What year did Federal start making its 9BPLE, the 9mm 115gr +P+ JHP? I have found a couple of sources that indicate it happened in the early 1980s, but I'm trying to pin down the date to a particular year.
What year did Federal start making its 9BPLE, the 9mm 115gr +P+ JHP? I have found a couple of sources that indicate it happened in the early 1980s, but I'm trying to pin down the date to a particular year.
I think ISP adopted it around 1982, but don't know that for a fact.
Mas Ayoob probably knows the actual date.
According to Ed Sanow development of a 1260 fps load began in 1980 when the Illinois State Police awarded its ammunition contract to Federal. 1980 is also when Smith & Wesson released the second generation of the Model 39. By late 1982 the ISP wanted an even higher velocity of 1300 feet per second and would eventually choose the Winchester Q4174. Federal, Winchester, and Remington were all offering a +P+ 9mm hollow-point to law enforcement by 1987.
@Mas, could you help answer this?
I don't have the exact dates, but that sounds pretty much in the ballpark.
The BPLE load is discontinued now correct?
I haven't seen any since Covid hit, and I've been hoarding my last few hundred rounds of it.