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Mr. Camp,
You seem to have your fair share of knowledge on the 9mm. I have been forced to go from .45 to 9mm (for some health reasons). I have been using the Winchester Ranger 127 +P+. Just wondering if you had some information concerning which 9mm seems to function better? I am really interested in how the 9mm compares to the .357 sig. Thanks

"Mr. Camp,
You seem to have your fair share of knowledge on the 9mm. I have been forced to go from .45 to 9mm (for some health reasons). I have been using the Winchester Ranger 127 +P+. Just wondering if you had some information concerning which 9mm seems to function better? I am really interested in how the 9mm compares to the .357 sig. Thanks"

Hello. The question of which 9mm functions best in part depends upon the gun. Due to the tremendous research and developement done by ammo makers when the US police moved to the 9mm "high capacity" guns in the mid to late '80's, we actually have many rounds that expand nicely, penetrate well, and function in most 9mm pistols.

In my opinion, the Winchester 127-gr. +P+ is one of the better-performing rounds available in this caliber. I normally carry it or Corbon's 9mm DPX as my first choices for "serious" ammunition.

The 127-gr. +P+ has fed flawlessly for me in the following 9mm pistols:

Browning Mk III Hi Powers
CZ-75's
Glock 17 & 26
SIG-Sauer P225
HK P7

The .357 SIG is a hotter round than 9x19mm to be sure. Controversy exists on if it is noticeably "better" than appropriately-loaded 9mm. I don't know about that; logic dictates that it is better, but by how much remains the question.

From what I've read and from speaking with folks at Texas DPS, the reason they went with the .357 SIG was because it works very, very well after penetrating laminated vehicle windshields, glass, sheet steel, etc.

Just looking at the numbers, my estimate is that the .357 SIG probably "acts" about like a .357 Magnum from a 3 or 4" bbl. Most of the +P 9mm loads will chronograph in the same range as a .357 w/4" bbl using mid-range loads, such as Corbon's 357 DPX or Remington 125-gr. Golden Saber in 357 Magnum.

I personally feel about as well protected with a good 9mm as any handgun caliber normally associated with self-protection. It has "enough" but not enough if placement is poor against a determined target...just like any other handgun.

Best.

Here's an interesting site:

http://www.theboxotruth.com/

They did a comparison awhile ago from .22 to .40 in small handguns:

Part 1 : http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot26.htm

Part 2 : http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot27.htm

A quick scan didn't see anything about .357, but I didn't look too hard.

Ryan

I think shot placement is more important than caliber. Just my .02

Thanks for the help Mr. Camp.
Thanks for the links AggieMM. I tried to google some last night with no results.

I am using it in a HK P7 PSP and M13.

george wrote:"I am using it in a HK P7 PSP and M13"


You must be REALLY smart!

Smart? I am not for sure if I understand your statement.

carlson1 wrote:

george wrote:"I am using it in a HK P7 PSP and M13"


You must be REALLY smart!

Smart? I am not for sure if I understand your statement.

Carl, what George meant to say was " Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then."

~Bill

I understand now. You must remember I am a slow learner.

carlson1,

Here is some info I found when researching about carry ammo.

http://www.alpharubicon.com/leo/calloadgoshin.htm
This article is 3 years old. However I think the info is still relevant.

Here is one more: http://www.technicalcom.com/gunssavelives/topammo.htm

Both mention Corbon 115gr.+P JHP at the top of the 9mm list.

I feel safe with the Corbon or Reminton Golden Saber 124gr.+P JHP or Speer Gold Dot 124gr.+P.

The reason I choose Corbon or Speer over the Reminton GS, is the HUGE muzzle flash that the Remington produces.
I think followup shots in the dark would be hard with the Remington. The flash would blind you.

Hope this helps you, OE

i carried a .357 sig for a while. a department i worked for went to glock 32s as an issue weapon. overall, our qualification scores went down. my opinion on this is probably different than everyone else. the entire department carried 1911s before transitioning. it's a slow clunky round. most of us were fast shooters. in other words, we did our double/triple taps as fast as possible.

with the glock 32, follow up shots are not as quick because recoil is very distinct. with a 1911, i was qualifying between 95 and 100% on average. with a glock 32, i was around 85% most of the time.

when they allowed us to go back to our 1911s, i immediately took to mine, and qualified at 96% first time out. i had a beretta 92FS that i really liked, and carried it in my bag as a backup. the more i shot it though, the more i felt that it made sense to carry it. i'm a decent shot with a 1911, but i can make bullets follow each other into the same hole with that 9mm beretta. i have never qualified less than 100% with my beretta.

i think the most important factor in my decision to start carrying a 92FS over a 1911, or even a 357 sig, is my ability to make quick successions of shots, and have them go in the same hole. i couldn't do that very well in a hot 357 sig, and even a 45 was a little slower.

i don't use hot rod custom guns. i take a basic plain jane pistol, make a minor adjustment or two, then in the holster it goes. my favored load is a 147 grain 9mm. it works for me because i'm good with it. a 20mm round won't do any good if you can't hit what you're aiming at.

Chris wrote:i carried a .357 sig for a while. a department i worked for went to glock 32s as an issue weapon. overall, our qualification scores went down. my opinion on this is probably different than everyone else. the entire department carried 1911s before transitioning. it's a slow clunky round. most of us were fast shooters. in other words, we did our double/triple taps as fast as possible.

with the glock 32, follow up shots are not as quick because recoil is very distinct. with a 1911, i was qualifying between 95 and 100% on average. with a glock 32, i was around 85% most of the time.

when they allowed us to go back to our 1911s, i immediately took to mine, and qualified at 96% first time out. i had a beretta 92FS that i really liked, and carried it in my bag as a backup. the more i shot it though, the more i felt that it made sense to carry it. i'm a decent shot with a 1911, but i can make bullets follow each other into the same hole with that 9mm beretta. i have never qualified less than 100% with my beretta.

i think the most important factor in my decision to start carrying a 92FS over a 1911, or even a 357 sig, is my ability to make quick successions of shots, and have them go in the same hole. i couldn't do that very well in a hot 357 sig, and even a 45 was a little slower.

i don't use hot rod custom guns. i take a basic plain jane pistol, make a minor adjustment or two, then in the holster it goes. my favored load is a 147 grain 9mm. it works for me because i'm good with it. a 20mm round won't do any good if you can't hit what you're aiming at.

You gotta love those 92s. I had one that that would shoot extremely well too, and it was used as a sidearm by a deputy before I bought it on cosignment, and had seen alot of rounds. While I had it, I probably put at least 2500 through it. The only time it ever had a malfunction is after a day of shooting with my neice who was home on leave from Iraq at the time. after about 500 rounds, it was very dirty and would jam several times a magazine. Beleive it or not, it wasnt the guns fault. The magazine was so dirty, the follower was hanging up. I cleaned it and we finished off the mega pack of UMCs. I miss that gun. When she came home from Iraq, I gave it to her as a sign of respect and admiration for her service. Its the only time in my life I have ever given away a gun, and I have no regrets.

Is the Federal 115gr. +p+ any good ? I found some for $15 per 50rds.