Ammo Grain question..

[Snowflake9mm]

Okay guys, I understand grain weights and the theory on how they perform and on Kimber's page they recommend 124-147gr ammo for the Solo and Micro but I've noticed that a lot of you are using 115gr. Is there really that big of a difference? I need to buy ammo for the range this weekend and want to know what I'm looking for before I get there..
I've heard a lot about various brands and how they perform, just trying to wrap my arms around the other options like grain..

Thanks!

[Chuck43]

The heavier the bullet the more recoil they generate, some guys call them "snappy". That's a word men use for heavy recoil. I like breaking in a new gun with the heaviest bullets I can find for the caliber. In the case of the 9mm that would be 147 gr, the reason being that new guns with new parts that need to be broken in offer a little more resistance then broken in guns and the heavier rounds tend to help the gun over come these rough spots and preform better.

[JC45]

It's really not about what we like, it's about what your gun likes. I agree with what Chuck says about the heavier bullets and break in. I do shoot 115,124 and 147gr out of my Diamond Ultra because this gun does fine cycling anything I put in it. If I did have problems I would stick to 124 and 147gr.

[montanaResident]

Which ever costs the least.

[starnovi]

When I first got my UC2, I had a lot of problems with 115 gr. I switched to 124 gr and stopped having issues. It's got over 2K rounds through it now, so occasionally I try some 115 gr and it seems fine now, however I usually stick with the 124.

[Albert.Cairns]

124 Gr is all I reload and shoot anymore in my 9's. Most of the defense loads I use are 124gr anyways so i load my hardball the same and practice with that.


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[Nellybelle]

I know this is a late post. This may sound conceited but,
I believe you should practice with what you carry. I carry a Solo most of the time. I carry premium ammo in both quality and cost . My life may not be worth much to a bad guy but it is to me. I believe if you become accustom to a defense ammo you won't be surprised if you have to use it. Yes it cost more than range ammo but I feed my Solo what work reliable both on the range and for personal protection. Ymmv

[Snowflake9mm]

Originally Posted by Nellybelle I know this is a late post. This may sound conceited but, I believe you should practice with what you carry. I carry a Solo most of the time. I carry premium ammo in both quality and cost . My life may not be worth much to a bad guy but it is to me. I believe if you become accustom to a defense ammo you won't be surprised if you have to use it. Yes it cost more than range ammo but I feed my Solo what work reliable both on the range and for personal protection. Ymmv

Thanks for the input Nelly. Although I mostly practice with target ammo, I have been going thru at least a few mags of defense ammo with every range trip just for that reason. Unfortunately, I can't afford 209-300 rounds of defense ammo every week!! ☹️



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[RustyIron]

Hi, Snowflake.
If you're just poking holes in paper for the fun of it, there's no reason to not use cheap ammo. Use the high-dollar stuff for carrying and for occasional practice.

Chuck,
Let me offer up an alternative perspective. The energy derived from a particular load is a function of the bullet mass AND its velocity (mass times velocity squared). I'm sure you know, but I'll say it for others who might be reading, when a manufacturer uses a heavier projectile, they must decrease the amount of gunpowder. If they use the same amount of powder, the internal pressures become too great and bad things happen.

Hornady's web page shows their 9mm 147 gr. XTP as producing 310 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle. Their 115 gr. XTP produces 341 foot pounds at the muzzle. That's 10% more energy from the 115 gr. round!

How does this apply to Snowflake's question? I don't know. How does this apply to breaking in a gun? I don't know that one, either.

Have a happy Monday, kids.

[Albert.Cairns]

The heavier projectile will carry further in soft tissue and bone. I loaded my 115 Gr with 6.3 grains of Unique. My 124 Gr is loaded with 5.7 grains and penetrates deeper simply from mass.


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