115gr vs 124gr

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  • JeepHammer

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    Aug 2, 2018
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    The 124 is longer than 115 usually, so the more bearing surface you have to the rifling will give you better stability on your bullets going thru the barrel, i prefer 124 gr as they do shoot better for me than 115 gr. i quit even using 115 gr bullets myself. Every little bit you do to stabilize improves your shooting period!

    That's good reasoning.

    Any given diameter (9mm), the ONLY way to make it heavier is to make it longer...
    That gives more load bearing surface.

    Pretty simple, but remarkably, overlooked.

    I'm a CRAP pistol shot, but I do a little better with 124 grain bullets.
    (I mean if I had to feed myself with a pistol, I'd have a crash diet coming)

    My wife likes the 115s when she shoots pistols, her MP5 likes 124s better.
    Says the 115s don't recoil as hard with her little handgun.

    I don't have much of an opinion, doesn't matter that much to me since I don't do 9mm much.

    Some firearms function better with one or the other, the few 9mm chambers we have don't seem to care much, but there isn't any plastic in the bunch.
    We have a friend that EDC is a single stack Ruger LCP and it HATES 124.
    Don't know if the plastic makes a difference or not.
     

    bwframe

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    I have always shot heavy for caliber loads in 9mm. I was instructed early on, by those in the know, that 147gr HST's were the way to go for self-defense. Happily, that was confirmed later by our own BBI. 147gr HST's shoot better than me in my G45, G19 and G43.

    That info dovetails with 9mm Production USPSA shooters using 147gr power factor loads for soft-recoil fast accurate shooting.

    The lionshare of 9mm loads I have shot are 140 gr cast/coated. I have a new mold to test that is supposed to drop a 147gr boolit, which means it's likely to actually be 150-155gr. We will see how that goes.
     
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    gregkl

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    My reloads are 125 gr TC coated Blue Bullets. For factory ammo, I shoot whatever I can get a deal on.

    I don't see any difference between the factory ammo but I do with my reloads.

    But then again, I'm not shooting my pistol to 50 yards.
     

    ancjr

    1 Kings 18:17-18 KJV
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    ...just wanted to mention here that Norma 124gr 9mm on sale for $19.99/bx with free shipping on orders over $50 and 5% off with discount code "WHOTEEWHO"

    Also Remington Golden Saber 124gr JHP for $0.66/rd which is a good price on carry ammo.
     

    CTBay

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    Wow! Thanks! That was exactly the information I was looking for. Thanks for educating the new guy.

    I had noticed the length difference and thought that was odd.

    I shot a 21 round magazine from my P320 loaded with 124 and then I shot one with 115. I did better with 115. I would venture a guess thats because I have been shooting 115 to this point and I am better with it. I should probably get more 124 so I can get good with both.

    I said the target I was shooting was at 50yds. Its really only 30 yards. Still kinda far away but I know I can hit things right in front of me, thats not a challenge. Im about sick of shooting only paper and having to watch 30 people around me to make sure I don’t get shot. I really need to find a private place to shoot.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    cosermann

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    Just to echo something that has been said before, and put more of a "rule of thumb" spin on it so you can apply it more broadly:

    1. Heavier bullets for a given caliber have a higher sectional density (SD).
    2. All else being equal, bullets with higher SDs (i.e. "heavy for caliber") penetrate better.
    3. For a given caliber, heavier bullets of the same construction are longer, and require a faster spin to stabilize adequately, therefore accuracy may be affected/or not - depending. Generally don't see this much with 9mm. Can become a factor with ARs, for example, with heavy for caliber bullets in slower twist rates.
     
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    Along with bullet weight and barrel twist barrel length probably plays a factor in accuracy as well. 115g in a 5 inch would probably be more accurate that 124 in a 3 inch...
     

    BehindBlueI's

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    So, for factory loads, would the heavier rounds always travel slower than lighter rounds? Assuming same manufacturer, construction type, just 115 vs. 124.

    The majority will be, but I'd hesitate to say "always". Also keep in mind that 9mm is shot in barrel lengths from pocket pistols to carbines. Some rounds may be tailored more to a short barrel or a long barrel and perform worse if shot through the other end of the spectrum.

    But *generally*, yes, you'll see the lighter bullet be slightly faster.
     
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