Pro's/Con's of odd weight 9mm bullets

[Sapper771]

What are the advantages/disadvantages of using bullets of non-standard weights?
I reload 9mm the majority of the time. I have seen a lot of unusual weight 9mm bullets and was wondering how they came about and if they offer any specific advantages.

So far, I have seen a 114gr, 122gr, 123gr, 130gr, 136gr , 145gr, 153gr , & 158gr.
I was thinking that the odd weight may have came from some who wish to modify POI by modifying bullet weight. Then I thought about how the weight will also effect power factor and penetration.

Are there any other reasons why these odd bullet weights came to be?

Thanks in advance.

 

[rcmodel]

In the case of the 130 RNFP & 158 RN, they are undoubtly .38/.357" revolver bullets sized & sold as .356" 9mm bullets.

The normal heavy bullet weight for the 9mm is a 147 grain.

The 115, 123, & 124 range were orginial bullet weights used in the P-08 Luger when it was first invented, and the weight most modern 9mm pistol sights are designed to work well with.

The 125 jacketed might be a bullet designed for the .357 SIG cartridge, which uses a different bullet profile due to the short SIG case neck.

88's, 90's, 95's, 100's & 102's were intended for use in the .380 ACP which has the same 9mm bore size.

Some of the other weights you mentioned may be for cast lead bullets, whose weight can very several grains just by changing the alloy used to cast them.

I doubt there was any intention by the bullet sellers to design a weight to change POI.

More likely, it was a "Make it and they will come" school of marketing thing.

rc

 

[twofifty]

Bullets simply vary in weight, plus or (usually minus) a grain or two. For example, plated 124grain 9mm will weigh as little at 122 and as much as 125 grains.

In my limited experience, this does not affect POI from a practical point of view. But if you are competing and PF (power factor) levels are mandated by the rules, then it very much matters.

 

[Jim Watson]

Early 9mm P bullet 7.5 grams = 115.7 grains, round to the nearest five, 115. (Norma used to round it off to the nearest full grain and label bullets for US sales 116 grain.)

Early 9mm P bullet 8 grams = 123.4 grains, round to 124 or to nearest five, 125. (I think Norma also sold some marked 123 grain.)

130 grains - originally for .38 Super.

147 grains - originally for subsonic loads for silenced weapons. I don't know if it was based on 9.5 grams or if they did a clean sheet design and it just came out that weight for that shape.

158 grains - used by IMI and Fiocchi in subsonic loads, same as .38 Special.

Cast bullet weights are just how the mould came out after design to a desired shape and an approximate weight. They are also variable with changes in lead alloy. There is a 145 grain cast roundnose that I like. Were they going for the even five grain break or were they trying to match the 147 grain hollowpoint and flatpoint in a roundnose and just miss the mark by a couple of grains? I don't know.

 

[evan price]

The 120/122 grain truncated cone is a common one, too, I was told this was one of the original Luger styles.

You can size anything to .356" and sell it as a 9mm bullet.