9mm Chronograph Data

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The origin of this rabbit hole started when I observed via YouTube some of the differences in general chronograph data. Namely Buffman RANGE's data. He does a really nice job of putting info out, but the periodic changes in barrel lengths drove me bonkers, and it always seemed there was a big gap here or there in barrel lengths. Then, add on that the M9A3's 5.1" barrel always came in with lower velocities than the shorter barrels.

So I asked Santa for a chronograph for Christmas, and guess was showed up? I wanted to chronograph a wide variety of 9mm ammo that's typical to me and what I might shoot, plus a few others I could get my mitts on. I shot over two days, the first a month ago, and then today. Had to wait to try and get similar weather when I was home to do it. It was colder today than I planned, and fairly windy, but the results are similar enough, I believe. I did shoot a couple of loads from a month ago again just for the curious party to compare against each other. Ironically enough, even though it was a tad cooler out, the reshoots today clocked in a bit faster.

Test barrels included
3" - KelTec PF9
3.3" - PX4 Storm Compact
4" - XD9
4.3" - 92 Compact
4.9" - M9

I posted the first iteration of data elsewhere, and someone pointed out that Glock barrels tend to clock the fastest due to the polygonal rifling. I don't know how HS cuts the XD barrels, but I was a bit surprised that it typically clocked velocities the same as the M9's. I have a gen 3 G22 that I was ordering a 9mm barrel for around the same time, and I got a threaded Wolf barrel, totally spacing out that they're significantly longer. Had I gotten a non threaded, I might have used it in the mix, however I'm glad I didn't. At some point in the future I'll bust it out again to compare different barrels of similar length. I've got an XD40 with a Storm Lake 9mm barrel in that I'll stack against the factory 9mm barrel, maybe test the stainless LTT Centurion barrel against the standard compact barrel, and the standard M9 and/or threaded 92 barrel against the Wolf 5" Glock barrel.

It's all relatively useless information, but that's the kind of crap that I find interesting. I tend to get hung up on minutia sometimes. If anyone else has any other grand intelligence to impart on the subject, by all means share, especially if it helps save me some time while I'm still down this trail.

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I'll also note that the "Monarch" brand from Academy is rebranded Armscor. It's stamped made in the Philippines on the box, and the headstamps are Armscor. Never shot any 9mm Armscor with their label, so I can't compare if it's any different or not.

[Super77]

I'm kinda surprised how little barrel length matters. Also surprised how hot that Tula steel is and with such low SD. Do you happen to have the SKU for the Tula?

[spence]

I'm kinda surprised how little barrel length matters. Also surprised how hot that Tula steel is and with such low SD. Do you happen to have the SKU for the Tula?

Yeah, color me impressed with Tula steel cased. I don't have the SKU unless you can tell me where to find it, it's just a single box of the stuff I bought at a small LGS I drive by often in western Oklahoma. I shot a 25 yard freestyle with it at the end of the chronograph fun yesterday, and at least for what I can do in that context, it's just as accurate as anything else I shoot.

As mentioned in the first post, I was surprised the M9A3 barrel always came in with significantly lower velocities than a 4 or 4.5 inch Glock barrel, and the 4.95 inch M&P barrel. I thought that it was perhaps the 5.1" was just beyond peak velocity range for 9mm. Now I'm guessing it has something to do with how Beretta manufactures their barrels, because numbers from all their barrels were low, IMO. Hence why I'll come back to this when the weather gets better with multiple barrels of the same length but different manufacturer.

[jeep45238]

As mentioned in the first post, I was surprised the M9A3 barrel always came in with significantly lower velocities than a 4 or 4.5 inch Glock barrel, and the 4.95 inch M&P barrel. I thought that it was perhaps the 5.1" was just beyond peak velocity range for 9mm. Now I'm guessing it has something to do with how Beretta manufactures their barrels, because numbers from all their barrels were low, IMO. Hence why I'll come back to this when the weather gets better with multiple barrels of the same length but different manufacturer.

When I was loading for Berettas, the barrels always slugged to be .001" bigger than anything else I had. This would mean more gas bypasses the bullet/barrel interface, given the same bullet OD.

[Doc_Glock]

Yeah, color me impressed with Tula steel cased. I don't have the SKU unless you can tell me where to find it, it's just a single box of the stuff I bought at a small LGS I drive by often in western Oklahoma. I shot a 25 yard freestyle with it at the end of the chronograph fun yesterday, and at least for what I can do in that context, it's just as accurate as anything else I shoot.

There are folks doing very good work with the Tula Steel in the 25 yard Bullseye thread.

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There are folks doing very good work with the Tula Steel in the 25 yard Bullseye thread.

Indeed, I noticed at least one. The stuff is more accurate than me, for sure.

[Rock185]

Spence, Enjoyed seeing your results in specific barrel lengths. I've been chronographing since the late '70s, and have about 15 notebooks of chronograph data, lots of it 9MM. At the rate you're going, I think you'll soon catch up with me:cool:

[medmo]

Thanks! I shoot a crap load of the Tula Steel with a Beretta Px4 Compact. Nice. It's accurate, reliable and tracks the 124gr Speer GDHPs in my pistol close enough.

[spence]

Spence, Enjoyed seeing your results in specific barrel lengths. I've been chronographing since the late '70s, and have about 15 notebooks of chronograph data, lots of it 9MM. At the rate you're going, I think you'll soon catch up with me:cool:

I do numbers. I’m a complete freak about it, and I have a habit of going way down the rabbit hole of... “stuff”. I think I have a good start. I need one more good time to run more 9mm across it comparing same barrel lengths. Then I need to chrono .223/5.56 in a couple rifles so maybe I can shoot more distance.


Thanks! I shoot a crap load of the Tula Steel with a Beretta Px4 Compact. Nice. It's accurate, reliable and tracks the 124gr Speer GDHPs in my pistol close enough.

I’ve been very hesitant to shoot steel case in my Berettas. My AR does not like it at all. And the word on the street being it can be hard on extractors. However, it’s bleeding cheap. My M9 likes it. The 92 compact shoots it significantly left.

[bfoosh006]

FWIW... and spence you may find this interesting.

16" PCC colt pattern velocities. 129 different factory unds chrono'd.\

https://www.ar15.com/forums/ar-15/-/16-712312/?page=1&anc=7429025#i7429025

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Namely went at it today for comparison's sake between barrels, and this Scorpio ammo SG has now vs other 124's.

Test data as follows. 5.03" was a G22 gen 3, Wolf 9mm barrel. 4.9" - standard M9. 4.3S is the stainless LTT Centurion barrel, 4.3" standard 92 compact barrel. I was curious how the Wolf barrel would compare to the M9's, and if the LTT barrels varied any from a standard 92. It would appear they do not.

I threw in a bunch of oddball ammo I had leftover from the big chronograph adventure I had a couple months ago for all four barrels. Threw in a couple other 124's just for comparison to the new Scorpio ammo.

It would appear to me that the Scorpio is right there in the same ballpark as the other 124 grain stuff I've chronographed previously. It's plenty accurate, too. I'll buy more if that's the load they have in stock when I go to buy ammo.

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