115 vs. 124 grain for 9MM defensive ammo?

Does one weight shoot closer to your preferred POA?

I have long used the 124's but if you start reading you could spend days finding info to say one is better than the other, both sides of the argument. Many sites will have all kinds of charts, graphs, pictures of things shot and on and on. At the range in everything I own and have owned I can't see a difference in POI between them. So bottom line is it's going to come down to which you want to use. For everyone who tells you one is "better", another will say it's the other. If you ever have to depend on the gun using he ammo being able to hit what you want will of course be what really matters.

I started carrying 124 Grain Plus P Golden Sabers in my CZ's long ago and found no reason to change. With Remington sold that may change.

People have used both effectively, but I'd trust 124 gr more and anymore I'm leaning toward some of the better 147 gr loads.

I went Federal 147 gr. HST +P (labeled 'Tactical')

Here's a previous thread:

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/best-grain-and-affordable-9mm-ammo.847474/

I prefer the 124s, as does/did my Glocks, SIG, Kahrs and HKs; they will shoot the 115 decent, but the 124s seem more accurate.

POI will be a little higher with heavier bullets. Penetration is likely to be a little better with heavier ammo also.

brewer12345 said:

Don't shoot much 9, as I much prefer 45. but since a full size 45 is kind of difficult to carry inconspicuously I am having to think about what ammo to use in the 9. Coming from the point of view that a 230 grain slug serves me best, I am a bit at a loss looking at the 9 bullets.

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As one that also prefers a heavier bullet, I would say the 147gr 9x19mm loads are worth looking at. When they are hopefully proven viable, the 185gr Loads by Seismic are also pretty interesting. I wouldn’t even mind paying the insane prices that we’re seeing these days if I was actually able to locate some of that stuff.

124gr stuff is my personal minimum for ammunition that I have any intention of relying on for serious use.

I went exclusively to Federal 147 grain HST for all of my 9’s. I know this doesn’t help your 115 vs 124 but the 147’s group well for me and the price for 50 rounds weren’t bad. Ended up buying 5 boxes

There isn’t a tremendous difference. The 115gr, being slightly lighter, will probably enjoy a slightly higher muzzle velocity. The recoil will tend to be slightly more abrupt than in a heavier cartridge with the same powder charge. I prefer 124 but shoot 115 all the time and at self-defense distances there’s no appreciable difference in point of aim vs. point of impact. If you have the opportunity try a box of each (throw some 147 in the mix for grins if you can) and see which you like better. They’ll all get the job done in a crisis!

I have an accumulation of commercial 147Gr-JHP- 9X19mm mostly Federal and Winchester. If I suffer the misfortune of being in a shooting incident either of the two previously brands, one of which would be utilized. Is the 147Gr-JHP better than the !24Gr-JHP, I in all honesty can not give you a definitive answer. I have my opinion but that's it, just an opinion.

brewer12345 said:

Ignoring availability issues, is there a reason to prefer one or the other weight in 9MM defensive ammo? The pistol I have in mind is a knock off of a CZ75, so not a tiny lightweight. Thinking about standard pressure if it matters.

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Confirming the reliability of a given load in your particular pistol is probably the greater concern if you are already relying on a premium JHP design. Assuming robust expansion, higher sectional density is your friend and ensures sufficient penetration.

With quality defensive ammo (JHPs) going for $2 - $4 per round, ammo is definitely going for a ''premium''.

Either will ruin your day, I’d carry whatever you could get with the ammo availability.

Go with 455_Hunter. Shoot them both and choose the one you like best. I prefer 124 grain just because they knock down steel poppers more reliably in matches than 115 grain bullets.

Does it look kind of like this?

Mine eats everything.

I think the best answer is which do you shoot the most accurate in your defense gun, especially with follow up shots. Most of the guys I shoot with have gone to Lehigh Defense Bullets or Underwood Honey Badger for Self Defense Loads. What I like about the test results say not only is the performance most of the time superior to Hollow Point ammo, it is way more consistent. Hollow Points can fail when fired through thick clothing, drywall and other material and you can wind up with zero expansion and just a little hole. The Lehigh type bullet can create all kinds of damage after going through clothing drywall, etc. I personally think its worth researching. I'm a firm believer

124 grain .355" will have slightly better sectional density than 115 grain .355" bullets will.
Higher sectional density is desirable for deeper penetration.

124 gran will also have more retained weight - all other factors being equal - which of course they won't - but - it might happen once in a blue moon - so to speak.

124 grain is a "heavier" bullet - which some of us naturally gravitate towards. - for no other reason other than -"it's heavier".

In the real world? Other than a little different point of impact - I doubt there's all that much difference.

None of my 9mm pistols shoot best with 115 so I usually end up with 124 or 147. There are solid options for any bullet weight but my preference is for 147gr jhp which shoots well in my primary HD and CCW 9mm pistols.

Try them all and if 115gr is the best in your gun there's no reason not to use it.

For myself, and several customers, 9mm Luger bullet weight preference depends on the season. Over the last several years 9mm Luger ammunition has shown much better performance than in previous years, so I sorta felt that some various testing would show how the various weight 9mm bullets performed vs the clothing worn at extreme cold conditions and then when one layer of "tank-top" is the preferred mode during warm months.
One of my customers found a couple of store mannequins in a dumpster behind the J C Penny store when it closed in Rice Lake. He also went to one the Second Hand redistribution stores in the area and bought some winter coats so that the "dummies" would not get cold when being shot.
Our conclusion found that 115 grain bullets penetrated summer garb much better than winters much thicker clothing, and that's where the 147 grain hardball ammunition did its best. The bullets didn't get clogged up with fabric and penetration was more complete.
So, if you are ever attacked by a "zombie mannequin" make sure your 9mm has a magazine full of 147 grain hardball.

I use 115 grain. They are most accurate in my 3 Glocks.

FWIW, I have always felt better, and think I shoot better with 124 grain. YMMV
EIEIO

124 HST’s feed, fire, extract, and hit near point of aim for me in my pistols so that’s what I stick with.

As others have said, a solid hit with any of them will ruin an otherwise good afternoon.