Cheap 9mm Ammo

The 9x19mm Parabellum was designed by the Austrian gunsmith Georg Luger in 1901. By adapting his earlier 7.65x21mm Parabellum design, Luger created the 9mm version. The bullet diameter of a 9mm Parabellum cartridge is 0.355 inches (9.01mm), while the case length is 19.15 millimeters. While at Deutsche Waffen-und Munitionsfabriken, where he worked on the 9x19mm, Georg Luger (DWM). Over the factory gate was the company’s motto engraved in Latin: Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum. If you want peace, be ready for battle, as it says in the original English.

To accompany his new standard 9mm round, Georg Luger also designed the P08 Luger handgun. From 1904 until 1945, the P08 Luger was the regular issue sidearm for the German armed forces. It was widely used in both World Wars. While John Moses Browning, Colt, and the 45 ACP were the "Dream Team," Georg Luger brought the 9mm Luger cartridge to the US military for consideration at the Springfield Arsenal in 1903. Germany's Imperial Navy and Army adopted the 9x19mm in 1904 and 1908, respectively, long before it was accepted by the United States military.

Typical 9x19mm 115 grain FMJ ammo has a muzzle velocity of 1180 feet per second and a muzzle energy of 355-foot pounds, according to SAAMI standards. The 9mm Luger cartridge and its associated Luger P-08 handgun became one of the most popular handgun cartridges in Europe for both military and police enforcement use in the years following World War I and during World War II. U.S. soldiers didn't start carrying Beretta M9 Service Pistols until the 1980s, long after the rest of the world had abandoned the belief that "Bigger Bullets are Better" and the 45 ACP.

The development of highly dependable semi-auto handguns like the Glock 19, the Sig Sauer P226, and more recently the Springfield XD and the Smith & Wesson M&P caused the 9mm Luger's popularity in the United States to skyrocket in the 1980s and 1990s. As the Sig Sauer P320 has just been adopted as the new standard issue sidearm for U.S. military troops, enthusiasm for the 9mm has only increased. Cheap 9mm ammo is another major reason why many gun manufacturers were moving towards research & developing handguns that were optimally built to handle the 9mm ammunition. 

As a result of its low per-round cost, strong stopping power when utilizing jacketed hollow point ammo (JHP), and widespread availability, the 9mm has become the standard for home defense and law enforcement. It has quickly become the go-to EDC (everyday carry) handgun for those who don't want to lug around something as bulky as a 45 ACP. As JHP technology has improved, the 9mm Luger has become the de facto standard for self-defense ammunition among military personnel, law enforcement, and civilians with concealed carry permits. If you've been paying attention, you'll have noticed that I've referred to the 9mm cartridge by a number of different names. 

Names such as 9x19mm Parabellum, 9mm Luger, 9x19mm, and 9mm are used widely all over the industry. All of these names might sound different to a new gun enthusiast, but they are exactly the same round or bullet. 

While the 9mm Luger is useful in many situations, shooters should be aware that there are many different types of 9mm ammunition. First, let's examine the several types of ammunition that have the 9mm designation but use different bullet diameters.

The designation "9mm +P" on a box of ammunition indicates that it has been loaded to a higher pressure than standard 9mm ammunition, though not to the level of magnum cartridges. Simply loading more gunpowder into a cartridge increases its pressure and velocity, earning it the standard 9mm +P rating. By comparison, 9mm +P ammo has a maximum chamber pressure of 38,5000 psi, which is 10% greater than the SAAMI-mandated 35,000 psi for conventional 9mm ammo.

As the higher pressure rating improves the round's terminal ballistics, many gun owners choose 9mm +P ammo for self-defense. In fact, they have a point, as 9mm +P JHP ammunition routinely achieves excellent results in FBI ballistic gel testing. But not all 9mm handguns can fire +P ammunition. To find out if your handgun is safe to fire 9mm +P ammunition, consult the owner's manual or the manufacturer's website. Although +P+ ammunition is loaded to a higher temperature than +P ammunition, SAAMI does not define a minimum temperature for 9mm +P+ ammunition.

There are a lot of inexperienced shooters out there that think 9mm Luger and 9mm NATO are the same things, but they're not. The two cartridges use the same 9mm bullet and have identical case lengths and rim diameters. However, 9mm NATO chambers can only be pressurized to a maximum of 36,500 psi according to CIP standards. The NATO standard for 9mm NATO ammunition specifies a bullet weight between 108 and 128 grains.

The muzzle velocity of standard issue 9mm NATO ammunition is 1200 fps, and the muzzle energy is about 400 ft-lbs for a 124-grain bullet. The muzzle velocity and muzzle energy of a bullet traveling at normal 9mm ammunition muzzle velocity and muzzle energy are roughly 100 and 50 foot-pounds, respectively. The 9mm NATO round's terminal ballistics are enhanced, and it is able to penetrate somewhat further, thanks to the increased pressure permitted. There should be no problems using 9mm NATO ammunition in a pistol that is rated for 9mm +P.

It's not a good idea to use a 9mm NATO bullet in an older handgun like a P08 Luger or something similar since it can't take the increased pressure. It is safe to assume that 9mm NATO ammunition will function properly in any handgun manufactured in the last 40 years.

The 9mm Luger, 9mm, and 9x19mm Parabellum all sound the same, but what sets them apart?  Nothing at all, because they are just different names for the same exact round or bullet.  The only real distinction between them is in their respective names.  When you hear the term "9mm," it almost always refers to either the 9mm Luger or the 9x19mm Parabellum, both of which are identical cartridges.  Each shooter is responsible for knowing the caliber of their pistol and loading only that caliber into their magazines. Check the barrel for a caliber stamp, and if it doesn't help, consult a professional gunsmith.
 
Shop at ClarkArmory.com and find a wide selection of your favorite 9mm ammo now!