Best 9mm choices for 3" barrels?

[jkurtz7]

I got rid of my G26, and picked up a 9mm Shield (I'll report on the gun later). So what is the consensus here on suitable defensive loads for stubby 3" barreled guns?

[JBP55]

I run 124+P HST or 124+P Gold Dot in all my 9mm pistols regardless of barrel length.

[Beat Trash]

My agency hosted ballistic workshops in November of 2011. Among other loads tested, was the HST 147 gr and Winchester Ranger T series in 147 gr. The test gun for the entire range of tests was a M&P9. I insisted that we include a M&P9c and my personally owned Kahr PM9 with a 3" bbl. We only did the bare gel tests with shorter guns, due to a limited amount of gel blocks. I was interested in the difference made in the shorter barrels.

The reason I wanted to include shorter barreled guns was we were just starting to permit BUG's. I wanted to see what our new duty round contenders would do with a BUG size barrel. Due to a lack of gel, we only did the bare gel tests. I had to assume that any variance seen by going with a shorter barrel and lower vocity would carry over to the other tests.

Long story short, from 4" to 3.5", no real difference. When going to the 3" Kahr, I think pennetration increased about .5"-1", with a corresponding slight decrease in expansion. Not enough to get excited about. (I have my notes somewhere, just not in front of me as I type this.). When just looking at numbers on a chart, .5"-1" may seem like a significant difference. When you see the tests in person, the difference isn't that much.

I asked ATK's rep, a rather interesting guy named Johann Boden, if I could expect to see that much of a variance from lot to lot of ammunition. His response was, "Yep..."

I then made the statement that I didn't see the need to have a separate duty round for shorter barreled guns. His only comment was, "Nope...".

Our issued Duty load is now the Winchester 147 gr Ranger T loading. It's mandated to be carried in the 9mm BUG's. As I type this, I have a 9mm Shield loaded with this round attached to my vest. It's also the same load that is in my PM9.

I'm not Gary Roberts, and I'll defer to his opinion in this matter, as I greatly respect his expertise in Ballistics. But my personal opinion is that whatever load you would use in you 4" duty size gun, load it in your Shield. Just ensure reliable function before you carry, no matter the size of the gun.

[JodyH]

I was very impressed with the Barnes Tac-XPD load out of my Kahr PM9.
Penetration and expansion were pretty much textbook perfect and recoil from the little Kahr was far less than the 124 HST's (non +P) I'd previously carried.
It's the go to carry load in my PM9 and my wife's Shield.
I did a quick writeup in this sub-forum a few weeks ago, here (http://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?9793-9mm-and-38spcl-pocket-gun-rounds-tested).

[Chuck Haggard]

When you start chopping the barrel the 147gr loads lose less velocity than the faster rounds, generally speaking.

[jkurtz7]

I currently carry Golden Saber 147's in my Beretta 92. Once the Shield is vetted for reliability I guess I'll just stick with those.

[Molon]

When you start chopping the barrel the 147gr loads lose less velocity than the faster rounds, generally speaking.

This.

http://www.box.net/shared/static/5li8m192c0.jpg



....

[Rich]

I like 124gr +P HST !

I saw a Gold Dot test using a short barrel 9mm

GD SB 124 +P vs regular 124+P GD

The SB load did do better. and even had a higher velocity.

Still I rather have HST 124 +P then ranger T or B

[Psychlone]

ShootingTheBull410 is conducting tests on his Youtube channel specifically for short barrelled 9mm (he already completed his testing for 380 pocket pistols). I'm no expert but he seems pretty thorough, a link to his blog is here where he explains his testing protocol:

http://shootingthebull.net/blog/

He is deliberately testing the short barreled pocket pistols as there is already an abundance of information on ammo best suited for longer barreled duty pistols and not as much for civilians who want to carry the best ammo they can when using a more concealable firearm in a defensive situation. So far the short barrel 9mm ammo he has tested is the Hornady Critical Defense, Critical Duty and Custom in both 124 and 147 grain. He has many more to come though.

9mm- Hornady Custom 124 Grain- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7votVplXtZM

9mm- Hornady Custom 147 Grain- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGUw2pX5IK0

9mm- Hornady Critical Duty- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA7FTjmLiQQ

9mm- Hornady Critical Defense- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKE4VKPRFTQ

[campbed]

ShootingTheBull410 is conducting tests on his Youtube channel specifically for short barrelled 9mm (he already completed his testing for 380 pocket pistols). I'm no expert but he seems pretty thorough, a link to his blog is here where he explains his testing protocol:

http://shootingthebull.net/blog/

He is deliberately testing the short barreled pocket pistols as there is already an abundance of information on ammo best suited for longer barreled duty pistols and not as much for civilians who want to carry the best ammo they can when using a more concealable firearm in a defensive situation. So far the short barrel 9mm ammo he has tested is the Hornady Critical Defense, Critical Duty and Custom in both 124 and 147 grain. He has many more to come though.

9mm- Hornady Custom 124 Grain- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7votVplXtZM

9mm- Hornady Custom 147 Grain- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGUw2pX5IK0

9mm- Hornady Critical Duty- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA7FTjmLiQQ

9mm- Hornady Critical Defense- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKE4VKPRFTQ

+1. THIS.

Size matters. There are many denim gel test videos out there, most are conducted with 4 barrels. Barrel length MATTERS! For those of us carrying 3" barrels, these gel tests listed above STB is doing are the ones we should pay attention to!

Ammo that passes the denim gel test from a 4" barrel, might under/over penetrate (read: fail the test) out of a 3". Same is true for 5" barrels.

[jkurtz7]

As mentioned in the Critical Defense thread, I'm watch Shooting The Bull. I ended up pulling my small supply of Ranger RA9T from my SHTF stash for carry in my Shield.

[Frank R]

I use HST 147gr. in my Shield.

It generates less recoil than the HST 124gr.+P I was using.