147 grain 9mm , good or bad ?

[zippo]

I had my kel-tec p11 loaded with federal hydra shock 147 grain. Shot reliably beu low. Then i read an artiecel that stated 147 grain is the worst possible ammo for a 9mm, So I reloaded my gun with 115 grain fmj. Now I read an article that stated the 147 grain is a man stopper!!!!
What gives????
is it a good choice or a bad choice ?

 

[zippo]

I had my kel-tec p11 loaded with federal hydra shock 147 grain. Shot reliably beu low. Then i read an artiecel that stated 147 grain is the worst possible ammo for a 9mm, So I reloaded my gun with 115 grain fmj. Now I read an article that stated the 147 grain is a man stopper!!!!
What gives????
is it a good choice or a bad choice ?

 

[walnutred]

I split the difference by carrying Speer 124gn Gold Dots in my Keltec P11.

 

[torrejon224]

The majority of PDs that issued the 147 reported a vast majority of "one shot stops", of course thats provided the shooter does his job. San Diego PD used the 147 for years and were extremely pleased with it. I carry the new Winchester PDX1 in 147 in all my 9mms. Years ago the thought was that since it is a "subsonic" round it wasn't worth the room it took up but that theory was proven wrong.

 

[OKFC05]

The 9mm Luger was originally designed for 124gr bullets.
Bullets in 115gr give slightly higher energy.
Bullets in 147gr are at the limit of bullet size due to the small case.
Good ammunition is available in all three weights. But compared to a rifle, they're all puny.

If you are looking for the "magic bullet" or the "one shot stop guarantee" you're wasting your time. There is no such thing.

Bullet placement is the most important element, but multiple shots may still be required with good bullet placement. Practice, practice.

 

[walnutred]

Sounds like they've reinvented the wheel. A 147gn, .355 diameter bullet at 850-950 fps is a real stopper. My 158gn, .358 bullets at the same speed shoudl be even better then

. I'd bet I could get my 148 DEWC to go that speed as well for a closer comparison.

 

[flop-shank]

A hollow point that doesn't expand may not do as well as a wadcutter. Nor is a dead soft lead bullet of a similar diameter and weight as a jacketed one, such as autoloaders require, an apples to apples comparison.

I prefer midweight, or slightly lighter, bullets in most calibers. While today's better 147 gr. loads work well, I think they weigh too much to be optimal for the 9mm cartridge. I would only use 147s if they shoot to point of aim, and lighter bullets don't, or the gun is more accurate and/or reliable with them.

 

[nitesite]

I carry 147-gr JHPs in my GLOCK34 which chrono at 1100-fps. With my pistols 5.32" barrel I have a decided velocity advantage compared to if I owned a 9mm compact or subcompact. The G34 is actually a "sometimes" CCW and "all the time" truck gun.

From the shorter pistols I prefer 124-gr JHPs.

 

[fiasconva]

If you can hit what you are aimin' at, it's not going to make a lot of difference to the one who gets shot. They will all work...

 

[n4zov]

The 147 grn. 9mm load basically duplicates the old 158 grn. LRN loads in the .38 Special. The difference is that the 9mm semi auto provides more firepower than the old .38 Special revolvers.

 

[zippo]

wow..........thanks for all the great advice..
will go with what shoots point of aim, regardless of bullet weight........

 

[nitesite]

The 147 grn. 9mm load basically duplicates the old 158 grn. LRN loads in the .38 Special.

Really? Is there a 147-gr bullet that doesn't replicate a LRN, or are they all that way?

Does velocity make a difference?

My home state is ranked in the top five in the nation for obesity. If you don't live where this is a widespread problem, you have no idea how huge some of the people are around here. Add to that, as a general population, we are larger boned and taller and heavier in mass than were Americans before the mid-80s.

Don't believe me? Find a 1970 high school yearbook and look thru it. Look at the front linemen in the football team photo. Or look at the photos of undergrads in any college annual from 1950-1980. It will astonish you how small they seem.

The point I am trying to make is that I want the penetration 147-gr bullets afford me. But again, I am throwing them faster than what compact 9mms are capable of.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

I kinda like the 147 grain Cor Bons.

 

[n4zov]

Really? Is there a 147-gr bullet that doesn't replicate a LRN, or are they all that way?

The point I was making is that the two loads are very similar from the standpoint of velocity and bullet weight. Of course, bullet design makes a big difference in either cartridge. Given similar bullets there isn't much difference in the performance - or at least that is my experience.

 

[nitesite]

Thank you for your reply.

 

[Spotteddog]

I came down on it where N4Z did. Basically what's been created is a jacketed, rimless, .38 Special FBI load. Except that instead of carrying 5 or 6, it holds at a minimum twice that even in a compact. If trends away from flea weight bullets @ the speed of light hold, and bullet technology remains at center stage things will only get better. Hell! Their pretty good right now!

 

[nitesite]

Originally posted by Spotteddog:
I came down on it where N4Z did. Basically what's been created is a jacketed, rimless, .38 Special FBI load. Except that instead of carrying 5 or 6, it holds at a minimum twice that even in a compact.

So that would be a good thing, or a bad thing?

 

[Spotteddog]

Well,
I won't say either good or bad.
Just 5 more of whatever you already think it is?

 

[G-ManBart]

Our current issue 9mm ammo is Speer GDHP 147gr. Shoots very well in all the guns I've tried it and it's been found to be very effective.

An excellent article about picking self-defense ammo. It's not just bullet weight or bullet velocity, but a combination of all the above. Sometimes the light fast bullets expand too much and don't penetrate. Sometimes the opposite is true. Regardless, ditch the Hydra-Shoks...they were good in their day, but are nowhere near the better, newer rounds. By coincidence, both our current .40 and 9mm are on this gentleman's list as being good choices:
http://ammo.ar15.com/project/S...e_Ammo_FAQ/index.htm

 

[Chuck Jones]

9mm was designed around the 124 gn bullet. 115 gn was developed to give more velocity and energy. The 147 gn load was developed as a subsonic round optimized for use in suppressed submachine-guns. After the SEALs started using it in their MP5s and Berettas it's popularity exploded on the LE scene, largely as a result of the inferred SF endorsement.

/c