An in-depth look at 9mm ballistics. We’ll cover the caliber’s capabilities and offer velocity, energy and bullet drop data for the most popular 9×19 loads at AmmoToGo.com.

9x19mm Parabellum is by far the most popular handgun cartridge for self-defense in the world. With advancements in technology since its introduction at the turn of the 20th century, the 9mm is able to deliver similar terminal performance to rounds with heavier bullets such as the 45 ACP and 40 S&W. The 9mm’s lower cost and recoil make it an even more attractive solution for effective self-defense. But what can you expect when it comes to 9mm ballistics – velocity, energy, etc.?

Factory loaded rounds are most commonly available with 115, 124, or 147 grain projectiles. As the most popular handgun cartridge, 9mm ammo is available with every conceivable type of projectile including frangible, shot, rubber, and blank.

9mm Ballistic Table

		Velocity						Energy						Trajectory					Coefficients
	Barrel Length	Muzzle	25 yds.	50 yds.	75 yds.	100 yds.		Muzzle	25 yds.	50 yds.	75 yds.	100 yds.		Muzzle	25 yds.	50 yds.	75 yds.	100 yds.		(G1)	(G7)	Sect. Density
Blazer Brass 115 Gr. FMJ	4	1145	1091	1047	1010	977		335	304	280	260	244		-	0	-1.8	-5.6	-11.6		0.155		0.13
Sellier & Bellot 115 Gr. FMJ	5	1280	1174	1087	-	963		421	354	304	-	238		-	0	-0.9	-	-8.7		0.106		0.13
Blazer Brass 124 Gr. FMJ	4	1090	1049	1014	984	955		327	303	283	266	252		-	0	-2	-6.1	-12.4		0.169		0.141
Fiocchi 115 Gr. FMJ	4	1200		1089		1009		368		303		260			-0.9	-3.8				0.158		0.141
Tula 115 Gr. FMJ	4	1150						338														0.13
Federal Am. Eagle 124 Gr. FMJ	4	1150	1095	1049	1010	977		364	330	303	281	263		-	0	-0.9	-3.8	-8.8		0.154		0.141
Federal Am. Eagle 115 Gr. FMJ	4	1180	1106	1048	1001	961		356	312	280	256	236		-	0	-0.9	-3.7	-8.7		0.123		0.13
Winchester 124 Gr. FMJ NATO	4	1200	1143	1095	1054	1018		397	360	330	306	286		-	0	-1.7	-5.1	-10.6		0.171		0.141
Magtech 124 Gr. FMJ	4	1109	1063	1024	991	961		339	311	289	270	254		-	0	-1.9	-5.9	-12.1		0.16		0.141
Federal Am. Eagle 147 Gr. FMJ	4	1000	976	953	933	914		326	311	297	284	273		-	0	-1.4	-5.2	-11.5		0.206		0.167
Federal Hydra Shok 124 Gr.	4	1120	1070	1028	993	961		345	315	291	271	255		-	0	-1	-4	-9.3		0.153		0.141
Federal 147 Gr. JHP Hi-Shok	4	1000	976	953	933	914		326	311	297	284	273		-	0	-1.4	-5.2	-11.5				0.167
PMC 115 Gr. FMJ	4	1150	1099	1057	1020	988		338	308	285	266	249		-	0.7	0	-2.6	-7.3		0.169		0.13
Sellier & Bellot 124 Gr. FMJ	5	1181	1078	1000	-	901		382	319	274	-	222		-	0	-1.2	-	-10.6		0.089		0.141
Fiocchi 124 Gr. FMJ	4	1150		1048		975		364		302		262			0	-0.8		-3.9		0.148		0.141
Magtech 115 Gr. FMJ	4	1135						329														0.13
Winchester USA 115 Gr. FMJ	4	1190	1125	-	-	-		362	323													0.13
Federal 115 Gr. JHP Hi-Shok	4	1180	1106	1048	1001	961		356	312	280	256	236		-	0	-0.9	-3.7	-8.7		0.123		0.13
Blazer Brass 147 Gr. FMJ	4	950	-	903	-	862		295	-	266	-	243		-	-	-1.6	-	-13		0.169		0.167
Wolf 115 Gr. FMJ	4	1150						338
Federal 147 Gr. JHP HST	4	1000	976	953	933	914		326	311	297	284	273		-	0	-1.4	-5.2	-11.5		0.206		0.167
Federal 115 Gr. JHP XM9001	4	1225						383														0.13
Hornady 115 Gr. FTX	4	1140	1078	1028	987	951		332	297	270	249	231		-	0	-1.9	-5.8	-12		0.129		0.13
Speer Lawman 115 Gr. TMJ	4	1200	1145	1098	1059	1024		368	335	308	286	268		-	0	-0.8	-3.3	-7.8		1.82		0.13
Speer Gold Dot G2 147 Gr. JHP	4	970	941	915	891	869		307	289	273	259	247		-	0	-1.6	-5.7	-12.5		0.15		0.167
Federal Syntech 150 Gr. TSJ	4	890	873	857	842	827		264	254	245	236	228		-	0	-2	-6.9	-14.9		0.204		0.17
Black Hills 115 Gr. TAC-XP	4	1175						352														0.13
Hornady 135 Gr. FlexLock	4	1010	984	960	938	918		306	290	276	264	253		-	0	-2.2	-6.8	-13.9		0.195		0.153
Speer Lawman 147 Gr. TMJ	4	985	957	932	909	888		317	299	284	270	257		-	0	-1.5	-5.5	-12		0.17		0.167
PMC 124 Gr. FMJ	4	1110	1059	1017	980	949		339	309	285	264	248		-	0.7	0	-2.8	-7.9		0.146		0.141
Fiocchi 124 Gr. JHP	4	1100		1020		961		333		287		254			0	-1.1	-4.3			0.165		0.141
Federal BallistiClean 100 Gr. Frangible	4	1240	1147	1075	1019	973		341	292	257	230	210		-	0	-0.7	-3.4	-8.1		0.11		0.113
Remington Golden Saber 124 Gr. BJHP +P	4	1180	1131	1089				383	352	326				-	-0.2	-0.8						0.141
Speer Gold Dot 124 Gr. JHP +P	4	1220	1146	1085	1036	996		410	362	324	296	273		-	0	-0.8	-3.3	-8		0.134		0.141
Speer Gold Dot 147 Gr. JHP	4	990	962	936	913	891		320	302	286	272	259		-	0	-1.5	-5.4	-11.9		0.164		0.167
Speer Gold Dot 124 Gr. JHP	4	1150	1089	1039	998	963		364	326	297	274	255		-	0	-0.9	-3.9	-9		0.134		0.141
Winchester PDX1 124 Gr. JHP +P	4	1200	1143					396	360													0.141
Sig Sauer 147 Gr. V-Crown	4	985						317														0.167
Barnes 115 Gr. TAC-XP +P	4	1125	1078	1039	1005	975		323	297	276	258	243		-	0	-1.9	-5.7	-11.8		0.167		0.13
Hornady 124 Gr. XTP	4	1110	1065	1027	994	965		339	312	290	272	257		-	0	-1.9	-5.9	-12.1		0.165		0.141
Fiocchi 158 Gr. FMJ Subsonic	4	850		814		780		253		232		213			0	-2.5		-6.2		0.159		0.179
Sellier & Bellot 150 Gr. FMJ Subsonic	5	1001	977	955	-	920		333	317	303	-	281		-	0	-1.6	-	-12.1		0.241		0.17
Black Hills 124 Gr. JHP	4	1150						364														0.141
Black Hills 100 Gr. HoneyBadger	4	1300						375														0.113
Corbon 115 Gr. JHP-DPX +P	4	1250						399														0.13
Hornady American Gunner 115 Gr. XTP	4	1155	1090	1038	995	958		341	303	275	253	235		-	0	-1.8	-5.7	-11.7		0.129		0.13
G2 RIP - 92 Gr. HP	4	1265						327														0.104
Federal Syntech 138 Gr. SJHP	4	1050	1016	985	959	934		338	316	298	282	267		-	0	-1.2	-4.6	-10.5		0.175		0.156
Black Hills 125 Gr. HoneyBadger Subsonic	4	1050						306														0.142
Winchester Ranger 127 Gr. JHP +P+	4	1250	1180	1120	1071	1030		441	392	354	323	299		-	0	-1.6	-4.9	-10		0.154		0.144
Hornady 100 Gr. FTX Critical Defense Lite	4	1125	1057	1003	960	922		281	248	224	205	189		-	1	-1.9	-6	-12.5		0.11		0.113

While not typically considered a hunting round by any means, the 9mm is effective for varmints and even deer hunting with a suitable bullet.

9mm Origins

The 9mm was developed by Georg Luger in 1901, who based it upon his earlier 7.65×21mm Parabellum. He removed the bottleneck from the predecessor’s casing to meet the German military’s demand for a larger diameter projectile. Luger presented his new round to both Great Britain and the U.S. before it was adopted by the Imperial German Navy in 1904 and the German Army four years later.

The 9mm earned international attention following WWI, partly due to its relatively small dimensions that permitted the design of high capacity magazines. As the semi-automatic handgun gained traction in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, so too did the 9mm. It effectively supplanted the 38 Special for police use thanks in large part to its superior ballistics and functionality in semi-auto firearms. According to one major online ammo retailer, in 2013 the 9mm accounted for 21.4 percent of all ammunition sales, beating out 223/5.56 by nearly six percent. It is therefore not only the most popular handgun cartridge in America, but very likely the most popular cartridge period.

9mm Velocity versus Barrel Length

Luger designed his original 9mm to be lethal at 50 meters. Today, modern incarnations of his cartridge significantly exceed that limit.

A 9mm round’s ballistics depend upon which of the three common bullet weights it’s equipped with:

	115 Grain	124 Grain	147 Grain
Muzzle Velocity	1180 fps	1110 fps	990 fps
Muzzle Energy	356	339	320
Velocity at 100 Yards	961	949	891
Energy at 100 Yards	236	248	259

Bear in mind that these numbers vary by manufacturer. Those who prefer lightweight 9mm projectiles enjoy lower recoil; If you select heavier bullets benefit from deeper penetration of the target. Fortunate enough to equip your firearm with a suppressor? You’ll do well to pick heavier bullet weights that convey a subsonic muzzle velocity.

What About 9mm Carbine Ballistics?

If you’re firing 9mm ammo with a pistol caliber carbine, expect to get another 5-10% velocity out of your ammo.

	3.5" Barrel S&W Pistol	16.1" Barrel Ruger Carbine
Speer Gold Dot - 124 Grain	1067 fps	1346 fps
Federal HST - 124 Grain	1135 fps	1256 fps
Federal HST - 147 Grain	973 fps	984 fps

Obviously, the increased velocity will impact terminal ballistic performance. If you’re shooting a hollow point at a soft target, the extra ~100 feet per second from a carbine will give you a slightly different wound channel than firing the same ammo from a shorter-barreled pistol.

9mm Downrange Ballistics

Trajectory

Regardless of its bullet weight, the 9mm provides just the kind of flat trajectory that is most conducive to accurate shooting. Bullet drop tends to range from 10 to 12” at 100 yards. That’s likely more distance than you’ll need for self-defense.

9mm loads frequently deliver a muzzle energy greater than 300 ft lbs. That’s the amount of energy even cautious self-defense experts consider adequate for self-defense. And because 9mm ammo is so relatively inexpensive, it permits its shooter to practice longer and more often. Since the shooter is the main determinant in any weapon’s efficacy for self-defense, that is possibly the 9mm greatest strength.

Other 9mm Luger Attributes

• Parabellum in the 9mm’s full name is Latin and short for Si vis pacem, para bellum: “If you seek peace, prepare for war.” This was the motto of its original manufacturer Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken. Also designated the 9mm Luger by SAAMI, and 9mm Luger by the CIP.
• The majority of U.S. police departments use 9mm. This helps ensure its continued low cost and widespread availability.
• While predominantly utilized in semi-automatic handguns, AR-15s chambered for 9mm are popular, and 9mm revolvers are not an uncommon thing either.
• The 9mm NATO is equivalent to a slightly overpressure variant of the standard 9mm Luger. Its maximum pressure is 36,500 psi, which is four percent higher than SAAMI’s spec for the more common 9mm Luger. +P and +P+ rounds are available as well.