Great grains for your 9mm!
By MARJ LAW
My friend Gail told me of a conversation she had with her husband, Tom.
“In case anything happens to me, I want you to feel protected,” said Tom to Gail.
“I know. That’s why I went to Talon to rent handguns, and ended up buying the one I like best. I was so overwhelmed with deciding on a gun that I forgot to purchase ammunition.”
“Would you like me to go with you?” Tom offered.
“No,” Gail was firm. “I think since I purchased the gun, I ought to be able to buy bullets for it as well.”
“Okay, I know what you mean. However, when you ask for ammunition, tell them you want 9mm ‘rounds’ or ‘cartridges.’ The bullet is the projectile at the end of the round. If you ask for bullets, you might just get a handful of copper projectiles!”
“That’s good to know. I’m not embarrassed to be a newbie. People at the gun shop will help if I need it. We all have to start somewhere.”
Gail is a competent woman. When she decided to purchase a gun, she took a “concealed carry” class and then she went to rent several guns. She selected a 9mm Smith & Wesson Equalizer. This compact gun would fit in her big purse and she was comfortable with it when she wore an “inside the waistband” holster.
“It had more recoil than even larger 9mm guns,” she confided to me. “But it fit wherever I would need it. Yes, it has some recoil, but I can manage that. Besides, I’ll practice Wednesday mornings at the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office range when you’re there. You’ll remind me if I forget any range rules, and you’ll help if I have a problem. It’s good to know you’ll be there. I love Tom, but he has a tendency to take over and I want to be able to handle my handgun myself.”
So, Gail ended up in a local gun shop. She looked for the boxes that said “9mm.”
What a lot of choices! She found boxes that said 9mm. But some said 115 grain and some had 124 grain on the label. Some said 147 grain rounds. Which did she need?
And some said Luger in big letters. Some said Parabellum. Some said NATO. She even found a few that said Makarov. Did it make a difference which 9mm round she bought?
Gail admitted to me that she didn’t know which to purchase.
The man at the shop asked which she wanted.
“I don’t know,” she told him. “I’m new to guns and recently got a Smith & Wesson Equalizer. I should’a remembered ammunition, but forgot. Are Parabellum, Luger, NATO and Makarov all the same? Do all of these fit into my gun?”
“You can choose either the Luger or the Parabellum. You said you’re new to shooting?” he asked.
“Yes. This will be my first box of ammunition.”
“Then I’d skip the NATO rounds for now. They tend to have more powder and will probably have more recoil.”
“What about the Makarov?” she wondered.
“No. You can’t buy Makarov. They won’t fit your gun.”
Gail asked him about grains.
“What’s the difference between grains?”
“Let’s discuss the round,” he suggested.
“The entire round is composed of a few parts,” he began. “The back has a primer in it. See the indentation in the center? Your gun’s firing pin whacks this center. When it does, it is hitting the primer. The primer makes a spark.”
“And then?” Gail asked.
“Then the spark sets off powder in the casing. This causes an explosion which sets the projectile flying. The projectile is the bullet.”
“Oh. So, just part of the round is the bullet; not the whole thing.”
“Right. And the bullet has weight that is measured in grains. When used for target shooting, most people choose the rounds with 115 grains in the bullet. These rounds are usually less expensive than others and may have less recoil.”
“Why not the 124?” she asked.
“Some people believe their gun shoots more accurately with a heavier bullet. It’s a personal preference, and the 124s are usually more expensive.”
“Why do some 124s say NATO?” she wondered.
“Those are usually considered military rounds set to the NATO standard, and their gunpowder is considered to give the bullets more oomph to fly out of the gun faster.”
“And what about the 147 grain bullets?” she continued asking.
“Those are much heavier bullets. When there is more mass, there is also more penetration. Because of their weight, their velocity is less.”
“What’s the deal with +P?”
“+Ps have more energy imparted to the bullet. Not all guns should fire the +P rounds. You need to check your manual before buying +P.”
For the time being, Gail intended to shoot at targets at the WCSO range. She purchased a couple boxes of the 115 grain ammo.
She asked Joe and me to come to the range. She wanted us to shoot a 9mm gun with different grained rounds to see if there would be a difference in accuracy and recoil.
So, this Wednesday, Joe and I shoot the Smith & Wesson Equalizer, and we’ve brought 115, 124, and 147 grain ammunition.
First, we shoot the 115 grain rounds. On a scale of 1-5, with 1 meaning the lightest recoil, we both give the Sellier and Bellot a 2.
We try the 124 grain NATO Monarch rounds. I find it quite strong and give it a 3.5 while Joe gives it a 2.5.
Last, we shoot the heavier 147 grain Fiocchi rounds and find they have much less recoil. We rate recoil at a 2.
Grain weight can make a difference with perceived recoil. If you plan for target shooting only, a lighter grain weight bullet can make your day at the range easier and less expensive.
Higher grain weight can be better for defense.
“When you shoot more, you’ll find that other factors will affect recoil,” said Joe. “Besides grain weight, the velocity of the ammunition will make a difference. The mass of your gun and length of your barrel will make a difference. How your hand fits into the grip will make a difference on how you can control your gun and this will affect felt recoil.
The 115 grain ammunition is economically suitable for range practice and getting acquainted with your gun. The higher-priced defensive rounds are great for self-protection, but not necessary for range practice.”
Marj Law is the former director of Keep Wakulla County Beautiful who has become an avid shooter in retirement.