Can you post your source for this information? I would like to read up on the older loadings and how they faired in OIS’s.
That info is straight from Doc.
The auto glass part I knew about years ago from debriefs coming from various OISs.
Ok, where are we at with this?
I got a Hellcat. Haven’t fired it yet.
Reading up these 3 inch barrels are slow.
Many JHP’s won’t expand. Lightweight ones that will often are low on penetration. Basically a 3-inch standard pressure 9x19 is just one small step up from a 3.8 inch .380.
I don’t want to use +P in this little gun because I want to train with it and not wear it out. Nor does it need any more recoil. (I also have a Shield 9mm for comparison)
Carry ammo? On my contender list are FMJ-FP, 124 gr Golden Sabre, and 124 gr Hornady XTP.
The Winchester Ranger was rated #1, followed closely by Federal HST 147, and then HST 124. Ammoquest.
As Georgib mentioned, ammo quest / ShootingTheBull410 did lots of testing on 9mm loads out of a 3 inch barrel.
Thanks guys.
Penetration is marginal. (My opinion) but not too bad.
I’ll look through his tests and see if he tested any of the XTP or FMJ.
If you really want to know, you have to chrono the loads through your gun. Some barrels are faster, or slower, than others. The trouble with 'best for a 3inch 9mm" is without testing your particular gun, you don’t actually know what kind of velocities you are getting. In a lot of cases, the difference between a 3inch and a 4 inch gun is going to be pretty marginal, especially when you consider a standard deviation of 30-50fps between ammo lots is not uncommon. Throw in weather, elevation, and a bunch of other variables and you might find you are splitting hairs. 9mm is pretty efficient round, so it tends to lose a little less in a short barrel than a .45 or .38.
I’ll chrono it…
Forgot about this.
I have a few more loads I can test but I did some Hornady 124 gr +P XTP’s from my new HK P30SK V1.
They averaged about 1050 fps. Oh well, still probably better than the .32 & .380 fmj I’d been carrying in my Cheetah. (950 fps for the 95 gr .380 fmj, 1000 fps for the 73 gr .32 fmj, chronographed)
After watching MAC’s video on Underwood Extreme Defense in 380, I was so impressed with how the round worked that the 9mm +p 68 grain Extreme Defender is now in my Glock 26 as well as all my 9mm guns.
I use Sigs 365 9mm Ammo in my Sig 365. Its suppose to be calibrated/matched to the gun. https://www.sigsauer.com/9mm-115gr-elite-v-crown-365-jhp-1.html
I ordered some to try out myself. (68 gr +P) Will chronograph from my HKP30SK 3.3 inch and Beretta Cx4 16 inch & report back.
Generally speaking the 147gr will lose less velocity than the lighter but faster loads when the barrel gets shorter. I use the 147gr +P HST for my 9mm handguns, regardless of barrel length. Once the +P version runs out (I think they stopped making them) I have the standard pressure 147gr HST’s as next-in-line.
I remember back in the 90’s and early 2000’s when 9mm 147gr loads flat-out sucked. With the advancements in bullet technology, IMHO the 147gr is the way to go. HST’s and Ranger’s have the weight and sectional density to penetrate deeply yet still expand well. The best of both worlds. Then you factor in less recoil (not as “snappy”) and it’s win-win.
I tried out the Underwood Defense 68 gr +p ammo.
No over pressure signs. Fed fine through the HK P30SK.
I ran ten rounds over my Pro Chrony at about 10-15 ft. It was about 65 degrees.
High: 1749
Low: 1707
Avg: 1726
ES: 42
Sd: 14
Pretty damn good, huh!?
Point of impact didnt seem to be any different than 124 gr fmj ammo. Hows that? I dunno. Accuracy was fine. Recoil & blast not notable.
Edit:
Oh, I tried to feed some through my new AP-5. Nah, it fed a couple and chocked on a couple more. I expect my CX4 carbine to feed them fine.
But the four I measured through the 9 in? Barrel were just over 2000 fps. Nice.
The AP5 ran perfectly on fmj and 147 gr Fiocchi JHP. Even Win USA white box.
Gold dot 147gr
Hst 147 gr
sig’s v crown ammo is sub par
they expand poorly if they even expand at all
federal recently changed the design of the 147gr HST, and the new lots are seeming to have expansion issues in real life shootings
the 124 and 124gr +p HST are the new gold standard
federal recently changed the design of the 147gr HST, and the new lots are seeming to have expansion issues in real life shootings
the 124 and 124gr +p HST are the new gold standard
Of the Ranger line, which is best for a 3-3.3 in barrel: 147 gr RA9T or 127 gr +p+ RA9TA?
Will the 147 gr RA9T expand from such a short barrel?
RA9T will expand from a 3” barrel.