone to a less lethal 115 gr. round nose !...Interesting Humanitarian rules for killing each other ...
Since the original load was banned from warfare it probably works and the 124 gr. weight is a good balance cosidering the case capacity of the 9mm Luger .
Not too heavy ...not too light ... I find the 124. gr. TC bullet to be ...just right !
Gary

[Tiribulus]

Whatever brass cased ammo I can get cheapest for practice and 124 grain Federal HST +P for defense.

[44 AMP]

The original design was a 124 gr. truncated cone .
It killed so well during WWI there was accusations of the load being in violation of the Geneva Conventions Humanitarian Laws of Armed Conflict ... so the bullet was changed from the original and highly effective 124 gr. truncated cone to a less lethal 115 gr. round nose !...Interesting Humanitarian rules for killing each other ...

The original load was a 124gr truncated cone, at 1050fps from a 4" (100mm) barrel. It was replaced by the 115gr RN (rather pointed rn) BEFORE WW I. The 115gr load was 1150fps from a 4" barrel.

I seriously doubt it was the "killing power" of the 124 that lead to complaints. I am thoroughly convinced that all the sides making complaints and claims of violating the accords by their enemies during WW I did so simply because they could.

Germany complained against the US using 12ga shotguns. Mind you, these were the people who introduced flame throwers and poison gas to the battlefield....

[Skarekrow88]

All of them depending on the firearm and the intended purpose/use. Generally 115gr for the compacts and subcompacts, 124gr for the full sized “duty” pistols, and 147gr for when I want to shoot suppressed.

[peacefulgary]

For defense: Hornady 135g Critical Duty 9mm+P.

For training/practice: whatever is cheap and available.

[gwpercle]

Originally Posted by dahermit

Back in the early sixties, I had a WWII Walther P-38 for which I could still buy surplus 9mm ammo. As I remember, the bullet weight was about 117 grains, and the bullets I bought for hand loading were about the same weight.

My conclusion was that if the military's (don't know which country they originated in), found 115-117 grain bullets to be the way to go for warfare, they likely knew what they were doing.

A couple of months later, I was casting the 120 grain Lyman Truncated Cone bullets for that P-38 anyway.

I currently shoot powder coated Lee 120-2R-PB bullets in my only remaining 9mm, a Browning H.P. However, I shoot RCBS 120 grain round-nose, gas checked bullets in my .38 Supers.
These are the RCBS Gas Check bullets:

After reading the history of all this I decided to order a 124 gr. TC bullet mould from NOE moulds .. if it got them (Germany) in hot water ...it must have been an OK loading !
My Walther P38 shoots this bullet , sized .357 " , over 4.7 grains Unique dead on with my WWII Walther P38's fixed iron sights ... POA = POI ... this made me a happy camper .
5.0 grains of Unique is also a good load , strikes is just a little higher , but very accurate and tight groups ..
Gary

[gnappi]

I shoot 147-149 grains in my 9... 9x25 that is :-)