Since we have a nice long thread on the best 9mm handgun…with lots of thoughtful res ponces. I thought it would be equally important to discuss 9mm terminal performance. Which round do you carry for self defense? Which is most effective…124grain vs148 grain or even 115 hyper velocity. Currently I have been carrying 148 grain HST…come to find out one of my pistols is not suited for that round looking for alternatives for that pistol (P7).
But I have other 9mm pistols that are fine with the heavier bullet Should I consider a change for all my9mm pistols?
We also have a nice long forum called “Terminal Ballistic Information” where this topic is extensively covered. It might be best for you to check those threads.
I understand the P7 is “iconic” to some, but if it doesnt reliably feed everything what good is it? I think you either get it tweaked to use the 147gr load all your other pistols work with, or get rid of it for another 9mm that will work with it. I put more value in a gun thats eats everything I feed it.
If the gun gets out of spec (piston) or the mag springs are worn a issue can develope that otherwise would not with different ammo…I would never part with the 2 P7 s I have…its an awesome gun…Its not my main carry . I have a few different carry guns…but I do carry it…and my wife really likes the size and the trigger
I had two different P-7M8s that were not reliable with the Ranger 127 grain +P+ or the 147 grain. I would get failures to feed. The same guns shot fine with the SPeer 124 grain Gold Dot in both standard and +P velocities.
When the P-7 was designed I don’t believe there were any 147 grain loads.
When it comes to reliability I will not own any gun that does not feed everything I give it and that is why I carry a Glock and if could not carry a Glock it would be a S&W M&P, a XD or a SIG.
When it comes to preferred ammo, I will not hesitate to carry any of the 9mm ammo that Doc GKR recommends but my preferred ammo is Gold Dot 124+P or Winchester Ranger 127+P+ but they have been hard to find lately.
DOI ran the 127gr+P+ for five years before we went to 124gr+P Gold Dots. Before that, the standard load was 124gr+P Ranger Talons. The 127gr load didn’t seem to do anything better than what the 124gr load did in D.C. area shootings. Our training schedule didn’t change, but officers had their qualification scores go down with the +P+ loading, and our Sigs were wearing out faster. I’d never seen it before in a 9mm, but some of our P228s had their recoil springs actually weaken to the point that the feed timing was off. I had only seen this before in .40s that had been running a steady diet of high recoil 155gr ammo. Some of our officer actually went to the P229 .40 and with 180gr loads improved their qualification scores.
I use the speer 124’s in my P7M13 as well. It’s probably the gun I carry and shoot the most. I’ve also used it in P7M8’s (ostensibly the same feed, but you never know).
Roger. We were having a conversation at a class about Ranger 127gr ammo and a person that works for NYPD said they liked it. He never said it was Ranger, but I just assumed.
I can see how scores would go down (especially when you add in that crappy trigger they have to use).
