9mm: The Caliber For Everyone.

[Echo40]

9mm... It's everyone's favorite caliber, even those who think that they don't like 9mm probably do actually like 9mm. Because although the term "9mm" may be a colloquialism for a specific 9mm cartridge known by a number of names such as; 9mm Parabellum, 9mm Luger, or 9x19. Many of the most popular cartridges feature 9mm projectiles... .38 Special, 380 ACP, .357 Magnum, .357 SIG, when these cartridges' bullets are measured in Millimeters, they all come out as, you guessed it, 9mm.

As a result, even diehard fans of larger caliber projectiles most likely enjoy at least one 9mm cartridge.

Typically, when discussing calibers, folks get worked up and a debate breaks out which ultimately goes nowhere and leaves everyone feeling exhausted.
But it's the Holiday Season, so lets all set aside out differences in opinion and come together to share the 9mm cartridge we each love most.

For me, it's got to be .380 ACP. It was my first centerfire handgun cartridge, which my all-time favorite Semiautomatic Pistol (The Walther PPK/S) comes chambered in. .380 ACP has always sort of had a niche as a self-defense cartridge for slimline, low profile Semiautomatic Pistols, and for good reason, it has always been just about the largest cartridge that could be squeezed into a a Pocket Pistol. Granted that the size of so called Pocket Pistols has been redefined over the years as both pockets and pistols alike kept getting smaller and smaller, but ever since its humble beginnings when it came chambered in the Colt 1908 Pocket Hammerless, it was always intended to serve as a smaller yet effective self-defense package. What's more, 9mm Parabellum has given it some competition as slimline ultra-compact pistols like the SIG P365 have hit the scene, but for the absolute smallest, lightest pistols chambered in a 9mm cartridge, .380 ACP is still at the top.

And although times have changed and .40 S&W has replaced the .380 ACP as my primary carry cartridge, the Ruger LCP in .380 ACP still serves as my BUG whenever I go outside, and rides in my pocket everywhere I go indoors.

So, to all those who bothered to at least skim through the OP before impulsively posting about how you prefer some other cartridge to 9mm Parabellum, bonus points if it's just another 9mm cartridge, thank you.

What's your favorite 9mm cartridge?

 

[SAFireman]

9mm... It's everyone's favorite caliber, even those who think that they don't like 9mm probably do actually like 9mm. Because although the term "9mm" may be a colloquialism for a specific 9mm cartridge known by a number of names such as; 9mm Parabellum, 9mm Luger, or 9x19. Many of the most popular cartridges feature 9mm projectiles... .38 Special, 380 ACP, .357 Magnum, .357 SIG, when these cartridges' bullets are measured in Millimeters, they all come out as, you guessed it, 9mm.

As a result, even diehard fans of larger caliber projectiles most likely enjoy at least one 9mm cartridge.

Typically, when discussing calibers, folks get worked up and a debate breaks out which ultimately goes nowhere and leaves everyone feeling exhausted.
But it's the Holiday Season, so lets all set aside out differences in opinion and come together to share the 9mm cartridge we each love most.

For me, it's got to be .380 ACP. It was my first centerfire handgun cartridge, which my all-time favorite Semiautomatic Pistol (The Walther PPK/S) comes chambered in. .380 ACP has always sort of had a niche as a self-defense cartridge for slimline, low profile Semiautomatic Pistols, and for good reason, it has always been just about the largest cartridge that could be squeezed into a a Pocket Pistol. Granted that the size of so called Pocket Pistols has been redefined over the years as both pockets and pistols alike kept getting smaller and smaller, but ever since its humble beginnings when it came chambered in the Colt 1908 Pocket Hammerless, it was always intended to serve as a smaller yet effective self-defense package. What's more, 9mm Parabellum has given it some competition as slimline ultra-compact pistols like the SIG P365 have hit the scene, but for the absolute smallest, lightest pistols chambered in a 9mm cartridge, .380 ACP is still at the top.

And although times have changed and .40 S&W has replaced the .380 ACP as my primary carry cartridge, the Ruger LCP in .380 ACP still serves as my BUG whenever I go outside, and rides in my pocket everywhere I go indoors.

So, to all those who bothered to at least skim through the OP before impulsively posting about how you prefer some other cartridge to 9mm Parabellum, bonus points if it's just another 9mm cartridge, thank you.

What's your favorite 9mm cartridge?

Mine is 41 Rem Magnum!

yay, another caliber war!

 

[THE PILGRIM]

But is it a Bear Gun?

 

[swsig]

I have two 9mm pistols, a 1.0 Shield, and a SIG P320 compact. I chose my self-defense cartridges from this list:

Service Caliber Handgun Duty and Self-Defense Ammo

My P320 as a 9mm, (it's also a .357 SIG) carries the well regarded Speer Gold Dot 124g +P cartridges. They're reliable and accurate in my P320. My Shield is ammo-picky, and the Gold Dots didn't cycle consistently in it. So after much trial-and-error testing, I found that Hornady Critical Duty 135g +P cartridges worked flawlessly (for nearly 400 rounds), so that's what my Shield carries. For both guns, I did not choose an SD cartridge unless it fired at least 200 times without a failure.

My favorite 9mm target cartridge, hands down for both pistols, is Winchester NATO 124g. It's the most accurate 9mm target round I've shot.

That said, I do not carry my 9mms for self-defense. My main carry pistol is my 1.0 M&P 40c .357 SIG, and my alternate carry pistol is my Shield 45. My primary reason for choosing them is accuracy. They're both significantly more accurate than my Shield 9, and their extra foot-pounds of muzzle energy might be useful sometime. My P320 is too large (and, IMHO, too unsafe) to carry. It spends most of its time these days as a home defense gun in .357 SIG.

I don't "dislike" 9mm, and I would not hesitate to carry my Shield 9 if I needed to. I just find that other cartridges work better for me.

 

[sigp220.45]

I’m partial to the .35 Remington. It may be my favorite 9mm.

Someday I would also like a 9mm Whelen.

 

[Duckfood]

1st place goes to 9MM Luger... 2nd place goes to .38 Super...

 

[lrrifleman]

While I have owned A 9mm for just over 20 years, I really didn't start getting into the 9mm until about 4-5 years ago. I started working, then shooting, GSSF matches. My 439 was handicapping me with the first shot DA in the Adaptive Defensive Shooting Summit stages, and I was tiring of borrowing a Glock for when I worked the GSSF matches. In the year after the ADSS I, I bought a Glock and won a Sig P320. In subsequent years, I won a P365 and expanded my collection of Glocks

I have found that the 9mm is easier to control for competition purposes. I've also found that for matches requiring factory loaded ammo, the ammo has been more affordable during the scamdemic shortages. While I would prefer to carry a 1911 or my 686+, I find that the 9mm is more controllable than the 45 in combat scenarios, and realistically, if I lose a pistol because of a defensive shooting, I'd rather lose an easier to replace Glock or P365 than a 1911 or a Smith revolver.

While GSSF and the Adaptive Defensive Shooting Summit's (IDPA-style) matches are similar to combat scenarios, they aren't real combat. But they do demonstrate the need for accuracy against the clock, which the 9mm delivers much more easily. As a result, I do tend to shoot 9mm more frequently, but I will shoot PPC with a revolver as practice for when I find carrying a revolver is more prudent.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Yeah, .355, .356, whatever it takes.

 

[mtgianni]

I have 2 9mm's a CZ 75 and a Blackhawk 357/9mm. They rarely go anywhere but the range in that configuration.

edit for disclosure
My other "9mm's" include 3 38 specials, 2 357 revolvers, 2 model 92 357 rifles, 1 TC Contender in 357 Max, one Handi Rifle rechambered to 357 Max, 1 35 Whelen, 1 35 Remington, and one 358 Winchester. I am rather partial to the 0.358" bore.

 

[djohns6]

I have a handful of 9mm's . It's my caliber of choice for EDC . To each his own though . I don't question anyone's choice of firearm or caliber .

 

[M1A]

My first pistol was a M59. Really disliked it and the caliber. Traded for a series 70 .45 ACP. What an improvement.
40 years later picked up a Walther P4. My only 9mm. I do like it, but it's just OK.

 

[glenwolde]

I think of them all as .38 caliber. It's not like the caliber got its start as "9mm".

 

[ladder13]

357 Sig, a bit over your line at 9.1mm but I don’t worry about bears.

 

[lkabug]

My favorite is Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet (yellow) with butter.
Perfect for these caliber discussions. (With Coke Zero of course)

 

[ISCS Yoda]

I’m partial to the .35 Remington. It may be my favorite 9mm.

Someday I would also like a 9mm Whelen.

See, my first reaction to FSW's comments was "Huh? He's the 40 S&W guy!!!". So I was glad to see his confession at the end of his post.

Then before I could form a reply in my old head I saw this other remark about a 9mm Whelen. And I thought to myself, "Self, you have one of those!!!".

Now THAT is a bear gun, son, and why it was created in the first place. Sadly, it has only practiced on feral hogs - and it is DEATH on pigs!

Not counting that particular 9mm rifle, I'm partial to .38 Special. My .357s are all loaded with .38 Specials unless I'm chasing hogs, then we go with the Magnum loads.

 

[sigp220.45]

I’m surprised no one has mentioned the Mack-Daddy of 9mms - the Podbyrin 9.2mm, the most powerful handgun in the world.

 

[max503]

My favorite is also the 380, but I don't currently have a gun chambered in that caliber.
I have favorite actresses, and I don't have one of those either. So I guess it's ok for me to like the 380.

 

[steelslaver]

If you count 38 special and 357 I have a few 9mms. Oh, yea, there is my 350 Remington Magnum. Truth is I actually bought some K frame 9mm clips from TK Custom and reamed and recessed a 38 special cylinder so I have one handgun that can actually fire real 9mm ammo

 

[Rustyt1953]

 

[BC38]

I like the good ol' 9x19 and probably own more guns in that caliber than any other. Everything from full sized High Power, M39, M59, Ruger P94DC, to mid sized SW9VE, a P08, PT111, Star M43, and compacts P365, Solo, LC9.
My second favorite would be the 357. I have N, K, and J-frames.