i know,close to 380+ a bit maybe. don't imagine performance would be stellar. and,i don't think often considered or researched. thinking about getting a unissued bulgarian,more as a semi-collectible than anything. likely end up sitting in the desk drawer. just wondering what loads people might have knowledge of in street/testing data. ball an option? way not a primary arm. got 3 9s for that carry,bedside,car. thanks for any input.
I get where you're coming from......I like to keep a few rounds for defensive use with every gun I own. Even my 410 break action has 5 rounds of buckshot....just in case.....as that is the most suitable thing I could find for 410.
My input is to just keep around whatever you've found to be most reliable in your particular pistol, because as far as I know there are no quality JHP loads for 9x18.
"Are you ready? Okay. Let's roll."- Last words of Todd Beamer
Hornady XTP, as far as I know, is still available, and works very nicely. There are also Russian HP loads, but I haven't fired many of them. The 120gr was too much for the blowback action, to me, but the 90 and 95 grain were fine. I've had a Bulgarian Makarov for a long time. My wife adopted it for her bedside, but rarely shoots or carries anything at all, so we don't consume high amounts of ammo for it, unlike when I first bought it and it was what I had to shoot and carry. Accurate, very reliable, etc. can't say a bad thing about it, except the ammo isn't dirt cheap anymore.
The Hornady XTP is a very shallow penetrator in 9x18 from what I've read.
"Are you ready? Okay. Let's roll."- Last words of Todd Beamer
The 9x18.....like the .380 is a dead end cartridge. Like the .380, its COAL prevents it from using a JHP with an adequate bullet length to expansion ratio to even come close to passing FBI protocols. I would take Docs advice for the .380 and apply it to the 9x18.....use FMJ.
CCI used to make a Gol Dot for it, as well. We usually keep it loaded with ball, anyway.
tx for replies
I've always steered people towards Hornady XTP or FMJ, depending on what's available and if the person was comfortable with ball ammo for carry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whURQiqm8aQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miSAAcqe8Wo
http://www.sgammo.com/catalog/pistol.../9x18-mak-ammo
Anything under 9mm I go with ball.
I'm not confident they would get through bone as a HP, so I don't want to put a parachute on them.
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