Just owned your first 9mm handgun & not sure which ammo will be right for you?
A quick tip: Use Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) bullets for practice, and go for Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP) bullets to keep yourself safe means self defense.
Don’t skip to check our complete guide about the 9mm Jacketed Hollow Point Vs Full Metal Jacket.
But wait, that's not the end.
There are different types of 9mm bullets available in the market, for obvious reasons of versatility. It's a popular choice for self defense, target shooting & range.
But to really make the most out of a 9mm gun, it's crucial to understand the different kinds of 9mm bullets available.
This guide is like your friendly guidebook on this journey, shedding light on the details of 9mm bullets.
Whether you're just starting or have been shooting for a while, we're here to make understanding 9mm ammo easy.
So, let's get started and empower you with the knowledge to confidently choose the best 9mm ammo for you!
The popular types of 9mm calibers for self defense, target shooting & range include the following:
FMJ, or Full Metal Jacket, is a bullet type that has a lead core surrounded by casings of harder metal.
Designed for minimal expansion upon impact, reduced barrel fouling, and reliable feeding.
The purpose of these rounds is to hold their trajectory, and they have greater penetration against soft tissue. Learn more details about FMJ bullets here.
9mm FMJ Bullet Use:
Pros
Less expensive & reliableCons
Limited stopping power due to minimal expansion upon impact.9mm FMJ rounds are less expensive as compared to JHP. As per the latest price, the average cost for a box of 50 rounds of 9mm FMJ 115-grain ammunition is approximately $7.30 (Shipping Charges Extra). Buy in bulk and save money.
Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP): JHP bullets, like FMJ, have a jacket, but with a hollow tip .
JHP bullets typically have a lead core surrounded by a jacket made of copper or another material. The hollow point at the tip creates a cavity that facilitates controlled expansion.
This controlled expansion results in a larger wound channel compared to non-expanding bullets like Full Metal Jacket (FMJ). The wider wound channel can increase the stopping power of the round.
JHP bullets are more reliable because of their jacketing, which provides structural integrity.
It helps to maintain the shape of the bullet during flight. This results in better accuracy. The jacket also allows for cleaner barrels, which increases the life of your gun.
To know the more details, check our dedicated blog post about Hollow Point Bullets.
9mm JHP Use:
Pros
Improved stopping power, reduced over-penetration risk.Cons
Can be more expensive, potential feeding issues in certain firearms.JHP ammunition is generally more expensive than FMJ for training purposes. 9mm JHP ranges starting from $12.25 per box of 50 rounds (Shipping Charges Extra).
As the name suggests, the flat nose bullets have a flat or squared-off nose instead of a pointed one. Lead cores are typically enclosed by a jacket similar to Full Metal Jackets (FMJ) and Total Metal Cases (TMC).
The flat design of the nose promotes greater energy transfer on impact. The flat surface can cause a greater wound channel than bullets with a round nose. This feature is especially useful in target shooting.
These bullets come in numerous styles. Non-jacketed, flat nose bullets will deform and expand on impact, while semi-jacketed versions will give more penetration with some of the expansion lost.
9mm Flat Nose Ammo Use:
Pros
Enhanced energy transfer, reliable feeding in some firearms.Cons
Limited Use. Limited expansion compared to hollow points.To buy the 50 Rounds box of 9mm Flat Nose Ammo, price range starting from $17.51 for 50 Rounds box( Shipping Extra).
Round nose bullets come with a rounded tip or fore-end.
Naturally, the round nose offers more penetration than a flat nose, but less expansion than a hollow point. It's a good middle-ground shape that's very common for target shooting & training.
Round nose is a popular bullet style that’s found in all kinds of ammunition. It’s easy to find, fun to shoot and does its job nicely.
It is a very successful design, the reason why it is still used today.
Round Nose 9mm Ammo Use:
Pros
Reliable feeding in various firearms. Usually cheaper than other styles.Cons
Limited stopping power due to minimal expansion.9mm Round Nose Ammo costs starting from $0.27 per round for 50 rounds of box. Prices may be lower if you buy in bulk.
9mm frangible ammunition stands out for its safety, environmental friendliness, and effectiveness in various shooting scenarios. These rounds are designed to disintegrate upon impact with hard surfaces, like steel targets, minimizing ricochet hazards.
The main component of frangible ammunition is powdered metals. The composition of the bullet is what makes it unique in its ability to disintegrate.
Common Use Of Frangible 9mm Ammo:
Pros
Their lead-free composition makes them an environmentally friendly option. Reduce the risk of over-penetration and collateral damage by disintegrating upon impact.Cons
Limited penetration, may not be ideal for certain situations.Frangible ammo is often more expensive. The price range starts from $0.24 to $1.14 per round for 50 rounds of box. Buy in bulk to save big.
As the name implies, it's a soft nose bullet, made of a softer lead than some others. Soft-point bullets are essentially full metal jacket bullets with a lead core enclosed in a copper hard casing. The lead tip is exposed at the nose. They expand creating larger temporary and permanent wound channels, transferring more energy to the target medium vs. full metal jacket.
Soft-point bullets offer more expansion than a full metal jacket bullet and greater penetration than a hollow point. This makes them a great choice for hunting dangerous and large game as well as small game like squirrels and rabbits.
Common Use Of Soft Point 9mm Ammo:
Pros
Balance between expansion and penetration. These are typically allowed in areas where hollow point bullets have been banned.Cons
These don’t quite have the same stopping power of a hollow point, nor the penetration of an FMJ bullet.As per the latest price, the average cost for a box of 50 rounds of 9mm SP 124-grain ammunition is approximately $20.99. Buy in bulk and save money.
TMJ stands for Total Metal Jacket. The total metal jacket bullets (also known as the total metal case). TMJ bullets also have a soft lead core but are completely covered in a thin layer of copper known as a copper jacket.
TMJ ammo has an enclosed base so there is no exposed lead on the bullet.
Bullets with TMJ reduce the amount that shooters are exposed to lead at indoor ranges.
TMJ rounds are primarily offered in handgun calibers, with Speer Lawman and Blazer by CCI being the most popular manufacturers of this type of ammunition.
Common Use Of Total Metal Jacket 9mm Ammo:
Pros
Clean shooting, reduced lead exposure.Cons
Similar to FMJ, limited stopping power in self-defense situations.It is less expensive than jacketed hollow point (JHP) ammo. The price range starts from $ 0.28 to $0.50 per round cost for a 50 round box.
9mm shotshells are also called 9mm shot cartridges and 9mm shots. They're designed to be used in handguns that chamber 9mm Luger (9x19mm). 9mm shotshells, unlike traditional 9mm ammunition which is typically made up of a single bullet or projectile, are filled with small amounts of lead or other materials.
They are used to control pests at close range or for special applications. They are effective for short distances due to the spread of their shot pattern, but they have a limited range compared with traditional handgun ammo.
They have no legitimate self defense usage. Shoot someone with #12 pellets and you will do nothing but pizz them off.
Common Use Of 9mm Shotshells:
Pros
Disperses shot pattern, effective at short distances.Cons
Limited effective range, minimal penetration.The price range starts from $1.59 to $2.50 per round cost for a shotshell 10 rounds per box.
A bullet with a bonded tip is designed to perform better. These bullets are created using a lead core that is chemically bonded to a jacket made of copper or another material.
These bullets also feature a polymer or plastic tip on the front. This is known as a "tipped", or "pointed", design. This design allows the bullet to maintain its weight, expand in a controlled manner, and penetrate deeply into the target.
The primary purpose of using a bonded bullet is to prevent the separation of the core and jacket when the bullet goes into the target. This advantage allows the bullet to retain most of its weight, resulting in deeper, straighter, and more controlled penetration.
Common Use Of Bonded Tipped 9mm Ammo:
Pros
Bonded bullets particularly perform better when heavy bone is encountered. Excellent weight retention, deep penetration, controlled expansion.Cons
Can be more expensive.Bonded tipped ammunition is often considered premium and can be more expensive than standard ammunition. Price range starting from $1.42 to $2.25 per round for 20 rounds of box.
These are some popular 9mm ammo types you can use for self defense, target shooting & range.
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