Now why in the world are there so many different names for the 9x19mm cartridge? There has to be a reason for this. Would I be able use a 9mm luger bullet in a pistol chambered for 9mm parabellum? Everywhere I have read says they are the same cartridge so why so many names for the same bullet?

different manufacturing. grain count. ballistic properties. geography. politics (NATO/WARSAW)... all contribute to the variations.

9mm is pretty much the staple pistol round. made the world over.

reply to post by gravykraken

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So I would be able to use a 9mm Luger round in a pistol chambered for a 9mm parabellum?

9x19 is the technical name, i.e. the bullet diameter (9mm) x the case length (19mm).

9mm Luger derives from the designer, Georg Luger, who created the cartridge in 1902 for the German weapons manufacturer DWM.

The Motto of the DWM company was Si vis pacem, para bellum (If you want peace, prepare for war). Hence 9mm Parabellum (or 9mm Para).

9mm NATO derives from the fact that it is the common 9mm cartridge that has been adopted by the vast majority of NATO countries, much in the same way as you get 5.56mm NATO and 7.62mm NATO. These are distinct from the 9x18 cartridge in common usage in former eastern bloc countries which is commonly referred to as 9mm Makarov, which is a completely different round with ballistic properties around the .380ACP mark.

As to which name for 9x19 you use, it's completely up to you. They're all the same cartridge.

Hope this helps.

reply to post by PaddyInf

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Ok I understand what you are saying. So a company like Springfield Armory uses the name 9mm Luger(XDm chambered for 9mm Luger) and the Glock uses the name parabellum(Model 17) for no real reason just to kind of sound more destinct or something?

So a Glock 17 would fire a 9mm Luger bullet and the XDm vise versa?

Sorry if I am just not getting this but I am looking to buy a pistol and kind of need to know whether or not I need to buy a pistol that is specifically chambered for the 9mm Luger or if that specification really doen't mean anything.

Thanks to all that have commented so far, I really appreciate it.

reply to post by Cool Breeze

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The 9x19 / 9mmParabellum / 9mm NATO / 9mm Luger are all names for the same round. A pistol that is 9x19 will take rounds marked as 9mm Parabellum or 9mm NATO or 9mm Luger and vice versa. They are different names for the same thing.

[edit on 19-6-2009 by PaddyInf]

reply to post by PaddyInf

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Alright I got it now and thank you for being patient with me.

As for my other question... why would a firearms company throw in the Parabellum or Luger part for there firearms? Do they have a deal with certain brands of ammunition perhaps?

Sorry but this is kind of bugging me that they would throw these names in with their firearms if the firearm is able to shoot any 9mm round?

I was going to reply but Paddy just told you everything you need to know!

'Luger' is named after the creator of the pistol, and the ammunition it uses named after that as well. Because Germany has been the 'enemy' so often we dont want to be associate with them, so we will change names. Hence Parabellum so you will not think of Germany when you hear it
There are also piercing 9mm, I believe 7N21 +P or something, from Russia, which will work in any Russian arm that uses 9x18 makarov.

PS I think you should research a lot more about guns before getting one :S here you have to take tests and know your stuff so it is safer

[edit on 19-6-2009 by Ridhya]

Here are an incomplete list of names for the common 9mm that we all know and love.

9x19mm
9mm luger
9mm parabelum
9mm NATO
9mm


There are other 9mm calibers that should not be confused.
.380 acp (9x17mm
9mm makarov (9x18)
9x21mm
9x23 (9mm largo)
.38 super

reply to post by Ridhya

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Thank you for your reply.
Not a oner

Excellent job guys, now lets discuss the origins of the 10mm round and the .380 auto. and the .357 SIG



LOLS what fun we have.


and this is not even touching on the world of rifle rounds



Cheers

reply to post by irongunner

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.357 sig is a bottlenecked .40 s&w case to accept .355 diameter bullets. A sorry caliber in my opinion. I can beat .357 sig factory loads with my 9x19 handloads. .357 sig 1325fps with a 125 grain bullet. With mild loads I can get 1300fps with a 125 HP out of the nine. 1350 is getting warm, and 1400 is possible, but not recommended. I use accurate #5 for these loads. I won't say how much because that ruins the fun of T&E.

.380, I don't know where it came from, but it sucks bad compared to 9x19.

reply to post by irongunner

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10mm is completely badass. In fact it was so badass that the FBI couldn't handle it. They had to chop part of the case off so they could make the .40 S&W. The .40 in my opinion is a really good cartridge also.

9x25 is a bottlenecked 10mm case. It is a very fun cartridge.

OK then, the .380ACP.

Designed and introduced by John Moses Browning in 1908. Purchased and manufactured under license by Colt, hence the name ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol). Loads of different names, most notibly 9x17, 9mm Short, and 9mm Kurz. Less commonly referred to as 9mm Browning. There are a few others, but these are the most widely used.

Low pressure gradient of the round allows for direct blowback pistols, which are much simpler (and therefore generally cheaper) than those requiring a breech locking mechanism.

A point to note for this and most other lower velocity pistol rounds firing a fairly light round - Don't go for expanding ammunition for self defence. The KE isn't enough to guarantee sufficient penetration to hit vitals. Stick with FMJ ("ball"). This improves penetration, resulting in a deeper wound track. A slow, light weight, expanding round will spend itself before hitting anything important.

So, who's doing the 10mm then?

reply to post by Cool Breeze

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It's equally important to know the 9mm cartridges that are NOT compatible with your 9mm Parabellum.

9mm Ultra
9mm Browning Short
9mm Corto (same as above)
9mm Kurz (same as above)
9mm Police
9mm Glisenti
9mm Browning Long
9mm IMI
9mm Steyr
9mm Bergman
9mm Mauser
9mm Winchester Magnum
9mm Makarov

7N21 is 9x19, but it should not be used with regular 9x19 pistols, unless you can verify it is not overpresured. I have beeb unable to find any reliable data on that load and its presures.

Smartass! Haha.

If one can reload, fire and know what size caliber their own gun is, then that's all you need to know when defending yourself.

Let me ask you something.. do you everything about the vehicle that you drive? It's a powerful machine that cause major damage if you're not careful. Chances are you don't, we have paid mechanics do look at it for you. Or how about computers? You may not know everything about it, but it's useful and that's all that counts.

The reason I say this is because the OP didn't seem clueless as you make him out to be. Discouraging him from use of a weapon because he doesn't know everything about 9mm's is exactly what the-powers-that-be want to achieve.

reply to post by LiQuiD_FuSioN

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Thank you for that one I really did not take his message to heart though.

For all I know he could have googled "9mm bullets" in order to get all of his information, I truly do not know where anyone gets there info so I figure it is best to just let all the replies come in and combine them all up for one super answer

Hey it is one guy's opinion that I know more about the cartridge to be able safely own a handgun???

reply to post by Cool Breeze

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Good luck buying your 9mm ammo. I have stopped going to the range with my XD 9mm in order to preserve what ammo I have left. I just shoot with my Ruger Mark III nowadays. .22 is still plentiful in my neck of the woods.

Popular handgun rounds that are available, like 9mm and .40 etc, are most likely going to law enforcement agencies before any lands in a retail shop. If and when it lands in a retail shop it is gobbled up at ridiculous prices by those who are hoarding ammo to prepare for Barry's big grab.

reply to post by jibeho

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Ya I have 400rds Im sitting on right now and probably going to befriend some Wal Mart employees so they might be willing to give me first dibs on any new arrivals