9mm ballistics for dummies

[greener]

Or at least this one. 9mm ammunition comes in a variety of weights with 115 and 124-125gr seemingly the most popular. I've read that the 9mm pistol is basically designed for the 124-125gr bullets. Assuming good quality ammunition, would I expect ballistics to significanlty change the POI at 15-25 yards if I change bullet weight? Or should I dust off my slide rule and and my physics book for the answer?

[toyfj40]

I'll toss out a reply...
I can't imagine anything you could notice at "close encounter" ranges
with a 9mm, by only changing the bullet-weight in factory ammo...

I'm sure there is some calculatable difference, but the short-barrel,
SemiAuto-Pressure-Loss and hand-held shooting will be over-riding factors.
Yes, even on a sand-bag rest. Also, the different Wt-factory-loads
may use slightly different powder-loads.

Using a Ransom-Rest(locking the pistol into a firing position) and shooting
over a Chrony to verify velocities... then using carefully duplicated
HandLoads might show some marginal differences out near 50yds...

You could experiment with .22LR CCI Mini-Mag #0030/40grGLRN -and- #0031/36grGLHP
in a pistol, then bolt-rifle at 15/ 25/ 50 yds to see if the 10%wt difference
can be detected... I'd *assume* they use the same primer/powder in them.
and CCI is very consistent (avail & affordable for an experiment).
CCI Ballistics
Good luck...
--- I am not a gnerd... and I have the equations to prove it!!

[sniper]

Buy some, try it, see where it shoots, compared to other loads, pick the one in the 115-124gr range that you and your gun shoot best, at the ranges you will be using it...25 yards will likely be a maximum, if for defense. Any farther, reach for the long gun.

[jaeger45]

Uh-hhh...

Since we're talking of HD distances here, perhaps a perp will not really care as to the bullet weight that hits him?

Not unless of course he's wearing some sort of body armor, in which case penetration will depend very much on the quality of the armor- AND slightly to the bullet weight, of course.

But not many perps wear armor-- in HD situations.

[Blindpig]

Greener, I use both bullet weights in my Kimber Pro Carry II and, at 25 yards, I can't tell any difference in POI. For practice I use CCI Blazer 115 gr. but I keep it loaded with 124 gr. JHPs for defense. Unfortunately, my opinion probably doesn't count for much since I'm not that good with a pistol anyway. The 9mm is primarily for practice since I carry a Kimber .45.

[toyfj40]

9mm is for practice, I carry a Kimber .45.

oh... uh... so the "perp" breaks in and you have your 9mm
and you ask him to 'hang-on a sec..' while you get your .45 ?


It is my understanding that most Burglar-types will flee before
you can get the safety-OFF...
but they can be ID'd from the bodily fluids left at the scene...

I just received a box of 9mm-124gr Speer Gold-Dots
some Hornady XTP 147 -and- Win 147gr FMJ bullets...
to see how the heavy bullets perform/feel ...
maybe I'll keep the 30-rnd Glock-Mag loaded with them
for my KelTec-subbie

[bearandoldman]

Damn, some of you Texans are really mean and nasty too.

[toyfj40]

Damn, some of you Texans are really mean and nasty too.

yep... and I'm one of the NICE-GUYS !!

[bearandoldman]

Damn, some of you Texans are really mean and nasty too.

yep... and I'm one of the NICE-GUYS !!

Sure glad to hear tHAt, hate t meet up with one of them nasty ones.

[Blindpig]

oh... uh... so the "perp" breaks in and you have your 9mm
and you ask him to 'hang-on a sec..' while you get your .45 ?

Nope, the .45 is always close at hand. The 9mm is a backup and in a different location in the house. If things should really get nasty, my other backup is my S&W MP15.

[bearandoldman]

I keep an SA Micro Compact on the dresser next to the bed and an SA V-10 next to the printer in my office at all times.Th owner of the range where I shoot is an old retired Detroit cop and has worked at training instructor for the DEA and other agencies and his normal carry is 3 guns, he says he can grab another gun a lot faster Thant he can reload. His name is Evan Marshall, he has written a few books and has had article published in several gun magazines and years ago had his own column in one of them.

[jaeger45]

I keep an SA Micro Compact on the dresser next to the bed and an SA V-10 next to the printer in my office at all times.Th owner of the range where I shoot is an old retired Detroit cop and has worked at training instructor for the DEA and other agencies and his normal carry is 3 guns, he says he can grab another gun a lot faster Thant he can reload. His name is Evan Marshall, he has written a few books and has had article published in several gun magazines and years ago had his own column in one of them.

And of course Bear knows how to use 'em too, I suppose...

[bearandoldman]

I keep an SA Micro Compact on the dresser next to the bed and an SA V-10 next to the printer in my office at all times.Th owner of the range where I shoot is an old retired Detroit cop and has worked at training instructor for the DEA and other agencies and his normal carry is 3 guns, he says he can grab another gun a lot faster Thant he can reload. His name is Evan Marshall, he has written a few books and has had article published in several gun magazines and years ago had his own column in one of them.

And of course Bear knows how to use 'em too, I suppose...

Bear says, his paws do not fir in the trigger guards, so he just acts as my early watning system and advises me as to what I sould do. If they drop the gun and lay down on the ground he has BIG teeth to handle the guard duty.

YOU’RE NOT GOING TO VIETNAM…..”

I was curled up in my favorite easy chair watching the 11pm news some 30+ years ago when my wife informed me we were out of milk. When you have as many kids as we do being out of milk can be a catastrophe. She said I could either go to the corner store now or get up early. Since there’s nothing I hate more than rising earlier that absolutely necessary, I got up and went into the Den where I kept my on and off-duty handguns on a high shelf in the closet.

The 1st gun I grabbed was a Browning Hi Power with an extended thumb safety and loaded with 14 rounds of Super Vel 90 grain jhps. A friend had reworked the feed ramp so these stubby rounds fled flawlessly. I then had the above thought which serves as the title of this segment of “Tactical Tips”, laid it back on the shelf and picked up a 5 shot S&W Model 36 but then put 10 additional rounds of .38 Super Vel, loose in the back pocket of my jeans. Reflecting on this approach, the logic escapes even me. 14 rounds loaded in a pistol or fifteen rounds-five in the gun and ten loose in a pants pocket.

A few minutes later I found myself in the unhappy situation of having one round left in the gun and two injured and very angry holdup men looking for me. As I back pedaled down the aisle I was agonizing over whether I should try what would be a difficult and slow reload of the Smith J frame or maybe find another way to exit the premises and escape.

I quickly discovered there was no exit point from the end of the store I had retreated to and I was about to attempt a reload, when one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen occurred. Two Tac Unit Cops armed with shotguns burst in and ended the career of the two bad guys.

I still had the get up early the next morning after spending most of the night at Homicide. I had forgotten the milk in the aftermath of events.

LESSONS LEARNED

My duty weapon at the time was a Smith&Wesson Model 58 .41 Magnum and I had a “plain clothes” holster that I carried the gun in when assigned to plain clothes duty. The very next day I started carrying the .41 Mag both on and off-duty. The holster was not really designed as a concealment holster so I found I had to “dress around the gun”.

Today I carry three guns daily: A Beretta PX4 Storm .40 caliber pistol holding 17 rounds of Cor Bon DPX, a Smith 340SC loaded with 5 rounds of DPX .38 Special +p, and a North American Arms .32NAA loaded with 7 rnds of Cor Bon jhp. In addition I carry a flashlight and a reload for the Beretta and the snub.

The secret to carrying what you want is something I discovered 30+ years ago. Decide on the gun you feel is adequate for personal protection and then dress around. I carry the same three guns on Sunday to Church and no one (except for other ccw carriers) is the wiser.

I routinely have people attend my CCW Classes that are convinced they have to carry a .25 or .32 Auto until I do my gun striptease and show them my three handguns.

Finally, we need to remember it can happen to us regardless of where we live or where we are. Recently a customer commented he never carried when he went to a nearby community known for its tourist attractions. I pointed out that the police in that community carried a .40 caliber pistol and had both a rifle and a shotgun in their vehicles. Apparently they know something we don’t.

Remember survival is your responsibility. Anyone who depends on Government for anything more critical than trash pickup is foolish in the extreme.


Evan Marshall's Tactical Tip $1

[Glenn]

bearandoldman,
Excellent post. Thanks for sharing.

[Tbag]

Remember survival is your responsibility. Anyone who depends on Government for anything more critical than trash pickup is foolish in the extreme.


The truth has be spoken!