9mm Ammunition Tests: The Shooter's Guide to Ammunition for the BHP CONTENTS
Introduction............................................................................................................ 1
Definitions.................................................................................................... 2
Test Procedures.......................................................................................... 9
Ammunition.................................................................................................. 11
"Stopping Power"...................................................................................... 12
Reloading Handgun Ammunition.............................................................. 25
Reasonable Handgun Ammo Expectations............................................. 30
Why the 9mm?........................................................................................................ 32
9mm Ballistics......................................................................................................... 40
Browning Hi Power Mk III Ammunition Tests................................................. 48
Range Ammo............................................................................................................. 55
Winchester 115-gr USA FMJ................................................................. 55
Remington UMC 115-gr FMJ................................................................... 58
Federal American Eagle 115-gr FMJ..................................................... 60
Sellier & Bellot 115-gr FMJ.................................................................... 60
Fiocchi 115-gr FMJ................................................................................... 63
PMP 115-gr FMJ........................................................................................ 64
Magtech 115-gr FMJ................................................................................ 66
Fiocchi 123-gr FMJ.................................................................................. 67
Federal 123-gr FMJTC (Combat).......................................................... 68
CCI Blazer 124-gr FMJ........................................................................... 70
CCI Lawman 124-gr TMJ......................................................................... 71
Federal American Eagle 147-gr FMJ-FP.............................................. 72
High-Performance Ammunition............................................................................. 74
RBCD Platinum Plus 50-gr Tactical........................................................ 76
Aguila 65-gr IQ Hollow Point................................................................. 79
Glaser (Silver) 80-gr Safety Slug +P................................................... 82
PMC 95-gr Starfire JHP......................................................................... 85
Hirtenberger 100-gr FLJSP +P+............................................................ 87
Corbon 100-gr PowRball +P.....................................................................
88Federal 105-gr EFMJ.............................................................................. 90
Corbon 115-gr JHP +P.............................................................................. 92
Federal 115-gr JHP.................................................................................. 96
Sellier & Bellot 115-gr JHP.................................................................... 99
Winchester USA 115-gr JHP................................................................. 101
Remington 115-gr JHP +P........................................................................ 102
Speer 124-gr Gold Dot Hollow Point................................................... 105
Magtech 124-gr Guardian Gold JHP.................................................... 108
Federal 124-gr Hydrashok..................................................................... 110
Federal 124-gr Nyclad Hollow Point.................................................... 112
Remington 124-gr Golden Saber +P...................................................... 114
Hornady 124-gr CQ TAP........................................................................ 117
PMC 124-gr Starfire Hollow Point....................................................... 120
Corbon 125-gr JHP +P............................................................................. 122
Triton 125-gr Hi Vel JHP +P.................................................................. 125
Winchester 127-gr Ranger (RA9TA) JHP +P+................................... 128
Winchester 147-gr Silvertip.................................................................. 131
Remington 147-gr Golden Saber............................................................ 134
Speer 147-gr Gold Dot Hollow Point.................................................... 136
Observations ......................................................................................................... 139
Rapid-Fire Targets and Recoil........................................................................... 143
Adjusted Average Velocities of Loads Fired................................................... 146
Observed Effects of Selected 9mm Ammo on Animals.................................. 150
Corbon 115-gr JHP +P............................................................................... 150
Federal 115-gr JHP................................................................................... 151
Triton 115-gr HiVel JHP +P..................................................................... 151
Remington 115-gr JHP +P......................................................................... 151
Hornady XTP.............................................................................................. 152
Corbon 124-gr Gold Dot +P..................................................................... 153
Triton 125-gr Hi Vel JHP +P.................................................................. 153
Preparing Wet Pack............................................................................................... 155
Conclusion................................................................................................................. 158
FIGURES
Figure 1. Speer Lawman 124-gr TMJ................................................................. 4
Figure 2. Semi-Wadcutter vs RN vs FP Bullets............................................... 7
Figure 3. Remington 147-gr GS “Wound Channel”............................................ 8
Figure 4. Mk III 9mm........................................................................................... 10
Figure 5. JHP vs FMJ Bullets.............................................................................. 11
Figure 6. BHP with Chronograph.......................................................................... 14
Figure 7. 9mm JHP Water Expansion Results.................................................. 17
Figure 8. BHP with Two Magazines.................................................................... 21
Figure 9. 15-yd Handload Targets...................................................................... 27
Figure 10. Hornady Expanded .25 ACP XTP..................................................... 31
Figure 11. 9mm 124-gr Hydrashok...................................................................... 34
Figure 12. Mk III Duty Hi Power...................................................................... 36
Figure 13. Range Ammunition............................................................................... 55
Figure 14. 9mm 15-yd Range Ammo Groups....................................................... 62
Figure 15. Fiocchi 9mm FMJ................................................................................ 69
Figure 16. CCI Lawman 124-gr 15-yd Group..................................................... 71
Figure 17. Federal 147-gr Ammunition............................................................... 72
Figure 18. Mk III with Golden Saber Ammo.................................................... 74
Figure 19. RBCD 50-gr Tactical Ammunition.................................................... 77
Figure 20. RBCD 50-gr Tactical "Wound Channel"........................................ 78
Figure 21. RBCD and CCI Blazer 15-yd Target............................................... 79
Figure 22. Aguila 65-gr Water Expansion Results......................................... 81
Figure 23. Glaser Silver Recovered Bullet....................................................... 84
Figure 24. PMC Starfire 95-gr Expanded Bullets.......................................... 85
Figure 25. Corbon 100-gr PowRball Expanded Bullet..................................... 89
Figure 26. Federal 105-gr EFMJ Expanded Bullet......................................... 91
Figure 27. Corbon 115-gr JHP +P Expanded Bullet......................................... 93
Figure 28. Corbon PowRball and JHP................................................................ 95
Figure 29. Expanded Federal 115-gr JHP........................................................ 98
Figure 30. Expanded S&B 115-gr JHP............................................................. 100
Figure 31. Expanded Winchester USA 115-gr JHP...................................... 102
Figure 32. Old Style Remington 115-gr JHP................................................. 103
Figure 33. New Style Remington 115-gr JHP................................................ 103
Figure 34. Remington 115-gr JHP 25-yd Group........................................... 105
Figure 35. Expanded Speer 124-gr GDHP..................................................... 106
Figure 36. Magtech 124-gr GG Expanded...................................................... 109
Figure 37. Federal 124-gr HS Expanded....................................................... 112
Figure 38. Federal 124-gr Nyclad Expanded................................................ 114
Figure 39. Remington 124-gr GS +P Expanded.............................................. 116
Figure 40. Hornady 124-gr CQ TAP Expanded............................................. 118
Figure 41. PMC 124-gr SF Expanded.............................................................. 121
Figure 42. Corbon 125-gr JHP +P Expanded................................................. 123
Figure 43. High-Performance Ammo 15-yd Groups...................................... 124
Figure 44. Triton 125-gr JHP +P Expanded................................................. 127
Figure 45. Winchester 127-gr +P+ Expanded............................................... 130
Figure 46. Winchester 147-gr STHP Expanded.......................................... 133
Figure 47. Winchester 147-gr STHP 50-yd Group.................................... 133
Figure 48. Remington 147-gr GS Expanded................................................. 135
Figure 49. Speer 147-gr GDHP Expanded................................................... 137
Figure 50. Corbon 100-gr PB 10-yd Controlled Pair Group..................... 143
Figure 51. Corbon 115-gr JHP +P 10-yd Controlled Pair Group.............. 144
Figure 52. Winchester 127-gr +P+ 10-yd Controlled Pair Group .......... 144
Figure 53. Doe Taken with Hornady 124-gr XTP...................................... 153
Figure 54. 124-gr XTP Wound Channel....................................................... 153
TABLES
Table 1. .380 vs 9mm Chronograph Results................................................. 44
Table 2. 9mm Glock Chronograph Results.................................................... 44
Table 3. .357 Chronograph Results............................................................... 45
Table 4. 9mm Chronograph Results from Hi Power and CZ-75............... 46
Table 5. .40 Hi Power Chronograph Results................................................ 47
Table 6. 9mm Pressure Standards................................................................. 49
Table 7. Winchester USA 115-gr FMJ Chronograph Results................. 57
Table 8. Remington UMC 115-gr FMJ Chronograph Results................... 59
Table 9. Federal AE 115-gr FMJ Chronograph Results........................... 60
Table 10. S&B 115-gr FMJ Chronograph Results....................................... 61
Table 11. Fiocchi 115-gr FMJ Chronograph Results.................................. 64
Table 12. PMP 115-gr FMJ Chronograph Results...................................... 65
Table 13. Magtech 115-gr FMJ Chronograph Results.............................. 67
Table 14. Fiocchi 123-gr FMJ Chronograph Results................................ 68
Table 15. Fiocchi 123-gr FMJTC Chronograph Results........................... 69
Table 16. CCI Blazer 124-gr FMJ Chronograph Results........................ 70
Table 17. CCI Lawman 124-gr TMJ Chronograph Results...................... 71
Table 18. Federal AE 147-gr FMJ-FP Chronograph Results................. 73
Table 19. RBCD 50-gr Tactical Chronograph Results............................. 77
Table 20. Aguila 65-gr IQ Chronograph Results..................................... 80
Table 21. Glaser Silver 80-gr Chronograph Results................................ 83
Table 22. PMC 95-gr Chronograph Results............................................... 85
Table 23. Hirtenberger 100-gr JSP Chronograph Results.................... 87
Table 24. Corbon 100-gr PB Chronograph Results.................................. 88
Table 25. Federal 105-gr EFMJ Chronograph Results.......................... 90
Table 26. Corbon 115-gr JHP +P Chronograph Results.......................... 92
Table 27. Federal 115-gr JHP Chronograph Results.............................. 97
Table 28. S&B 115-gr JHP Chronograph Results.................................... 99
Table 29. Winchester USA 115-gr JHP Chronograph Results............ 101
Table 30. Remington 115-gr JHP Chronograph Results........................ 104
Table 31. Speer 124-gr GDHP Chronograph Results............................ 107
Table 32. Magtech 124-gr GG Chronograph Results............................ 108
Table 33. Federal 124-gr HS Chronograph Results............................. 111
Table 34. Federal 124-gr Nyclad Chronograph Results..................... 113
Table 35. Remington 124-gr GS +P Chronograph Results................... 115
Table 36. Hornady 124-gr CQ TAP Chronograph Results.................. 117
Table 37. PMC 124-gr SF Chronograph Results................................... 121
Table 38. Corbon 125-gr JHP +P Chronograph Results...................... 123
Table 39. Triton 125-gr JHP +P Chronograph Results....................... 126
Table 40. Winchester 127-gr +P+ Chronograph Results.................... 129
Table 41. Winchester 147-gr STHP Chronograph Results................ 132
Table 42. Remington 147-gr GS Chronograph Results....................... 134
Table 43. Speer 147-gr GDHP Chronograph Results......................... 137
Table 44. Range Ammo Adjusted Average Velocities........................ 146
Table 45. High Perf Ammo Adjusted Velocities/Penetration.......... 147