What 9x18mm Makarov ammunition do you want to see tested in ballistic gelatin?

[North Bender]

Thanks JE!!

Very interesting results. The Sellier & Bellot FMJ certainly penetrates!

It's too bad the 115-grain Silver Bear is no longer in production. I think it was pulled because shooters complained that it hung up in magazines and on feed ramps (which are really easy fixes), and the round is too stout to shoot in the aluminum-framed PA-63. Cor-Bon is not making that really hot 95-grain anymore, Brown Bear 115-grain is no more, Fiocchi has not sold their +P HP for years, and Wolf no longer produces the heavier FMJs. The caliber is getting dummed down by the manufacturers. Must be some lawyers in Russia after all.

Goldenloki did some gelatin testing on 9x18:

http://www.goldenloki.com/ammo/gel/9x18/gel9x18.htm

.... but he fired through 2 layers of denim so that may explain how he got 9.6-inches of penetration with the Hornady round. The other rounds he tested back then are no longer in production and he never tested the 115-grain; that's new info.

Great stuff JE! ... and my thanks for carrying out the testing.

 

[alamo]

Glad I got a bunch of the old Cor-Bon 95 grain before they discontinued it a number of years ago. I shoot the ammo it's loaded with periodically and my supply is running low. Nice to have some recent tests on what's available out there today. Thanks.

 

[denfoote]

Thanks,

It looks like my Silver Bear 115gr load will do the job, although, I understand it too has been discontinued!!!

Why is it that the good loads get axed??

 

[longeyes]

From the data posted it appears FMJ is the way to go with the Makarov. That's pretty lame penetration (except for the Silver Bear).

 

[grimjaw]

Thanks very much for the work!

Looks like that Silver Bear 115gr load is pretty effective. Too bad they aren't still making it, but it tended to jam up the Makarov I had anyway.

jm

 

[Marshall]

Great info, thank you very much!

Wonder how the Fiocchi 95gr FMJ 1100fps would have done? Guesses anyone?

 

[grimjaw]

Marshall, I've clocked the Fiocchi at an average of 1000 fps (never hit 1100), but I would suspect it would match the S&B.

jm

 

[Brass Fetcher]

Why is it that the good loads get axed??

No fricking clue. I think this test illustrates the importance of at least rudimentary (water) testing of any load that a person is contemplating carrying for self-defense.

About the FMJ - you might be interested to know that this was fairly typical performance for an FMJ, perhaps less spectacular than other calibers. While I try to stay away from testing FMJ (not very exciting, right...?), I've shot the 9x19mm WWB FMJ, the S&B 7.62x25mm FMJ and various others like .25ACP and .32ACP... etc.

With the exception of the mouseguns, the round will penetrate about 7", tumble, go the rest of the way in the block, blow through the polyester fiber box (which itself can stop a .380ACP FMJ), and usually be found in a clump of fiber just outside of the box. The only variation was that sometimes the clump is still in the box, other times it is on the face of the berm, with the bullet lodged inside it. The real king of penetration, in my book, was the 7.62x25mm Tokarev FMJ. That bad monkey did all of the above - except for the berm part - the clump of fiber was embedded in something like 2" depth of playsand (about 1/3 of a sandbag, if I'm not mistaken) - all this while traveling SIDEWAYS through the polyester box and into the sand.

The 9x18mm cartridge has great potential for success - it is juicier than the .380ACP and I love the fact that the nominal bullet diameter is 0.365" - a full 1/100 " larger diameter than 9mm ... not much, but in the case of a failure to expand, you will be making a slightly larger hole.