Which ammo will be more effective with a PM9

[casper1]

Hi,

No +p, we're talking just standard pressure, ok?

Which ammo do you think will be more effective out of a PM9, Gold Dot 115gr JHP or Gold Dot 124gr JHP. And why go you think your choice out of these two would be more effective?

And yes, I know shot placement is probably the most important factor.

Thanks.

[muggsy]

Go with the 124 Gr JHP for the best combination of penetration and expansion.

[RRP]

This is no longer a matter of opinion, or of ballistic gel speculation. Studies of autopsy reports have produced data showing which rounds are most lethal in actual shootings. Google is your friend. In 9mm, 124 grain tops the list, especially when delivered at speeds faster than 1200 fps.

Here's the first Google hit:
http://www.handguncombatives.com/blo...989f33-22.html

BTW, welcome aboard.

[FCastle88]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9UxDu4smlI 124 gr standard pressure Gold Dot out of a 3" barrel. The Gold Dot bullet seems to require more velocity to expand reliably than it gets with standard pressure out of a short barrel . He got excellent results with HST 124 gr and 147 gr standard pressure out of the short barrel. The 124 gr +P Gold Dot also did pretty well. Personally I like the 147 gr HST, very impressive expansion for a 9mm with good penetration and less recoil than 124 gr.

[Pointblank]

This same ammunition-tester referenced above found HST 147 and 124 standard pressure, along with Hornady Critical Defense, also standard pressure to be superior out of short barrels.

[Megawatt]

Purchase what is easily available for you in your area based on your two excellent choices above. The best super duper ammo "because the interweb said so" will be of little help if you can't replace it after practicing with it until it earns your trust for use as carry ammo.

[jlottmc]

Search for shootingthebull410 on youtube. He has very good testing protocol and is very thorough.

[berettabone]

I carry the Fed HST 147gr. myself.....................after reading about many ballistic tests.

[DavidR]

I've stocked up on 124 grain Speer Gold Dot as it cycles well through my CM9 but after watching the 3 inch barrel test by shootingthebull https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9UxDu4smlI I'm wondering if that was a good choice. Might be better for my Glock 19 4 inch and my son's Springfield XDM 4.5 inch.

[rkenaston]

Search for shootingthebull410 on youtube. He has very good testing protocol and is very thorough.

I agree about "shootingthebull410" on youtube. I watched all of his 9mm tests and landed on HST 124gr or HST 147gr. All I've found locally so far is the 124gr HST so far though. Both loads performed perfectly out of a 3" barrel.

[kwh]

I carry HST for 3" barrel CM9. Gold dots for my 4" barrel SR9. 124 gr. in both. Short 3" barrel tests indicated 124 gr. HST penetrated a little deeper than 147 gr. HST.

[timmy]

Based on shootingthebull410 tests i have switched from 124grn +p gold dots to 124grn HST's you can find the 50 round leo boxes at shows i bought a couple this past weekend for $29 per box of 50 where as i was paying $35 per 50 for the gold dots

[gmcjetpilot]

I disagree...
The best two rounds I can recommend for the PM9/CM9 9mm in this order is:
+P Speer Gold Dot 124Gr
+P Federal HST 124Gr

The Hornaday Critical DUTY is the superior round long or short barrel. I tested +P Hornaday Critical DUTY 135gr (not critical defense). It was a distant third to the above.

Why do I say this? Besides research, I bought all three rounds and shot them out of the Kahr CM9... measured velocity and the general accuracy.

If you have a problem with shooting a small gun you might go for 115gr and regular pressure NOT +P.... However velocity is energy... Faster it goes the more energy the projectile has.

[FCastle88]

I disagree...
The best two rounds I can recommend for the PM9/CM9 9mm in this order is:
+P Speer Gold Dot 124Gr
+P Federal HST 124Gr

The Hornaday Critical DUTY is the superior round long or short barrel. I tested +P Hornaday Critical DUTY 135gr (not critical defense). It was a distant third to the above.

Why do I say this? Besides research, I bought all three rounds and shot them out of the Kahr CM9... measured velocity and the general accuracy.

If you have a problem with shooting a small gun you might go for 115gr and regular pressure NOT +P.... However velocity is energy... Faster it goes the more energy the projectile has.

There's a lot more to a rounds performance than velocity. Shootingthebull410 tested 124 gr +P Gold Dots, 124 gr +P HST, 124 gr standard pressure HST, and 147 gr standard pressure HST out of a 3" barrel. Both standard pressure HST rounds actually performed better than the +P rounds. As for critical duty, he tested that as well, it expanded pretty poorly out of the 3" barrel. Hornady even says on their website that Critical Defense is designed for short barreled conceal carry handguns, while Critical Duty is designed for full size handguns. It doesn't get enough velocity out of short barrels to expand properly.

[DavidR]

I've ordered some HST 124 non +p for my 3 inch barrels. Palmetto State Armory has a decent price.