9mm Luger (9x19, Parabellum) Load Data: Favorite Handloads

George Luger designed the 9x19mm (a.k.a. 9mm Luger, 9mm Parabellum, or simply, 9mm) just after the turn of the last century, and the Imperial German Army adopted it as its handgun round in 1908. Its popularity soared after World War II, and the U.S. military adopted the 9x19mm as its service pistol round in 1985. Today, it is a popular military and law enforcement handgun cartridge.

Early on, its pointy full-metal-jacket rounds gave the 9x19mm a reputation as a horrible antipersonnel round. But the advent of reliable, fast-expanding hollowpoints - particularly hotter +P-type loads - elevated the 9x19mm to true manstopper status. Low recoil, inexpensive ammunition, and a wide variety of handguns and carbines chambered for it have made the 9x19mm very popular for plinking and target shooting, too.

Special Considerations:

• The 9x19mm headspaces on the case mouth, trimming must be uniform.
• Do not shorten cases beyond specified trim-to-length.
• Do not roll crimp or it will not allow the cartridge to headspace properly. A modest taper crimp will do the job nicely.
• Use near-max load data and bullets of 127 grains or less for the best performance in carbines.
• The SAAMI Maximum Average Pressure for the 9x19mm is 35,000 psi.

Favorite 9mm Luger Loads
BULLET	POWDER	STARTING LOAD		MAX LOAD		C.U.P.	COMMENT
		Charge (grs.)	Velocity(fps)	Charge (grs.)	Velocity (fps)
Speer 115-gr. Gold Dot SP	HS-6	6.7	1171	7.0	1234	29,400	Self-defense load
	Universal	4.5	1029	5.0	1149	31,200
Lyman #356637 147-gr. Cast	Universal	3.0	875	3.4	969	31,000	Accurate, plinker
	Bullseye	2.8	780	3.5	942	31,600
SIE 125-gr. FMJ	HS-6	6.4	1131	6.8	1169	27,100
	Auto-Comp	4.7	1055	5.2	1120	33,300	Great carbine load

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