Would any of you guys have any information on the ammunition Federal made back in the 1980s for Charter Arms 9mm revolvers? Specifically pressure and or velocity info. Is it loaded to about the same pressure as 38 Special?
None of the assorted loading manuals I have examined even mention this cartridge.
No! It's loaded just like a 9x19 - think of it as a 9mm Auto-Rim - double the pressure of a .38 Spl. The round was pulled from the market when they figured out that, gee, it fit real well into those old top-break .38 S&W revolvers (firing this combo could make a hand-held grenade of sorts).
My recollection was that for some reason the 9mm Fed would NOT work in the S&W 940s . . . .
Shot-placement is king. Adequate penetration is queen. Everything else is angels dancing on the heads of pins.
Posts: 6266 | Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA | Registered: 04 January 2003
No, I was managing a gun store when it was released: it was the Charter Arms. Ruger's Speed Six, SP-101 and Blackhawk were available in a 9x19, but they were never in any way advertised as having anything to do with the 9mm Fed.
Shot-placement is king. Adequate penetration is queen. Everything else is angels dancing on the heads of pins.
Posts: 6266 | Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA | Registered: 04 January 2003
I have one. It is a Charter Arms Pit Bull. The loadings for the 9mm Federal were supposedly 9x19 +P+. You can load for it using 38 S&W cases, but you need to work up your loads carefully. For years I used 38 S&W's as plinking loads. I really like the revolver but worried about one of my 9mm Federal reloads accidently finding itself in one of my 38 S&W revolvers. So I rechambered it to 38 Super. I can still use 38 S&W loads for plinking and then switch to 38 Super if I want a full house load. They were advertized as being able to shoot 9x19, but mine wouldn't.
After I renew my C&R I am thinking of writing the ATF to see if these can be classified as C&R. Production was only 2 years and I think they would fall under the ammo not available in normal chanels claus.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: walnutred,
Posts: 1997 | Location: Ohio | Registered: 24 January 2007
If anyone is interested in it, call Classic Arms in Lansing (MI). When I left at any rate, they had two boxes of 9mm Federal factory ammo gathering dust on the shelf. It sat there from 98 to 06 at least, as it was there the first time I went to the store, and the last. They kept trying to sell it to use in 9mm revolvers, which I knew it wouldn't work for. I should have bought it just for novelty sake. Anyway, it is probably still there gathering dust.
Federal Cartridge Company collabarated with Charter Arms to develop the 9mm Federal. It was introduced in 1989. The original load was a 115 gr JHP rated at 1275 fps in the 2 3/4" barrel of the Charter Arms Pit Bull revolver.
Charter Arms went belly up in 1990 and Federal dropped the cartridge from production in 1992.
Several years ago I bought three 50 round boxes of this ammo from a dealer who was going out of business at a very attractive price. I don't own a Pit Bull, but I do like bargains and I am a ammo junky.
I took a good look at the round and then dug my old three screw Ruger Blackhawk .357/9mm convertible out of the safe. I found that the 9mm Federal will chamber and headspace perfectly in the 9mm cylinder. Shot off one box of the ammo and chronographed six rounds at 1364 fps in the Blackhawk's 6.5 inch barrel. I would say that this is definitely in the +P+ category.
Still have two full boxes tucked away. One day somebody with a Pit Bull is gonna want some ammo and I will get my money back and then some.
Years ago I was in the Charter Arms factory, and one of the designers spotted my new 5906. He proceeded to tell me about their new 9mm revolver, and he took me to their indoor range were the Pit Bull was being tested. I was told that this new revolver would be the perfect BUG/off duty weapon as it was in 9mm. When asked will it fire my duty cartridge also, his answer was no. He showed me the new revolver, and a box of the 9mm Federal cartridge. I remember the ballistics being quite impressive out of a small revolver. This was a time before the J frame .357 magnums, when the smallest magnum revolver around was a 2.5 inch barreled K frame. I nearly bought the Pit Bull, but I decided against it, as I was never a fan of Charter products.
Originally posted by Roadster: Federal Cartridge Company collabarated with Charter Arms to develop the 9mm Federal. It was introduced in 1989. The original load was a 115 gr JHP rated at 1275 fps in the 2 3/4" barrel of the Charter Arms Pit Bull revolver.
Charter Arms went belly up in 1990 and Federal dropped the cartridge from production in 1992.
Several years ago I bought three 50 round boxes of this ammo from a dealer who was going out of business at a very attractive price. I don't own a Pit Bull, but I do like bargains and I am a ammo junky.
I took a good look at the round and then dug my old three screw Ruger Blackhawk .357/9mm convertible out of the safe. I found that the 9mm Federal will chamber and headspace perfectly in the 9mm cylinder. Shot off one box of the ammo and chronographed six rounds at 1364 fps in the Blackhawk's 6.5 inch barrel. I would say that this is definitely in the +P+ category.
Still have two full boxes tucked away. One day somebody with a Pit Bull is gonna want some ammo and I will get my money back and then some.
I have an American Derringer Model M1 that is stamped, "9mm FED." on the barrel. I posted a thread here about a month ago. Mine will not take .38 S&W ammo, but 9mm Parabellum fits. Haven't fired it yet.
1. Don't sweat the small stuff. 2. It's ALL small stuff.
Posts: 3845 | Location: Near Chi-town | Registered: 29 November 2003
