When choosing your defensive handgun, there are several things to consider. One of the most important things is what the gun is chambered in. While there are still devotees to specific rounds, there is one that is king of the hill. Today, we will look at the 9mm for personal defense

9mm for Personal Defense – Insert Argument Here.

Before starting the inevitable argument over which round is best, we must look at some history. In 1986, the tragic Miami Shootout took place. During the exchange of gunfire between FBI agents and two bank robbers, one of the criminals continued firing back despite being struck with multiple rounds of 9mm, ultimately killing two agents and wounding five others before succumbing to his injuries. This event underscored the need to evaluate the effectiveness of 9mm for personal defense.

The FBI began a ballistics study to find a round that would serve them better and avoid another tragedy like Miami. The 9mm ammo of that time simply did not perform well. Preliminary studies demonstrated that 10mm was the optimal caliber for the job. The problem was that many FBI agents had trouble managing the power of the 10mm. The ammunition company lowered the power on the round and tried again. Once again, many agents could not qualify with the reduced power 10mm. This continued back and forth until the 10mm morphed into what would become the .40 S&W.

Follow the Leader

There is a consensus that as the FBI goes, so does the rest of American law enforcement. Because of that, most agencies around the country adopted the .40 S&W. Fast forward to 2015, and the FBI’s ballistic research program began to take a second look at some of the new 9mm ammunition. As a base for performance, the FBI mandates that the bullet must penetrate at least 12 inches in 10-percent ordnance gelatin, and it must do so even when encountering a wide array of barriers. They found that modern 9mm ammunition, specifically Speer Gold Dot G2, delivered impressive terminal ballistics. Performance that slightly surpasses that of the .40 S&W. With these findings, the 9mm became more favorable for personal defense scenarios.

While the 9mm performance did not crush the competition, it did give it an edge. At that point, several other critical factors came into play. With the 9mm, the FBI gets the terminal performance it desires, with more capacity, in a handgun that’s easier and faster to shoot accurately. With the close similarities in performance, these factors gave the 9mm the winning edge.

It’s All About Shot Placement

In the end, it will come down to shot placement. Handguns are not the “one shot stop” powerhouses that many believe. The 9mm round gives the shooter the edge for the reasons stated above. Adding in higher magazine capacity was an easy decision. So, the FBI made the switch, and almost overnight, millions of lonely .40 S&W rounds were sitting on the shelves. Most law enforcement agencies followed suit and went back to the 9mm, emphasizing its effectiveness in personal defense. Does this mean that 9mm is the only round for personal defense? Not at all. Any serious round with good shot placement will serve you well. However, 9mm is king of the hill for performance and supporting benefits.

For more information, visit: https://www.speer.com/ammunition/gold-dot/