Info on 9mm ammo

raf66 · 01-17-2013, 06:17 AM

Hi all. I ran into an interesting situation yesterday at a LGS. I went in to purchase some 9mm ammo for my new SP2022 and all the store had was boxes of 9mm "Luger" and 9mm "NATO" boxes. While I was standing in line a couple gentlemen were discussing that the NATO and Luger rounds are "pressurized" (+P?), and the guy behind the counter was steering them away from this ammo saying that these are different than normal 9mm parabellum and that it wouldn't function properly in their 9s. The boxes did not designate the ammo as +P, but, unlike the boxes I have at home, the boxes did specify "Luger" and "NATO" rounds. I had a S&W 9mm several years ago that I occasionally shot +P rounds through with no apparent effects, so I'm familiar with 9mm rounds classified as +P. But I'm not familiar with Luger or NATO stuff.

I hate to sound like an idiot (though I'm sure this won't be my last time), but is a 9mm Luger or NATO round different than "ordinary" 9mm rounds? Is it the same as +P? Should I stay away from shooting this type of ammo in my SP2022?

Thanks.

SiGDaK · 01-17-2013, 06:51 AM

The 9mm Luger and 9mm Parabellum are the same round. If the box has 9mm Parabellum or Luger and +P then it's going to be an increased pressured round. It will be fine to fire through your SP2022. Just wouldn't feed it a regular diet of +P ammunition. I'd say for the range use standard pressure, and for personal protection use +P. I'd say shoot a box a year of +P ammo a year, so you know how it shoots out your weapon.
The 9mm NATO is an even more beefed up round then the +P round. It was developed for the military to be used in carbines like the MP5 and other 9mm carbines, but can also be used in sidearms. You can shoot it, but over time it can damage your weapon if you shoot it a lot.
If it was an emergency and that's all you could get then the NATO would be ok to shoot. For shooting at the range go with shooting the 9mm Parabellum or 9mm Luger. If it's for protection go with the 9mm Parabellum +P or 9mm Luger +P.

raf66 · 01-17-2013, 07:03 AM

Thanks for the helpful information, SiGDaK. So the 9mm "Luger" round is the same as the parabellum round? And if it doesn't have the +P designation then the Luger round is a standard pressure round?

Thanks again.

SiGDaK · 01-17-2013, 07:16 AM

Yep, Luger comes from the person who developed the 9mm Parabellum round, Georg Luger.

DBS · 01-17-2013, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raf66

So the 9mm "Luger" round is the same as the parabellum round? And if it doesn't have the +P designation then the Luger round is a standard pressure round?

Exactly right. "Luger" and "Parabellum" are synonymous, and if they are not marked as +P then they are standard rounds. SIGDak's explanation is spot-on.

Wes · 01-17-2013, 07:41 AM

When I was in the Army, we shot 9mm NATO out of the Beretta 92 exclusively. I don't remember where I heard it, but IIRC, 9mm NATO is loaded at similar pressures to +P.

SiGDaK · 01-17-2013, 08:11 AM

I was a little off, read the wrong number on the NATO.
Service Pressure
9mm SAAMI 35,000 PSI C.I.P 34,100 PSI
9mm +P SAAMI 38,500 PSI no C.I.P. info.
9mm NATO C.I.P 36,500 PSI No SAAMI info
Proof test rounds for the 9mm NATO are 45,700 PSI (not sold over the counter)

I'd say have at the 9mm NATO should be no problem.

bearone2 · 01-17-2013, 09:49 AM

good info

raf66 · 01-17-2013, 11:06 AM

Thanks for all the great info.

01-17-2013, 06:17 AM	#1
raf66 Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Midwest Posts: 44	Info on 9mm ammo Hi all. I ran into an interesting situation yesterday at a LGS. I went in to purchase some 9mm ammo for my new SP2022 and all the store had was boxes of 9mm "Luger" and 9mm "NATO" boxes. While I was standing in line a couple gentlemen were discussing that the NATO and Luger rounds are "pressurized" (+P?), and the guy behind the counter was steering them away from this ammo saying that these are different than normal 9mm parabellum and that it wouldn't function properly in their 9s. The boxes did not designate the ammo as +P, but, unlike the boxes I have at home, the boxes did specify "Luger" and "NATO" rounds. I had a S&W 9mm several years ago that I occasionally shot +P rounds through with no apparent effects, so I'm familiar with 9mm rounds classified as +P. But I'm not familiar with Luger or NATO stuff. I hate to sound like an idiot (though I'm sure this won't be my last time), but is a 9mm Luger or NATO round different than "ordinary" 9mm rounds? Is it the same as +P? Should I stay away from shooting this type of ammo in my SP2022? Thanks.

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01-17-2013, 06:51 AM	#2
SiGDaK Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Secret Base at Shangri-La ;) Posts: 425	The 9mm Luger and 9mm Parabellum are the same round. If the box has 9mm Parabellum or Luger and +P then it's going to be an increased pressured round. It will be fine to fire through your SP2022. Just wouldn't feed it a regular diet of +P ammunition. I'd say for the range use standard pressure, and for personal protection use +P. I'd say shoot a box a year of +P ammo a year, so you know how it shoots out your weapon. The 9mm NATO is an even more beefed up round then the +P round. It was developed for the military to be used in carbines like the MP5 and other 9mm carbines, but can also be used in sidearms. You can shoot it, but over time it can damage your weapon if you shoot it a lot. If it was an emergency and that's all you could get then the NATO would be ok to shoot. For shooting at the range go with shooting the 9mm Parabellum or 9mm Luger. If it's for protection go with the 9mm Parabellum +P or 9mm Luger +P.

01-17-2013, 07:03 AM	#3
raf66 Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Midwest Posts: 44	Thanks for the helpful information, SiGDaK. So the 9mm "Luger" round is the same as the parabellum round? And if it doesn't have the +P designation then the Luger round is a standard pressure round? Thanks again.

01-17-2013, 07:16 AM	#4
SiGDaK Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Secret Base at Shangri-La ;) Posts: 425	Yep, Luger comes from the person who developed the 9mm Parabellum round, Georg Luger.

01-17-2013, 07:41 AM	#6
Wes Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 9	When I was in the Army, we shot 9mm NATO out of the Beretta 92 exclusively. I don't remember where I heard it, but IIRC, 9mm NATO is loaded at similar pressures to +P.

01-17-2013, 08:11 AM	#7
SiGDaK Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Secret Base at Shangri-La ;) Posts: 425	I was a little off, read the wrong number on the NATO. Service Pressure 9mm SAAMI 35,000 PSI C.I.P 34,100 PSI 9mm +P SAAMI 38,500 PSI no C.I.P. info. 9mm NATO C.I.P 36,500 PSI No SAAMI info Proof test rounds for the 9mm NATO are 45,700 PSI (not sold over the counter) I'd say have at the 9mm NATO should be no problem.

01-17-2013, 09:49 AM	#8
bearone2 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: AZ Posts: 6,344	good info

01-17-2013, 11:06 AM	#9
raf66 Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Midwest Posts: 44	Thanks for all the great info.