BobWright
Member
Back when I first got into the shooting game, the only 9mm handguns were mostly war surplus pistols (Surplus Lugers were $49.95 mail order + a box of cartridges.) and the word that there was an Israeli revolver patterned after the S&W Military & Police (There being no model numbers in the public minds at the time). Colt did announce the Government Model and Commander in 9mm, but, who cared?
9mm ammunition was available, but that was surplus German stuff, with steel cases and sintered iron bullets. Word was it was submachine gun ammunition and was therefore "too hot" to use in pistols. The H.P. White laboratories did a test and found it was of no more, actually less, pressure than commercial 9mm ammunition. And most surplus ammunition was Berdan primed, so not easily reloadable.
Then Smith &Wesson did the unheard of thing, they introduced their Model 39, and later Model 59, pistols using modern metals and manufacturing, in 9mm caliber. I'm guessing that it was Ruger who really got the ball rolling with the introduction of the .357 Magnum Blackhawk with auxiliary 9mm cylinder. Ruger advertised that there was no place in the world that one could not find ammunition for that combination. The 9mm worked well in the Single Action as no clips were required for ejecting. In time, more and more shooters began begging for 9mm revolvers.
So today, with 9mm ammunition selling at very attractive prices, and readily available, the 9mm has become very popular, Not of too much use in the fields, nor formal target ranges, but for those who enjoy a Saturday of plinking and informal target shooting, its here to stay for awhile.
Bob Wright
9mm ammunition was available, but that was surplus German stuff, with steel cases and sintered iron bullets. Word was it was submachine gun ammunition and was therefore "too hot" to use in pistols. The H.P. White laboratories did a test and found it was of no more, actually less, pressure than commercial 9mm ammunition. And most surplus ammunition was Berdan primed, so not easily reloadable.
Then Smith &Wesson did the unheard of thing, they introduced their Model 39, and later Model 59, pistols using modern metals and manufacturing, in 9mm caliber. I'm guessing that it was Ruger who really got the ball rolling with the introduction of the .357 Magnum Blackhawk with auxiliary 9mm cylinder. Ruger advertised that there was no place in the world that one could not find ammunition for that combination. The 9mm worked well in the Single Action as no clips were required for ejecting. In time, more and more shooters began begging for 9mm revolvers.
So today, with 9mm ammunition selling at very attractive prices, and readily available, the 9mm has become very popular, Not of too much use in the fields, nor formal target ranges, but for those who enjoy a Saturday of plinking and informal target shooting, its here to stay for awhile.
Bob Wright