Best ammo for 9mm carbines?

[Walkalong]

Fast powders burn themselves all up before the bullet leaves a longer barrel, slower powders are still burning before a bullet leaves a short barrel. They seem to have an ideal mix that works well on both short and long.

The powder is burned long before it exits the barrel.

A 124/5 Gr load running around 1050ish from a 5" barrel when powered by N320 will gain next to nothing from a 16" carbine barre. (Real numbers from my chrono on more than one occasion.)

A 124/5 Gr bullet running 1150ish from a 5" barrel when powered by a midrange powder like AA #5, HS-6 etc will gain 150/200 plus FPS from a 16" barrel. (Again, real numbers from my chrono on numerous occasions.)

The powder that gives the fastest speeds in a 2" barrel wil also give the fastest speeds in a 16" barrel. For defensive work you will want to know the velocity range the JHP it is loaded with will work in, and what velocity gain you will see in your carbine, which will depend on the powder speed they used.

For plinkng I like 124/5s, both my plinking load and full loads. My 90 Gr "Little Lasers" that are so much fun in handguns are a waste in the AR (IMHO). They are about like the other loads, where in the pistols the difference is very noticeable. I save them for the pistols. They sure are fast in the AR (Near 1650 FPS), but a waste as far as fun factor goes compared to shooting them in the pistols.

 

[DPris]

The biggest gain I've gotten in velocity was roughly 200 FPS.
The 9 doesn't pick up as much velocity typically in a longer barrel as the .357 Mag does.
Denis

 

[hdwhit]

lemaymiami wrote:
I have a pretty good idea of what to feed a 9mm pistol for defensive work (Gold Dot 124 gr. +P)...

That would probably work; although, I use a 115 grain Hornady XTP load myself.

 

[hdwhit]

sistema1927 wrote:
...It is what the IDF uses...

Why does that factor into your thinking?

The IDF's requirements for military procurement are limited to the materiel necessary to the defense of a country of about 8,000 square miles (i.e. about the size of New Jersey) with a desert climate that is nearly uniform year-round. Do you really think ammunition designed for those limited circumstances will provide optimal performance year-round everywhere else?

 

[Water-Man]

Win. 124gr NATO works well out of my Kel-Tec SUB- 2000 Gen2.

 

[Sistema1927]

Why does that factor into your thinking?

The IDF's requirements for military procurement are limited to the materiel necessary to the defense of a country of about 8,000 square miles (i.e. about the size of New Jersey) with a desert climate that is nearly uniform year-round. Do you really think ammunition designed for those limited circumstances will provide optimal performance year-round everywhere else?

Did you miss the somewhat tongue in cheek attitude of my post? The most important factor was that I had bought a bunch of it cheap. Besides, I live in the desert.

 

[Texas10mm]

The biggest gain I've gotten in velocity was roughly 200 FPS.
The 9 doesn't pick up as much velocity typically in a longer barrel as the .357 Mag does.
Denis

A lot less powder capacity has a lot to do with that.

I've been shooting handloads in my new Ruger. 135 solids or 129 gr hollow points.

I've popped a couple of varmints with the carbine and the results were dramatic. Exit wounds the size of my fist or larger.

 

[DPris]

I get the best expansion/penetration ratio with a good 147 in water jugging.
Not as much tendency to fragment, like some of the 115s.
Denis