# military ammo



## nukehayes (Sep 22, 2006)

This question is more fore Mike B. but if anyone knows the answer, plz feel free. What is the weight of the standard issue 9mm round for the military these days? Is it 115gr of 124 gr and is there any real difference in terms of performance given that it is fmj.


----------



## Mike Barham (Mar 30, 2006)

It's 124 grain. No one in my unit has shot anyone with the M9, so I haven't gotten any firsthand reports on effectiveness of the 124, but I can't imagine there is a performance difference. Both will completely perforate an unarmored human, neither will expand, and they are obviously the same diameter.

9mm ball is well known for very marginal effectiveness, no matter the weight.


----------



## toopercentmlk (Apr 25, 2007)

Mike Barham said:


> It's 124 grain. No one in my unit has shot anyone with the M9, so I haven't gotten any firsthand reports on effectiveness of the 124, but I can't imagine there is a performance difference. Both will completely perforate an unarmored human, neither will expand, and they are obviously the same diameter.
> 
> *9mm ball is well known for very marginal effectiveness, no matter the weight.*


Would you rather carry a .45 as a sidearm? Since the fmj .45 would most likely penetrate(right?), would that make a more efficient kill?:smt1099


----------



## Mike Barham (Mar 30, 2006)

toopercentmlk said:


> Would you rather carry a .45 as a sidearm? Since the fmj .45 would most likely penetrate(right?), would that make a more efficient kill?:smt1099


It doesn't really matter to me, to be honest. Pistols are basically irrelevant weapons of war, and are very seldom fired in action. While I _personally_ like 1911s more than Beretta 92s, I do think the M9 is a better general-issue sidearm than any .45 I can think of.

.45 ball actually penetrates less than 9mm FMJ. This is an advantage on an unarmored foe, but a possible disadvantage on one who is armored. But again, it hardly matters since pistols are almost never used here except by Secret Squirrel Ninja types, and they can pick whatever they want.


----------



## SigX5 (Sep 13, 2007)

9mm. being to weak? well that depends on what load and what ullets you have.
In Sweden the military used to give away their 9mm. ammo since they dont use the old m45 machinegun anymore, but the ammo have become known as "cop-killers" since they easily penetrate a protection west, and we cant get them anymore.
they also cause alot of wear in a pistol and sometimes cause them to break because of the high load and hard bullets, even the glock:s cant stand them in the long run, but many have used them anyway since they were free or almost free.
so if a 9mm. is to weak is just a mather of what ammo you use.


----------



## Mike Barham (Mar 30, 2006)

SigX5 said:


> 9mm. being to weak? well that depends on what load and what ullets you have...so if a 9mm. is to weak is just a mather of what ammo you use.


Agreed, but those of us in the military (like *Nukehayes* and me) don't have the luxury of choosing our own ammo. And the question was about military ammo.


----------

