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.

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.

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

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

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?

Originally posted by Ridhya

There are also piercing 9mm, I believe 7N21 +P or something, from Russia, which will work in any Russian arm that uses 9x18 makarov.
[edit on 19-6-2009 by Ridhya]

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.

Originally posted by Ridhya
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]

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.