115 vs 124 vs 147 Grain 9mm?

[Provincial]

I have a gun with fixed sights. With 115 grain bullets, it hits pretty close at 15 yards. With 124 grain bullets, it hits about 4" higher. Rather than change the sights, I just use Critical Defense 115 grain loads.

If you have adjustable sights, this isn't an issue.

 

[pdberry]

For me it depends on the gun. My EDC has a 3.6" barrel so I carry Critical Duty 124 grain +P.
For my home defense gun which has a 4.5" barrel I run 135 grain Critical Duty.
Most 9mm specs are based on running through a 4" barrel so no real need for +P.
I practice with 124 grain ball in both. I do partice with my defensive ammo but not as much because of the cost.

 

[1911Fanatic]

I just ordered my first 9mm (G19) and I am trying to decide what ammo to stock up on. This gun will be carried for self defense but will also be shot a lot on the range as 9mm is much cheaper than .38 and .45.

Since this is a hangun, my first thought is that I need velocity to open up hollow points. 115 is also the cheapest and most widely available bulk practice ammo.

However, I have also heard that the heavier bullets shoot nicer (softer, less snappy). Will the slower 124 and 147 reliably open a hollowpoint out of gun this size?

Of course, I might be overthinking this coming from a 38 snubby where hollowpoint expansion is a bigger problem.

HST, Gold Dot or Critical duty in whatever bullet weights will serve you well. I usually run 124 grain +P as I have various barrel lengths.

 

[Tony617]

I own a G19 GEN 5 and it eats everything I feed it. I am using Federal 124gr FMJ or Winchester 124gr FMJ NATO rounds for practice. For JPH I typically use 147gr HST rounds. But I have also tried 124gr HST, Speer 147gr, and Winchester 147gr T-Series rounds which all fire fine from my G19. I do have a few boxes of 124gr +P Remington Golden Saber rounds but only use them for range use. The +P is bit more harsh compared to the non-+P rounds.

 

[Xmark1]

It seems a lot of you like the 124's. Why then is 115 grain the biggest seller of all 9mm?

 

[Joe13]

It seems a lot of you like the 124's. Why then is 115 grain the biggest seller of all 9mm?

115gn is cheaper to buy usually so that's why I have a lot of 115gn range ammo

 

[L84Cabo]

For practice/range ammo, I buy whatever is decent and on sale. Which is usually 115 gr but sometimes you find sales on other stuff. I really don't care for range use as long as it's not complete junk.

For my defense rounds, I'm a huge fan of Federal HST's and buy that brand exclusively...but there are other very good reliable brands.

But I really don't care too much between 124gr and 147gr. I can see the benefits of having a slightly faster round (124gr) and a slightly heavier bullet (147gr). Sooo...I will typically buy whichever I can find for less...or simply whichever I can find. With all the ammo shortages we've had over the years, sometimes you can't be too choosey.

 

[SPHBS]

In 9mm, I use HST's exclusively. I keep 124's and 147's on hand in both regular pressure and +p and I use whatever a particular pistol is most accurate with.

 

[Idaho44]

Reliable feeding, accuracy, distance to the 'target' and then cost!

 

[Koda]

It seems a lot of you like the 124's. Why then is 115 grain the biggest seller of all 9mm?

It may only be a few grams of material but multiply that by like billions of rounds produced and its slightly cheaper to manufacture, thus cheaper to sell. IMO most people who tout "needing" heavier bullets for self defense still buy their training/range ammo in bulk by whats cheapest, so the demand is slightly larger.
Its hard to find 124gn range ammo in bulk in the local stores, but if you buy in bulk on line its easy to find and the price difference is negligible.
Ive ran a lot of 115 because its more available, but I don't personally believe bullet weight makes a "better" self defense round so my only concern is my gun runs all weights reliable so Ive recently bought a case of 124gn range ammo from SGammo.com they have some same price as 115 even.

 

[Tobegun]

115 gr blazer fmj is what i use at range and 124 gr federal hp for at home defense. But as others have said, hitting the target matters the most.

 

[uberguy]

Overall, it depends on which type you and your gun(s) shoot most accurately. That said, I like 115 grain for cheap practice, carry 124 and view 147 (sub-sonic) as a suppressed load.

 

[bcp]

Overall, it depends on which type you and your gun(s) shoot most accurately. That said, I like 115 grain for cheap practice, carry 124 and view 147 (sub-sonic) as a suppressed load.

Do you detect any sound difference when using 147's?

Bruce

 

[aasbra]

I shoot mostly 124 or 125 grain, and some 147 mostly when using a suppressor (subsonic loads).

I prefer the heavier bullets for target practice. They seem less "snappy" in the recoil impulse. 95% of the 9mm ammo that I shoot are my handloads, so I dial in a load that I like.

 

[uberguy]

Do you detect any sound difference when using 147's?

Bruce

Like a different dialect? It's easier to keep heavier bullets velocity below the speed of sound.

 

[Boyandhisdogs]

Do you detect any sound difference when using 147's?

Bruce

I was wondering that. Will I be able to save my ear drums if I have to shoot in an emergency with no ear pro?

Also if for some reason the hollow point fails then more grains = more deader right? Haha

 

[pdberry]

I was wondering that. Will I be able to save my ear drums if I have to shoot in an emergency with no ear pro?

Also if for some reason the hollow point fails then more grains = more deader right? Haha

No it's still going to hurt without ear pro. The only thing that helps with that is a can and still even then not great without ear pro.

Hollow point failure as in clogging just turns it into basically an FMJ so less damage and more prone to over penetration.

 

[pdberry]

It may only be a few grams of material but multiply that by like billions of rounds produced and its slightly cheaper to manufacture, thus cheaper to sell. IMO most people who tout "needing" heavier bullets for self defense still buy their training/range ammo in bulk by whats cheapest, so the demand is slightly larger.
Its hard to find 124gn range ammo in bulk in the local stores, but if you buy in bulk on line its easy to find and the price difference is negligible.
Ive ran a lot of 115 because its more available, but I don't personally believe bullet weight makes a "better" self defense round so my only concern is my gun runs all weights reliable so Ive recently bought a case of 124gn range ammo from SGammo.com they have some same price as 115 even.

I haven't had trouble finding 124 range ammo locally. I've picked up multiple cases at bi-mart for the same price as 115 and most recently picked up a case at nwarmory on the Labor Day sale.

 

[Boyandhisdogs]

No it's still going to hurt without ear pro. The only thing that helps with that is a can and still even then not great without ear pro.

Hollow point failure as in clogging just turns it into basically an FMJ so less damage and more prone to over penetration.

Well, yes I imagine it would hurt still but would there be much of a difference subsonic vs supersonic?

 

[pdberry]

Well, yes I imagine it would hurt still but would there be much of a difference subsonic vs supersonic?

Not to me but my ears are pretty beat up.