The caliber of any firearm is the measurement of the bore of its
barrel. It could be measured directly as the diameter of the bore, or
some intermediate system could be used as in the case of shotguns, where
the caliber or gauge equals the number of lead ball bullets of that
diameter which could be molded from one pound of lead. In the case of
rifled firearms, the caliber is the measured diameter between lands or
grooves of the rifling (see the picture). However, for many reasons
actual (measured) caliber may differ from the caliber designation. Most
often this misnomer is based on historical or marketing issues. Another
source of complications is that there are two measuring systems used
worldwide – the metric system and the imperial or inch system. Metric
calibers are measured in millimeters, i.e. “7.65 mm” or “9 mm”; Inch
calibers are measured in hundredths or thousandths of an inch, with the
omission of the leading zero, i.e. “.30” or “.300” (0.30 inch or 7.62mm)
or “.45” (0.45 inch or 11.43mm). The direct relationship between metric
and inch calibers is represented as 1 inch = 25.4 millimeter, or 1
millimeter = 0.039 inch. In some cases, the nominal inch caliber is the
same as the bore diameter (between the lands), as in the case of many
.30 caliber weapons that have bore diameters of 0.30 inch or 7.62mm. In
other cases, the nominal caliber may match the bullet diameter (slightly
wider than the bore) e.g. the .40 S&W. However, in a few cases, the
nominal inch calibers have no direct relationship with actual bore or
bullet diameter, as with .38 caliber rounds which have bullet diameters
ranging from 0.357 to 0.401 inches; these cartridges retain their
misleading designations from the age of black powder revolvers. Metric
caliber designations tend to be more accurate, but may still vary
between whether bore (e.g. 7.62mm) or bullet (e.g. 9mm) diameters are
used.
Also, even if two firearms have exactly the same actual caliber, they
may use cartridges of very different size and power, i.e. Soviet TT
pistol and US M1 Garand rifle both have bores of 7.62mm diameter, but
their cartridges are very different in size and power. Therefore, in
most cases it is insufficient to know just the caliber of a firearm to
procure suitable ammunition, and some additional information needs to be
provided. The simplest way is to give any cartridge its own name, i.e.
9mm Steyr and 9mm Luger, or .357 Magnum and .357 SIG. In either case,
the calibers (bullet diameters) are the same, but the cartridge shapes,
dimensions and power are different, and they are NOT interchangeable.
However, there are far too many cartridges to give them all names, so
the most convenient (and most common) way with metric designations is to
use the case length in conjunction with the caliber. The typical
designation that follows this pattern is 9x19, where “9” means the
caliber and “19” is the cartridge case length, both measured in
millimeters. If several cartridges of different properties have same
caliber and case length, some additional information must be provided,
usually in the form of a name or suffix, which distinguishes the shape
of case head. The sample of the “name” use is 9x23 Largo / Bergmann and
9x23 Steyr cartridges, which were independent developments but are
virtually indistinguishable in size and power. Another example is 9x23
Winchester, which, while having the same external dimensions as previous
two 9x23 cartridges, has thicker case walls and thus can withstand
heavier pressures; this cartridge can be easily loaded into firearm
designed for either of former cartridges, but to do so would be
extremely dangerous! Yet another example is a fourth cartridge with the
same caliber and case length, the 9x23SR, more generally known as .38
Super Automatic or simply .38 Super. This cartridge has semi-rimmed
case, that is, it has both the extraction groove and a diminutive rim,
as it was designed in around 1898 to be used both in semi-automatic
pistols and revolvers. Another example of similar designations but
different actual dimensions are 9x18 PM and 9x18
Police
cartridges. While these are identical in designations, actual calibers
are different, as the 9mm PM bullet has an actual diameter of 9.2mm, and
the 9mm Ultra has an actual bullet diameter of 9.02mm. Therefore,
mismatching one such cartridge for another may be very dangerous for
both gun and shooter. The source of this mismatch is that most western
calibers are measured between the grooves of the rifling, and therefore
are same as actual bullet diameter; in Russia and USSR, some calibers
were measured between the lands of the rifling, therefore actual bullet
diameter is bigger than measured caliber.
Considering all said above, great care must be exerted when selecting proper ammunition for any firearm.
Bullet types.
Many and various bullet types have been developed for fighting,
training and other applications; only the most common are mentioned
below.
Lead bullets are the oldest type and today used mostly
in revolver and small-bore rimfire ammunition. These are formed from
lead, or more often, an alloy of lead and antimony. Such bullets are
inexpensive but usually can’t withstand higher velocities, and produce
significant lead fouling in a rifled bore during prolonged use. Lead
bullets are most often used for target shooting and practice, and
(sometimes) for hunting.
LRN - Lead Round-Nose bullet |
LSWC - Lead Semi-WadCutter bullet |
LWC - Lead WadCutter bullet |
Jacketed bullets are the most common and are the only
available for military weapons due to international treaties. Such
bullets are designed using a lead core that is enclosed by a
gilding-metal jacket. These bullets are known for good penetration, but
stopping power is often less significant than that of expanding bullets.
Jacketed bullets are sometimes referred as “ball” bullets on historical
grounds.
FMJ - Full Metal jacketed bullet
Hollow-point bullets are currently the most popular
choice for police and self-defense ammunition. Such bullets are designed
with the hollow cavity in the nose (therefore the common name
“hollowpoint”). This cavity causes the bullet to expand once it hits the
soft tissue of human or animal body; thus results in reduced
penetration but a wider wound channel and faster target incapacitation.
LHP - Lead Hollow-Point bullet |
SJHP - Semi-Jacketed Hollow-Point bullet |
JHP - Jacketed Hollow-Point bullet |
Armor-piercing
pistol ammunition is nowadays mainly intended for use against
adversaries with body armor. The simplest AP bullets for handgun
ammunition are usually made from solid brass or bronze; sometimes these
bullets are made with pointed tips to further improve penetration. Since
such bullets, because of their hardness, may cause excessive wear to
the barrel, they may be covered with some a softer materiel, such as
Teflon. In some cases, AP bullets are made with the traditional soft
brass or other gilding-metal jacket and with a composite core, made of a
hardened steel penetrator together with some other filler. One example
of such ammunition is the Belgian FN 5.7mm SS190 bullet, which has core
made partly of steel (front) and partly of aluminum (rear). Another
example is the
Russian
9mm 7N21 bullet, which has a hardened steel core that passes throughout
entire bullet and is exposed at the tip; the space between the jacket
and core is filled with polyethylene.
4.5x40R SPS
This unique ammunition was developed in USSR in the late sixties for combat divers.
Development
took place at the State Technical Institute of Precision Machine
Building (TSNII TochMash), and this cartridge is used in only one
weapon, unique to this cartridge, the SPP-1 underwater pistol. The SPS
cartridge has a bottlenecked, rimmed brass case. The long projectile is
made from mild steel, with a pointed tip. To protect the cartridge from
salt water, the primer pocket and case mouth are protected with special
sealing; the bullet is covered by protective lacquer coating of dark
green color. When
fired
in water, the bullet is stabilized by drag forces. When fired in air,
bullet is not stabilized at all, and tumbles in its trajectory.
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
|
SPS
|
|
13,2
|
250
|
413
|
Steel bullet
|
4.6x30 HK
This tiny cartridge is a joint product of the German arms-making
company Heckler & Koch and British ammunition maker Radway Green. It
was developed especially for a compact, submachine-gun type Personal
Defense Weapon, known as HK MP7A1. the cartridge represents a scaled-ip
rifle round and is loaded with long, pointed bullets to provide adequate
effective range (up to 150-200 meters) and good penetration against the
body armor. There also are other types of loadings in this caliber,
such as expanding bullets (for police use) and ball and frangible
bullets (for training). So far, only one weapon is produced in numbers
to fire this cartridge, the aforementioned HK MP7A1 PDW, which is
adopted by German army and British Military Police. Ammunition in this
caliber is loaded in Switzerland, Italy and UK.
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
|
4.6 DM 11 |
Ruag, Switzerland |
2.0 |
685 |
470 |
Armor piercing |
|
4.6 Ball |
Ruag, Switzerland |
2.6 |
600 |
468 |
Ball (lead core) |
|
4.6 Action |
Ruag, Switzerland |
2.0 |
685 |
470 |
Expanding |
|
4.6 Sinterfire |
Fiocci, Italy |
1.94 |
732 |
520 |
Frangible |
|
4.6 AP |
Radway Green, UK |
1.6 |
725 |
420 |
Armor piercing |
Note: velocities are shown from HK MP7A1 PDW
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
5.45Ñ…18 MPTs (7N7)
|
TulaCartridge Works, Russia
|
2,5
|
315
|
124
|
Military issue
|
PSO 5.45x18.000-01
|
TulaCartridge Works, Russia
|
2,68
|
320
|
137
|
Export version with lead core
|
5.7x28 FN SS190
The
famous
FN Herstal Company of Belgium started the development of this new
ammunition in 1986. Originally intended for a sub-machine gun - type
personal defense weapon developed under codename “Project 9.0”, the new
cartridge represented a typical scaled-down rifle cartridge, with a
relatively long, bottlenecked rimless case and a long, pointed bullet.
Early bullets, known as the 5.7mm SS90, had metal jackets and
lightweight plastic cores; however, with the intention of improving
penetration against body armor, in around 1994 FN developed a heavier
SS190 AP bullet with a composite core, consisting of hardened steel at
the front and aluminum at the rear. Later on, several other types of
bullets were introduced, including the heavier SB193 for subsonic loads,
the tracer L191 and the “practice” SS192 with a soft core instead of a
steel penetrator. So far the only handgun that fires this ammunition is
Belgian-made FN Five-seveN pistol; it is also used in FN’s P90
sub-machine gun and considered for several more weapons in several
countries such as Sweden and Singapore.
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s (*
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
|
SS190
|
FN, Belgium
|
2,02
|
650
|
427
|
Armor piercing, from pistol
|
|
SS190 |
FN, Belgium |
2,02 |
715 |
516 |
Armor piercing, from P90 PDW |
|
L191
|
FN, Belgium
|
2,02
|
650
|
427
|
Tracer, from pistol
|
|
SB193
|
FN, Belgium
|
3,6
|
280
|
141
|
Subsonic, from pistol
|
|
SS192
|
FN, Belgium
|
1,8
|
620
|
346
|
Training, from pistol
|
5.8x21 DAP92-5.8
Chinese designers began development of a new small-bore, pistol and
sub-machine gun cartridge in around 1994. They copied the concept of the
Belgian 5.7x28 cartridge / weapons system, and so far this ammunition
has been used in one military-type pistol and several prototype
sub-machine guns; neither these weapons nor the ammunition has so far
been offered for export from China. The main goal of this cartridge is
to provide users with significant penetration against military helmets
and body armor at ranges up to and beyond 50 meters. According to
available information, the current versions of the DAP92-5.8 cartridge
use composite core bullets, with steel front and lead rear parts of the
core.
The DAP92-5.8 cartridge uses a lacquered steel case of rimless,
bottlenecked design. The standard bullet type is FMJ with a composite
core. Penetration is given as “guaranteed penetration of PLA-issue steel
helmet (1.3mm steel) at 100 meters plus 5 cm (2 inches) of pine wood
behind”. Apparently, a subsonic load is also available, with a muzzle
velocity of about 290 m/s; bullet weight for this round is unknown so
far.
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
|
DAP92-5.8
|
State factories, China
|
2,99
|
480 (*
|
344
|
|
*) Muzzle velocity is given for QSZ-92 pistol
6.5x25 CBJ / MS
This cartridge is a recent development, which is intended to compete
with smalll-caliber Personal Defense Weapons (PDW) ammunition such as
4.6x30 HK or 5.7x28 FN. Designed in Sweden, this cartridge is based on
elongated 9mm case, necked down to 6.5mm, which can be loaded with
variety of bullets. The prime "military" loading is a subcaliber armor
piercing (AP), which consists of a 4mm tungsten projectile loaded into
6.5mm discarding sabot, made of plastic. Use of discarding sabot allows
this cartridge to reach significant muzzle velocities without raising
barrel
pressure
to dangerous levels. The price of this system is increased cost of the
saboted ammunition and certain loss in accuracy (compared to
conventional bullets) which, hovever, can be obliterated by firing in
full automatic mode. Other types of loadings for this caliber include
"full caliber" 6.5mm expanding bullets for police use, frangible
training bullets, subsonic AP bullets and others. This cartridge is
still in developmental form but it certainly looks promising.
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
|
AP |
|
2.0 |
830 |
690 |
4mm tungsten subcaliber bullet |
Note: muzzle velocity shown from 200mm PDW / SMG barrel
7.62x25 TT (7.63x25 Mauser, .30 Mauser)
This cartridge, initially known as the 7.63x25 Mauser, was developed in
1896 for the famous Mauser C96 pistol; it was developed from the 7.65mm
Borchard cartridge of 1893. During the early 1920s, Soviet Russia
bought significant numbers of C96 Mauser pistols from Germany and, after
close examination, in the late twenties selected a slightly modified
version of this cartridge as a future pistol and sub-machine gun round
for the Red Army. At the same time, guns chambered for the original
7.63mm Mauser cartridge and made by Mauser and several Spanish companies
(most notably Astra), were sold in significant numbers to China and
various South American countries. The key differences between original
7.63mm Mauser and 7.62mm Soviet loadings were the size of the extraction
groove and diameter of the primer pocket (The Soviet cartridge used
primers of larger diameter). Both cartridges were originally loaded to
the same characteristics. It must be noted that several “sub-machine
gun” loadings, produced during and after WW2, produce pressures well
beyond the levels of the original Mauser loading, and are thus unsafe in
older Mauser and Astra pistols. Also, certain loads produced since 1951
may have bullets with composite steel / lead cores, for both increased
penetration and decreased cost.
These cartridges were used in pistols from Mauser, Astra and Star made
during interwar period, as well as in many sub-machine guns and Tokarev
TT pistols and its clones, produced since 1933 in USSR and several other
countries.
This cartridge uses a rimless, bottlenecked case, usually made of
brass. The standard loading is an FMJ bullet with lead or composite
lead/steel core. Special loads, such as tracers and AP were also
developed during WW2 and afterwards for use in sub-machine guns. In
recent times, some commercial loadings have become available with
lightweight expanding bullets; these loads obviously are intended for
civilian use in older, military surplus pistols.
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
JHP
|
Reeds Custom Ammo, USA
|
3,9
|
650
|
824
|
Modern commercial loading
|
DWM 403
|
DWM, Germany
|
5,5
|
424
|
494
|
Original 7.63mm Mauser load
|
57-N-134S
|
State factories, USSR
|
5,5
|
430*
|
508
|
Soviet military loading with steel-cored bullet (since 1951)
|
7.62-Pi
|
S&B, Czechoslovakia
|
5,5
|
480*
|
634
|
Czechoslovak military load
|
7.62 M49
|
Prvi Partizan, former Yugoslavia
|
5,5
|
518*
|
738
|
Yugoslavian “sub-machine gun” military load; may be unsafe in most commercial pistols in this calibre
|
* muzzle velocity as fired from Tokarev TT-33 pistol.
7.62x41 SP-4
The SP-4 is a very specialized round, developed for the needs of the
KGB and Spetsnaz elements of the Soviet armed forces. The key niche of
this ammunition is noiseless and flash-less firing during various
special operations. The only weapons that use this cartridge are the PSS
self-loading pistol and the NRS-2 scout knife with a single-shot weapon
built into the handle. Both weapons are of Soviet origin. This
cartridge uses a bottlenecked rimless case with a very short neck. The
cylindrical bullet is made from mild steel, with a brass driving band at
the front. The bullet is seated in the cartridge flush with the mouth,
and its base rests on the piston, which separates the bullet from the
small load of special propellant. When the cartridge is fired, the
propellant gas pushes the piston forward violently, driving the bullet
forward and out of the case; the piston is then jammed tightly at the
neck of the case, locking the powder gases inside. Immediately after
shooting, the fired cases are under strong pressure from inside, and
thus are unsafe; in time, the gases inside the case cool down and thus
pressure decreases. However, Soviet manuals require special handling of
fired cases of SP-4 ammunition. Another interesting fact about this
ammunition is that these cartridges are void of any headstamps, for
obvious reasons.
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
SP-4
|
|
9,3
|
270
|
339
|
Bullet is a steel unjacketed cylinder
|
7.65x17SR (7.65mm Browning, .32 ACP)
This cartridge, known in Europe as 7.65mm Browning and in USA as .32
ACP, was developed by John Browning in around 1896-97, together with one
of his pistol designs – a simple blowback pistol, which he sold to the
Belgian FN company in 1899. In a very short time, the FN / Browning
pistol of 1899/1900 pattern became very popular with European police and
security forces; and just three years later this cartridge was
introduced in USA along with the Colt Model 1903 pistol, another
creation of John Browning. It must be noted that this cartridge never
caught on in the USA, and the only military use it saw there was in
Colt’s Model 1903 pistols, issued to general officers of US Armed forces
until the mid-seventies. On the other hand, it found wide military
acceptance in Europe, being issued to military personnel such as naval
officers and aviators, and even to infantry officers in countries such
as France, Germany, Hungary, and some others. In the police ranks, this
cartridge served well into the seventies, being issued along with
smaller pocket-type pistols, of which the most notable were the famous
Walthers – PP and PPK.
This cartridge uses a brass cylindrical case with an extractor groove
and a small rim (the so called semi-rimmed design, hence the SR suffix
in the metric designation). The presence of a rim means that this
cartridge was intended for use in both semi-automatic pistols and
revolvers (a great many such weapons being made in Europe before World
War One, mostly in Belgium). The standard loading is a jacketed bullet;
however, today several good factory loadings with expanding bullets are
available in this caliber.
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
FMJ
|
FN, Belgium
|
4,6
|
280
|
180
|
Standard load
|
7.62x17 Type 64
The 7.62mm Type 64 load was developed in China during the early sixties
for two pistols – the pocket-sized Type 64 pistol, intended for police
use, and the specialized Type 64 silenced pistol. Basically, this round
represents the 7.65mm Browning case with the rim removed, and loaded to a
lower velocity and muzzle energy. Later on, Chinese factories made more
weapons in this caliber, such as the Type 67 silenced and Type 77
pocket-size pistols. During the early eighties, China also produced a
specialized version of the same cartridge for use by on-board security
on aircraft. This loading, known as 7.62mm Type 84, is loaded with a
frangible semi-jacketed bullet, which is said not to penetrate a typical
aircraft hull at ranges of 2 meters, but is effective against human
targets at ranges up to 15 meters.
The Type 64 cartridge has a straight, rimless brass case. The standard
loading is a jacketed bullet with a lead core in Type 64 loading or
frangible bullet in Type 84 loading.
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
FMJ
|
|
4,8
|
240
|
138
|
Type 64 load
|
7.65x21 (7.65mm Luger / Parabellum, .30 Luger)
This cartridge was developed in around 1898-99 by Georg Luger from the
earlier 7.65mm Borchard cartridge. Adopted in 1900 as a standard
military cartridge by Switzerland, along with the famous Luger
“Parabellum” pistol, this cartridge was also used as a military load in
Brazil, Finland and Lithuania. However, since World War Two this
cartridge has been replaced by the more potent 9x19 Luger cartridge, and
by now is obsolete as a military load.
The 7.65mm Luger / Parabellum cartridge has a bottlenecked rimless brass case; the typical loading is a jacketed bullet.
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
FMJ
|
DWM, Germany
|
6,03
|
370
|
412
|
Original load
|
9x17 Browning Short (9mm Short / Kurz / Corto, .380 ACP)
This cartridge, generally known in Europe as the 9mm Browning Short (to
distinguish it from earlier and now obsolete 9mm Browning Long, which
had a case 20mm long), was developed by John Browning in the USA, to
improve the effectiveness of the Colt M1903 pistol. Names like
Kurz and
Corto
also mean “short” in the German and Italian languages, respectively. In
the USA this cartridge was introduced in 1908 along with the Colt M1908
pistol, as the .380 ACP. In Europe this cartridge was introduced in
around 1912, in another Browning creation, the FN Model 1910 pistol. It
must be noted that in the USA this cartridge was never popular as a
service round; it was usually referred to as a “pocket gun” round, and
the minimum adequate chambering for self-defense. On the other hand, in
Europe this round quickly found favor among many military and police
organizations, and between the wars it was adopted as a standard
military pistol loading in countries like Czechoslovakia, Italy and
Yugoslavia.
The military
role of this cartridge mostly ended during the fifties with the
establishing of NATO and the adoption of the more powerful 9x19 round as
NATO standard. However, it served as a police round in many countries
(such as Germany, Italy and Switzerland) up until the seventies, and is
still used to a limited extent by law enforcement services like the
Italian Guardia di Finanza.
This cartridge is available in a wide spectrum of loadings, either with
military-type jacketed bullets or more popular self-defense and police
loads with hollowpoint bullets. The case is straight, usually made of
brass, but this ammunition also may be found with aluminum (made in USA)
or steel (made in Russia) cases.
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
FMJ
|
Fiocci, Italy
|
4,66
|
360
|
302
|
Special service load issued by Guardia di Finanza (Italy)
|
SilverTip JHP
|
Winchester, USA
|
5,5
|
305
|
255
|
Modern commercial load
|
FMJ
|
FN, Belgium
|
6,16
|
290
|
260
|
Original load
|
JHP
|
Remington, USA
|
6,61
|
285
|
268
|
Modern commercial load
|
9x18 Police / Ultra
This cartridge started its life under the name of “9mm Ultra” during
mid-thirties as an experimental joint development of the GECO and Carl
Walther companies, both from Germany. This development represented an
attempt to create a cartridge powerful enough for military and police
purposes, yet suitable for a relatively compact and simple
blowback-operated pistol. GECO produced experimental ammunition, and
Walther made several prototype pistols, but at that time development
never went any further. However, during the early seventies this
cartridge was revived as the “9mm Police” in an attempt to provide
German police with weapons more effective than the then-available
pistols chambered for 7.65mm Browning and 9mm Kurz. Several police-type
pistols were made for this cartridge in Germany and Italy, and
ammunition was produced by Hirtenberger in Austria. However, German
police authorities finally decided to use the more potent 9x19 Luger
ammunition, and the 9x18 Police soon went into oblivion.
The 9x18 Police and Ultra rounds are similar except for headstamps;
both have straight, rimmed cases made of brass, and usually are loaded
with a jacketed bullet of truncated cone shape.
NOTE: This cartridge must not be confused with 9x18 PM described below.
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
JFP
|
GECO, Germany
|
6,09
|
320
|
312
|
Original “Ultra” loading
|
JFP
|
Hirtenberger, Austria
|
6,48
|
323
|
338
|
“Police” loading
|
9x18 Makarov PM
The development of a new cartridge, suitable for smaller,
blowback-operated pistols, apparently began in the USSR just prior to
start of Great Patriotic War; a few pistols were tested, but the
outbreak of the war stopped the development. Soon after the war ended,
the Soviet army seriously re-considered the role of the military pistol,
and selected the improved 9x18 round as a future military cartridge.
While this round was only marginally powerful by Western standards, it
proved to be adequate for personal defence weapons, and Soviet tactical
doctrine of the time had no use for sub-machine guns, which usually
require more powerful pistol-type cartridges to be of any military use.
Officially adopted in 1951, this cartridge was also imposed upon Warsaw
Pact countries during the sixties and seventies in an attempt at
standardization; so far the 9x18 PM remains in active military and
police service in most ex-USSR republics, including Russia. Pistols for
this cartridge were manufactured in USSR and Russia, as well as in
Bulgaria, China, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Poland. Ammunition is
still manufactured in Russia, as well as in the USA (for commercial
use).
Just prior to the Moscow Olympic Games of 1980, Soviet ammunition
factories developed several specialized loads at the request of the KGB;
these included expanding and frangible bullets, as well as improved
penetration loads; the Army and police continued to use standard issue
jacketed ammunition. During the early nineties, the Russian army tried
to extend the effectiveness of this round with the introduction of the
“Improved” or “high impulse” PMM loading, with more powerful propellant
charge and lighter bullet, but this was never adopted for safety
reasons.
The 9x18 cartridge, generally known as “9mm Makarov” or “9mm PM” after
the most popular pistol that used it, was actually developed by designer
Syomin. It has a straight, rimless case usually made of lacquered steel
(military issue) or brass (some commercial loads). The standard Soviet
military / police load used a round-nosed jacketed bullet with a
composite core, made partly of lead and partly of mild steel (as a less
expensive alternative to lead). The steel insert is of mushroom shape
and does not help penetration much when compared with similar bullets
with pure lead cores. Other loads include some specialized rounds, such
as frangible SP-8 (developed in 1980 to be used on board aircraft; it
must be noted that many Soviet commercial aircraft crews of the time
were armed with pistols, usually stored in the pilot’s cabin in a
special safe, to resist plane hijack attempts). Other specialized rounds
include expanding and armor-piercing ammunition for law enforcement.
Commercial ammunition, made in Russia for export as well as in other
countries, is available with either jacketed bullets with lead cores, or
with more or less traditional expanding JHP bullets.
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
57-N-181S
|
USSR, Russia
|
6,1
|
315
|
302
|
Standard issue
|
57-N-181SM (7N16)
|
Russia
|
5,5
|
410
|
462
|
‘Improved’ PMM round
|
PBM
|
Russia
|
3,7
|
519
|
498
|
AP round, limited issue
|
Vz.82
|
Czechoslovakia
|
4,5
|
400
|
360
|
Czechoslovak military issue round for Vz.82 pistol and Vz.61 Scorpion sub-machine gun
|
SP-7
|
Russia
|
6,1
|
325
|
322
|
With expanding bullet; hollow cavity in the bullet nose is covered by polymer plug to improve feeding
|
SP-8
|
Russia
|
4,1
|
255
|
133
|
Frangible ammunition for onboard use in aircraft
|
FMJ
|
Winchester, USA
|
6,16
|
310
|
296
|
Commercial load
|
JHP
|
Russia
|
6,16
|
321
|
317
|
Commercial load
|
JHP +P
|
Cor-Bon, USA
|
6,16
|
342
|
360
|
Commercial load
|
JHP
|
Russia
|
7,45
|
310
|
358
|
Commercial load
|
9x19 Luger / Parabellum, 9mm NATO
This cartridge, generally known as “THE 9mm”, is usually also
referred to as “9mm Luger” (after the name of the Georg Luger, who
designed the pistol originally associated with this round) or “9mm
Parabellum” (after the trade mark of the German DWM company that
originally made this round). It was developed at the request of the
German Navy in 1902, which liked the 7.65mm “Parabellum” pistol
developed by Luger and made by DWM, but wanted more stopping power.
Following this requirement, DWM shortened the case of the original
7.65x21 Luger/Parabellum round to 19mm and loaded it with 9mm jacketed
bullet of truncated cone shape. The “Parabellum” pistol chambered for
this cartridge, was adopted by the German Navy in 1904 and (with a
modified pistol) by the German Army in 1908. This round saw extensive
use by German armed forces during World War One, in various pistols and
in the first sub-machine guns. In around 1917 the original flat point
bullet was replaced by ogive shaped jacketed bullet that has remained
standard for military loadings until now. Between the wars, this
cartridge continued its service with the German armed forces in a
variety of pistols and sub-machine guns; it was also accepted as a
military load by several other countries, starting with Belgium, which
brought out one of the most successful and historically important 9mm
pistols of all time, the FN Browning High Power. After the World War Two
the 9mm Parabellum was quickly adopted as a standard pistol and
sub-machine gun chambering throughout NATO, with the notable exception
of the USA, which stuck to its .45 ACP cartridge for some forty more
years. It was adopted as a military load by many other countries
worldwide, and since the seventies it also found its way into the police
weapons of many nations. A hundred years old, today this cartridge
remains the most popular and long-lasting chambering for pistols and
sub-machine guns in the world. It combines adequate combat effectiveness
with relatively compact size that allows for a large magazine capacity.
All in all, this is probably the best and most popular compromise combat pistol cartridge in the world.
The 9x19 cartridge uses a straight rimless case with slight taper. The
cases usually made of brass, but aluminum and lacquered steel cases may
also be encountered. The standard military loading is an ogive-shaped
jacketed bullet with a lead core, while police and commercial loadings
may exhibit a wide variety of bullet types – expanding, frangible etc.
In recent years, several types of military armor-piercing loadings were
manufactured in countries like Austria, China and Russia.
One warning note must be made about military ammunition in this
caliber. In many countries the 9x19 cartridge was considered primary as a
sub-machine gun loading, and thus was loaded to higher velocities and
pressure levels to provide the necessary effective range for infantry
and other military personnel armed with SMGs. In many cases, the same
ammunition was also issued to troops with pistols, which often resulted
in degraded lifespan or even damage to the guns and injuries to the
shooters. Therefore, great care must be taken when shooting military
issue or surplus ammunition in commercial or older military pistols,
which may not stand up to the stronger recoil and higher barrel
pressures of certain military “sub-machine gun” loadings.
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
7N31
|
Russia
|
4,2
|
600
|
756
|
AP load with hardened steel core exposed at the tip of the bullet
|
EMB Police
|
Hirtenberger, Austria
|
5,0
|
500
|
625
|
Special police load with low-ricochet bullet
|
7N21
|
Russia
|
5,3
|
460
|
560
|
AP load with hardened steel core exposed at the tip of the bullet
|
M882
|
USA
|
7,26
|
385
|
538
|
Military-issue ammunition loaded to NATO standards
|
JHP
|
Remington, USA
|
7,45
|
352
|
461
|
Commercial round
|
SilverTip
|
Winchester, USA
|
7,45
|
374
|
521
|
Commercial round
|
JHP +P
|
Remington, USA
|
7,45
|
381
|
540
|
Commercial round
|
JHP +P+
|
Remington, USA
|
7,45
|
400
|
596
|
Commercial / police round
|
2Z ball
|
Radway Green, UK
|
7,45
|
427*
|
679
|
Military issue ammunition for British Sterling sub-machine guns
|
JHP
|
Remington, USA
|
8,04
|
341
|
467
|
Commercial round
|
Balle ‘O’
|
France
|
8,00
|
385**
|
593
|
Military issue ammunition for French MAT-49 sub-machine guns
|
L7A1 ball
|
Hirtenberger, Austria
|
8,04
|
393*
|
620
|
Military issue ammunition for British Sterling sub-machine guns
|
JHP Subsonic
|
Remington, USA
|
9,53
|
302
|
435
|
Subsonic round
|
Comment: for sub-machine gun loadings muzzle velocities are given as
fired from FN Browning High Power (*) or Mle.1950 (**) pistols
9x20 Browning Long
Developed in around 1903 in Belgium, this cartridge was intended for FN
Browning model 1903 military type pistol. It was used as a military
service cartridge in Belgium and Sweden, also chambered in several
British Webley & Scott semi-automatic pistols. Today it is mostly
obsolete.
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
FMJ
|
FN
|
7.1 |
335 |
398 |
military loading
|
9x21 IMI
Developed during 1980s, this cartridge is a virtual copy of the famous
9x19 Luger / Parabellum, except for the longer case. It has similar
ballistics and overall length, and it's sole purpose is to be used in
civilian pistols in countries where use of 'military caliber' cartridges
is restricted for government purposes only (i.e. Italy, France).
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
JHP
|
|
8 |
366 |
535 |
|
9x21 SP-10 / SP-11 / SP-12
The development of this relatively high-powered pistol ammunition,
intended for both sub-machine guns and semi-automatic pistols, commenced
in Russia during the early nineties. The key goal was to provide
military and law enforcement personnel with pistol ammunition, which
would be, more effective against body armor than available rounds.
Designers from TSNII TochMash (city of Klimovsk, Russia) first developed
an armour piercing bullet with hardened steel core, exposed at the tip
of the projectile, and then developed a new experimental round,
initially known as RG052. Since 1993 this development was funded by the
FSB (Federal Security Service of Russia), and the first production
rounds were issued under the codename SP-10 (SP stand for
Spetsialnyj Patron – special cartridge). Adopted in 1996, SP-10 ammunition is almost entirely used in
one line
of pistols (known under the codenames SR.1, Vector or SPS) and in one
sub-machine gun, the SR.2 Veresk, both used by FSB and special elements
of other law enforcement agencies in Russia. The original armor piercing
SP-10 cartridges were soon complemented by other types of ammunition,
including the SP-11 with a low-ricochet ball bullet (suitable for use
against unprotected targets and for training), the SP-12 with expanding
bullet and the SP-13 with armor-piercing tracer bullet. In about 2003
this nomenclature was changed to the Russian standard 7N
xx designations, marking the official approval of this ammunition for all services.
The SP-10 cartridge, currently known as the 9x21 7N29, has a straight
rimless case, usually made of steel and with dark green lacquer coating.
The armor-piercing bullet is of proprietary design; it has a hardened
steel penetrator core that is exposed at the bullet tip, to ease the
separation of the jacket upon the penetration of body-armor plates. The
space between the penetrator and jacket is filled with polyethylene. The
bullet is designed to stay intact upon impact with soft body tissue to
conform to international treaties, and in this case it acts as a typical
“ball” bullet of similar weight and energy. It must be noted that this
cartridge is ballistically similar to some of the “hotter” 9x19
loadings; the longer case is necessary because of the longer bullet,
which has relatively low volume density because of its composite core
that consists of polyethylene filler and relatively long steel
penetrator of 6mm diameter. Other types of bullets are fairly
conventional.
These cartridges must never be used in pistols chambered for commercial
9x21 IMI ammunition because they generate pressures far beyond industry
standards for the 9x21 IMI.
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
RG052
|
Russia
|
6,5 – 7
|
415 - 430
|
560
|
Original experimental loading, 1992
|
7N28
|
Russia
|
7,9
|
390
|
600
|
With low ricochet FMJ bullet
|
7N29
|
Russia
|
6,7
|
410
|
563
|
With AP bullet
|
7BTZ
|
Russia
|
7,2
|
395
|
562
|
With AP-T (tracer) bullet
|
.357 SIG (9x22)
The .357 SIG cartridge is one of the most recent creations, developed
as a joint effort between the US branch of the international SIGARMS
Company (trade marks SIG, SIG-Sauer) and the US-based Federal Cartridge
Company. This cartridge was obviously intended primarily for the US
market; its main goal was to provide American law enforcement officers
with a cartridge similar in ballistics and especially penetration to the
famous .357 Magnum revolver round, yet suitable for use in conventional
semi-automatic pistols. This cartridge has been very successful so far,
being officially adopted by several major US law enforcement agencies
including the Texas DPS and the US Secret Service; several companies
make pistols for this cartridge, including SIGARMS, Beretta and Glock.
It is worth nothing that the latter company marks its pistols chambered
for this cartridge as “.357”, without any mention of the trademark of
its major rival.
The .357 SIG cartridge case is based on the earlier .40 S&W
cartridge, having similar case head and body diameter, as well as
similar overall length, for obvious reasons of ease of conversion of
available pistols from .40 S&W to .357 SIG by changing the barrel
and return spring. The case design, however, is different, as the .357
SIG uses a rimless bottlenecked case with reinforced webbing (the base
part of the cartridge), necessary because of the higher working
pressures. The standard loading is a jacketed hollowpoint bullet.
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
|
JHP
|
Cor-Bon, USA
|
7,45
|
457
|
778
|
|
|
JHP
|
Federal, USA
|
8,1
|
411
|
684
|
|
|
JHP
|
Cor-Bon, USA
|
8,1
|
434
|
763
|
|
|
JHP
|
Hornady, USA
|
9,5
|
374
|
663
|
|
.38 Super Automatic (9x23SR)
Developed in around 1929 by Colt, this was more powerful version of the
original .38 Colt Automatic round, developed by John Browning before
the turn of 20th century. Originally .38 Super was chambered in a Colt's
"Government model" (M1911A1) pistols for police use, but today it is
motly used for sport purposes in shooting disciplines like IPSC or IDPA.
It is also a good self-defence load.
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
JHP
|
|
7.45 |
396 |
584 |
|
9x23 Largo (9mm Bergmann-Bayard)
This cartridge was developed in Germany in around 1903 for military
type semi-automatic pistols, by the Theodor Bergmann Company. These
pistols were later produced in Belgium by Pieper under Bergmann’s
license, and adopted by Spain and Denmark, hence the original
Bergmann-Bayard name (“Bayard” was the trademark of the Pieper Company).
This cartridge saw extensive use in Spain, being the standard pistol
and sub-machine gun ammunition of the Spanish military and police
between the start of the century and late eighties, hence the other
common name, the 9mm Largo (or “9mm Big” when translated from Spanish,
to distinguish it from other 9mm cartridges). Some of the Spanish
ammunition may also be found labeled '9mm Camp Giro' after another
pistol design, but it is the same cartridge.
The 9x23 Largo has a straight, rimless case usually made of brass. The standard loading has a full metal jacket (ball) bullet.
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
FMJ
|
|
8,1
|
341
|
470
|
|
9x25 Mauser Export
Developed in around 1906 by Mauser and DWM, this round was originally
chambered in a series of experimental Mauser self-loading pistols, most
notably the C-06/08. Between the World wars this round was also used in a
number of submachine guns, such as Swiss SIG MKMO, Austrian Steyr MP-34
and Hungarian 39M and 43M. Today it is obsolete.
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
FMJ
|
|
8.3 |
415 |
714 |
|
.40 S&W (.40 Smith & Wesson, 10x22)
The .40 Smith & Wesson cartridge was developed by the famous US
arms-making company Smith & Wesson and another famous ammunition
maker, the Winchester-Olin company, in around 1989-90. This cartridge
was developed by shortening the 10mm Automatic (10x25) cartridge case by
3 millimeters (about 1/8 of an inch), to match the overall length of
the popular 9x19 cartridge, while providing users with more energy and
impulse from a larger and heavier bullet. Compared with its parent 10mm
Automatic cartridge, the .40 S&W allows the pistols to be made
smaller and lighter, especially in the grip area; it is also somewhat
less powerful, but still has enough potential to meet most police and
self-defense requirements. Today, the .40 S&W offers a good
compromise between the two most popular service loads of the last
century, the 9x19 Luger/Parabellum and the .45 ACP. It provides better
terminal effectiveness than the 9x19, while permitting a bigger magazine
capacity in the same space when compared with the .45 ACP. The one
“danger” of the .40 S&W is that its dimensions allow manufacturers
to make shortcuts in design by simply rebarrelling existing 9mm pistols
to the larger cartridge; due to the increased recoil impulse, this may
cause excessive wear to frames and other parts of pistols initially
designed for 9x19 ammunition. Not surprisingly, today many manufacturers
prefer to design their new pistols for .40 S&W and then “downgrade”
them to 9x19 if necessary, and not vice versa. A great many companies
make pistols for this round, and several sub-machine guns chambered for
.40 S&W also are known to exist, such as the MP5/40 and UMP-40, both
made in Germany by Heckler & Koch, or the Taurus-FAMAE, made in
Brazil.
The .40 S&W has a rimless, straight case, usually made of brass
(steel-cased .40 S&W ammunition is made in Russia for export). The
most common service loading uses an expanding jacketed or semi-jacketed
bullet, but many other types of loading are also available.
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
JHP
|
Remington, USA
|
10,69
|
350
|
654
|
|
JHP
|
Winchester, USA
|
11,66
|
308
|
553
|
|
10mm Automatic (10x25 Auto)
This cartridge was created in a search for the “ultimate” combat round
which, while duplicating the terminal effectiveness of such proven
“man-stoppers” as the .45 ACP or .357 Magnum, should provide a bigger
magazine capacity when compared with the .45 and be better suited for
semi-automatics when compared with the .357. This cartridge retained the
overall length of .45 ACP, so it could be used in rebarreled pistols
originally designed for the .45; the case was entirely new. Originally
loaded only by Norma of Sweden from 1983, this load was first used in
the US-made Bren Ten pistol, and latter on in Colt’s Delta Elite. In
around 1988 this cartridge was picked up by the US Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) as a replacement for the 9x19 Luger/Parabellum,
which proved itself inadequate on several rather bloody occasions, such
as the infamous Miami massacre of 1986. Smith & Wesson quickly
produced several pistols in this chambering, and Heckler & Koch of
Germany made a limited number of its MP5 sub-machine guns in 10mm for
FBI agents. However, the FBI and several other US law enforcement
agencies soon discovered that this cartridge in its original loading was
poorly suited for many officers because of its severe recoil, and the
FBI quickly adopted a reduced-charge loading, which then lead to the
shorter .40 S&W cartridge described above. Today, this round is most
popular in the USA among civilian shooters, where it is used for
self-defense and hunting. Several companies still make guns in this
caliber, such as Tanfoglio of Italy and Glock of Austria.
The 10mm Automatic has a straight, rimless case, usually made of brass.
Most common loads include various types of expanding or jacketed
bullets.
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
JHP
|
Norma, Sweden
|
11,02
|
408
|
917
|
Original load, ca.1983
|
JHP
|
Winchester, USA
|
11,34
|
393
|
875
|
Modern commercial load
|
JHP
|
Norma, Sweden
|
11,66
|
290
|
490
|
Reduced power ‘FBI ‘ load
|
JHP
|
Norma, Sweden
|
12,96
|
366
|
868
|
Original load, ca.1983
|
.45 ACP (.45 Automatic Colt Pistol, 11.43x25)
This cartridge was developed as a result of extensive tests of the
terminal effectiveness of various rounds that were conducted in 1904 by
Col. Thompson and Maj. La Garde on behalf of the US Army. As a result of
these trials, the commission recommended the replacement of the
existing .38 caliber revolver cartridge with a cartridge that fires
bullet of 0.45 inch caliber (11.43mm). The original recommendations were
for a bullet of 200 grains (12.96 gram), but this was later changed to a
230 grain jacketed “ball” bullet. The case was designed by cutting down
the .30-03 rifle cartridge case to length just below one inch. In 1911,
this cartridge was officially adopted by the US military as the
“Cartridge, .45 caliber Ball, M1911”, along with the famous Colt M1911
pistol. Since its introduction this cartridge has been used in many
semi-automatic pistols, as well as in a few revolvers (using half-moon
or full-moon clips) and in several sub-machine guns, starting with
famous Thompson. This cartridge was never popular in Europe, and was
adopted only by Norway, in their M/1912 and M/1914 pistols, which were
licensed Colt designs. On the other hand, this cartridge was and still
is extremely popular in USA, as well as in South and Central Americas;
for many years this round was a standard military issue in countries
like Argentine and Brazil.
Despite the fact that the US Army replaced the .45 ACP as its standard
issue pistol ammunition in 1985, this cartridge still fares quite well,
thanks to its large bullet, which offers significant terminal effects
even in military “ball” configuration. What is even more interesting is
that at the moment of this writing (late 2005), the US Army is again
looking for a military pistol firing the same old .45 caliber round.
The .45 ACP, also known as the .45 Automatic, has a rimless, straight
case, usually made of brass, although it also may be encountered with
aluminum (US-made) or lacquered steel (Russia-made) cases. The standard
military bullet is of jacketed type, weighting 230 grain (14.9 gram).
Self-defense and police ammunition can be loaded with great variety of
bullets, including frangible, expanding and other types of bullets. Most
common police or defensive loadings used jacketed hollowpoint bullets
of various makes, weighting from 185 to 230 grains (11.99 to 14.9 gram).
Designation
|
Manufacturer
|
Bullet weight, g
|
Muzzle velocity, m/s
|
Muzzle energy, J
|
Comments
|
M1911 ball
|
Various makers, USA
|
14,9
|
275
|
563
|
Original military load
|
JHP
|
Remington, USA
|
11,99
|
305
|
557
|
Commercial load
|
JHP +P
|
Remington, USA
|
11,99
|
347
|
721
|
Commercial load
|
JHP
|
Remington, USA
|
14,9
|
267
|
531
|
Commercial load
|
FMJ
|
Remington, USA
|
14,9
|
255
|
484
|
Commercial load
|
JHP +P
|
Cor-Bon, USA
|
14,9
|
290
|
626
|
Commercial load
|
