What 9mm grain do you prefer?

[Claudel Xerxes]

I have mainly been shooting 115 grain 9mm rounds in my HK VP. I have a couple boxes of 124gr ammo that I need to try, but it got me thinking about what everyone else is using. I know that ultimately I'm going to choose what I'm comfortable with. I still haven't tried any 147gr 9mm yet.

I'm curious though, what do you guys like to use and why you like it.

 

[Jnatcat]

My preference is titegroup, I have tried power pistol but found it to be a tad Smokey.

 

[Jim]

use what your pistol likes best.. you can be suprised how accuracy varies by brand and weight.

 

[auk1124]

use what your pistol likes best.. you can be suprised how accuracy varies by brand and weight.

+1. All depends on the gun. I am lucky; the only 9mm I have kept is a G17 that loves cheap 115 grain loads. I took my concealed carry qualification course with it and cheap Winchester white box loads from Walmart, and scored better than a couple of jokers who showed up with 22lr target pistols.

 

[Lightcs1776]

I generally use 124 grain for 9mm. It works well with my firearm.

Sent via Tapatalk

 

[Ad Astra]

There is a considerable spectrum of weights, shoot for the middle... 124 gr.

Not like .40 Short&Wide, which has basically two: 165 and 180. Sheesh.


AA

 

[OkieStubble]

use what your pistol likes best.. you can be suprised how accuracy varies by brand and weight.

I agree, if the purpose is target or competition accuracy when getting the smallest possible clusters/clovers is necessary. Not so much any difference for self defense accuracy. With modern engineering and metallurgy, most top brand pistols will also reliably function with most bullet weights, lengths and brands of ammunition.

115gr, 124gr and 147gr subsonic, are usually the three standard 9mm, people find. 115gr is pretty fast stuff and 1300 - 1400 fps is the norm with +P around 1500-1600 fps.

147gr Subsonic can be considered a specific application round by many. Usually, by those who want to use a suppressor on their pistol and/or for SMG use. There are some who want a heavier and slower subsonic for indoor self defense use because the round doesn't break the sound barrier which can be quieter indoors, and the bigger THUD of 147 grains in hallway distances can't be argued.

The 124 gr is an excellent middle weight for an "all around" self defense carry/use. More punch than the 115 and still plenty of velocity in the 1100-1200 fps range. Just my opinion, but I think it's weight and velocity is probably ideal for helping in the expansion of modern 9mm hollow point designs.

 

[Mick]

I went through 4 different manufacturers before finding a round that would not stove pipe or partial load/jam but I have a pistol that is notoriously picky about what it will feed, so much so that I am seriously considering retiring it for something more dependable.

Find what works every time then get a supply. Check production/batch/lot numbers to make sure you are getting the same lot of ammo made at the same time from the same powder and on the same machinery.

Don't ask what others use or are doing. Find what works reliability for you and don't "experiment" unless it is just to run a box of something through at the range.

Now this is assuming you are talking about a firearm you may need to depend on one day, not a range gun that only punches paper.

.

 

[nortac]

Rob, as always, gave a great explanation. I carry 124 gr. Gold Dots so my reloads are also topped with 124 gr. projectiles. For practice, if not shooting my own reloads, I'm probably shooting the WW white box 119 gr. ammo. For combat accuracy on paper, there is no real consideration as to bullet weight for me, as long as the gun functions. Now if I were shooting a 9mm in competition, top accuracy and the load that achieved the required power factor, if any, would rule my bullet selection.

 

[Acmemfg]

Given a choice on an average day...
115 gr =$19.95
124 gr. =$21.95
135 gr. =$24.95
147 gr. =$26.95
If all are controlled expansion rounds made by quality American manufacturers....
Most probably I will go with the 115 gr. I am sure you can figure out why.
As far as accuracy...that old saying about Indians and arrows always comes to mind when discussing issues like these.

 

[REV579]

In my 92 series pistols, I like the 124, love the 147, and find the 158 really intriguing. The 115 is really what I started out with and assumed all 9mm rounds had a little snappiness to them. When I shot the 124 it felt somewhat different and better. Then I happened across the 147 and preferred the shove and consistent ballistics of the 147 over 115. The 158 is nice, but I have not shot enough of the round to say much more than “I like it.”
Fioochi is also a preferred brand.

 

[tromboneliness]

Both my PPQ and my Shield run 124g HSTs without hiccups, so 124 it is.

In comparison to other rounds (including most ball rounds) this is a pretty hot loading, so after a bit of testing I discovered that 1. most 124g ball rounds are considerably less hot than the HSTs, and 2. the Winchester 124g NATO ball rounds are hotter than all of them and indistinguishable from the HSTs in felt recoil. Therefore I shoot the Winchester for practice.

If just plinking or having fun at the range, I like 115g rounds just fine, but I like that the felt recoil of my defensive round is matched by my practice round.

 

[Bhugo]

124 +p gold dots in all my pistols. Never had a failure with them. Kinda expensive to test though. I shoot many hundred of them through each gun to test for reliability. After that investment, I’ll never switch...

 

[Climb14er]

124gr +P. Gold Dot... Self Defense.

115gr and 124gr at the range. Speer Lawman, WWW Box.

 

[bberg100]

124 most of the time, 147 some of the time. One of the 9s I have is an R51, won't run 115, but runs everything else, even +P, flawlessly.

 

[TexasRed]

115 gr for practice and 124 gr HST for defense.

 

[turkish]

124 gr +p HST

 

[Lightcs1776]

I typically use 124 +p, as that what is common. Some of my of my practice rounds are 115 grain. I use those to cut the cost a bit.

Sent from my DROID Turbo using Tapatalk

 

[patten1969]

Both my PPQ and my Shield run 124g HSTs without hiccups, so 124 it is.

In comparison to other rounds (including most ball rounds) this is a pretty hot loading, so after a bit of testing I discovered that 1. most 124g ball rounds are considerably less hot than the HSTs, and 2. the Winchester 124g NATO ball rounds are hotter than all of them and indistinguishable from the HSTs in felt recoil. Therefore I shoot the Winchester for practice.

If just plinking or having fun at the range, I like 115g rounds just fine, but I like that the felt recoil of my defensive round is matched by my practice round.

My PPQ eats anything happily. I tried 124g and did not notice much of a difference from 115g. I suppose for me it comes down to repeatability and consistency. I stick with 115g for the range, but anything I would rely on for self-defense I would train with. I haven't settled on anything yet because, even though I have a LTC, I don't regularly pack.

 

[machinisttx]

124gr is the sweet spot for 9mm. 115's don't penetrate as well, and the 147's are too slow to expand reliably.