9mm performance from long barrel

[DAVIDF]

I am seeing about 140 to 150fps increase when going from a Glock 19 to one of my PSA AR 9s with 16" barrels. This is using my handloads using Alliant Sport Pistol and a 147gr grooveless coated cast bullet. With Speer Lawman 115gr TMJ I am seeing almost a 340fps gain at 1500fps out of the AR 9s. Velocity increase will very greatly based on the burn rate of the powder as well as other factors. I believe Speer uses BE-86 in the Lawman loads so that will give a much larger increase in speed with the longer barrel.


I haven't chronographed the Speer 115gr Gold Dot load in the AR 9, but in a Glock 19 it averaged 1230fps when I tested. I would believe it would therefore average around 1570 or so out of one of my 16" barreled ARs. Using a ballistics calculator and Speers data for the BC, that bullet would be traveling at about 1155fps at 100 yards. Near the muzzle, I would be concerned with it being way over driven. I am going to test it here shortly with water jugs to see if it will hold together at all. I'll test that more out of curiosity than anything.


I think a better choice would be a 147gr HST, Gold Dot, or 135gr Critical Duty. The Critical Duty will probably gain the least in velocity and that bullet will hold together when over driven.

With a 147gr Gold Dot, it should be easy to achieve 1100fps. Using that velocity and Speer's BC figures, it would be doing about 959 fps at 100 yards.

[Lester Polfus]

I have an AR pistol in 9mm with a 7" barrel and a KAC flash can on it. Winchester Ranger T 127 +P+ clocks 1306 at 10 feet.

Personally, I'd look hard at 10mm if you are talking true carbine use at 50 yards and out. I built mine for inside the house type work.

There are essentially no 10mm hollow point bullets designed to perform out of a rifle.

[DocGKR]

A 9 mm carbine will offer terminal performance like a 9 mm handgun.

Federal 9BPLE +P+ offers inconsistent terminal performance is horrible barrier capability.

If you need a travel long gun, how about a shotgun with slugs, a .30-30 lever action, or maybe a USGI M1 carbine?

[Lester Polfus]

A 9 mm carbine will offer terminal performance like a 9 mm handgun.

Federal 9BPLE +P+ offers inconsistent terminal performance is horrible barrier capability.

If you need a travel long gun, how about a shotgun with slugs, a .30-30 lever action, or maybe a USGI M1 carbine?

A Marlin 336Y is a smidge over 33", weighs about 6.5lbs and can be equipped with the iron and/or red dot sight of your choice, along with a HPG light mount. The base gun can often be found for less than $400 from online retailers.

If you just want to be in the newspaper, and not the encyclopedia, it's a great choice.

[David S.]

I think the main benefit of a PCC or braced pistol for personal defense is it's shootability, not improved ballistics. Shouldering a rifle makes it significantly easier to get accurate hits.

My primary criteria for PCC defensive load would be to make sure it stays within the velocity window so that it will expand as designed.