9mm Luger

About 9mm Luger

9mm is the default centrefire handgun cartridge in the United States and the reason is arithmetic rather than ballistics. Modern defensive loads perform closely enough to .40 and .45 that shot placement dominates the difference, while 9mm costs less per round, fits more of them in the same grip, and recoils less — which means more practice for the same money.

It is also the most cross-shopped caliber on this site, which is why this page spans handguns, ammunition, magazines and suppressors together. Two buying notes: bullet weights of 115, 124 and 147 grain all work, so choose the one your specific pistol feeds and shoots best rather than the one with the better argument attached. And 9mm is subsonic at 147 grain, which matters if a suppressor is anywhere in your plans.