Glock 9mm pistol question

[RRMan03]

Will the Glock handle factory loaded true +P+ ammo. Also will it handle the Nato spec 9mm ammo. I know it is much hotter than the Saami standards. I am not new to auto loaders just new to Glock. And yes I have read the manual and every other opinion on the internet. Now for some Tennessee truth please.

[bassmaster]

In my opinion, it will handle it, but cause increased wear issues. Unlike others, I am not a fan of all the + hype. Standard rounds have been making BG's dead for years, same with a .45 fmj in a 1911. No need for a JHP in my opinion. Now, of course this is my own

Let me add I am by no means an Ammo or Gun expert.

[hipower]

In my opinion, it will handle it, but cause increased wear issues. Unlike others, I am not a fan of all the + hype. Standard rounds have been making BG's dead for years, same with a .45 fmj in a 1911. No need for a JHP in my opinion. Now, of course this is my own

Let me add I am by no means an Ammo or Gun expert.

Let's make that 4cents worth. I take a lot of flak for the same opinion as well.

[Guest CK1]

Yes. It will handle it like a champ, if it says 9mm on it and it's not lead, blast away!

[1gewehr]

NATO-spec, yes, no problem. As for "if it says 9mm on it and it's not lead, blast away", that is VERY incorrect!! Use ONLY 9x19mm ammo, also called 9mm Luger, 9mm Parabellum, and other less-common names. But use only SAAMI or NATO-spec ammo.

There is some ammo out there made for use in submachine guns under arctic conditions called L7A1. This gives very high over-pressures in normal temperatures. It has damaged many pistols and even some submachine guns.

[molonlabetn]

+p is a SAAMI spec...

+p+ is indicative that it is above that spec, by some amount. So, use at your own risk.

NATO is simply a different way of quantifying the pressure, and that standard is above the SAAMI spec for standard pressure 9mm... similarly, 5.56mm is a slightly higher pressure than .223rem. Most major handgun manufacturers build their guns to handle SAAMI and NATO spec ammo.

I have run Speer and Federal +p+ 9mm ammo and NATO spec ammo through XDs, Sigs, and Glocks with no ill effects.

[JReedEsq]

Unlike others, I am not a fan of all the + hype. Standard rounds have been making BG's dead for years, same with a .45 fmj in a 1911. No need for a JHP in my opinion.

I was a little suprised the hear two Marines I know recently tell me that the difference in effectiveness between FMJ and JHP is really overstated. Just to clairify, they didn't say there isn't a difference, just that they think way to many "net ninjas" spend too much time debating ammo and caliber and not learning to shoot effectively. The consensus was that as long as you're using a service caliber handgun, the ability to place your shots center mass is more important than anything else.

[Guest CK1]

NATO-spec, yes, no problem. As for "if it says 9mm on it and it's not lead, blast away", that is VERY incorrect!! Use ONLY 9x19mm ammo, also called 9mm Luger, 9mm Parabellum, and other less-common names. But use only SAAMI or NATO-spec ammo.

There is some ammo out there made for use in submachine guns under arctic conditions called L7A1. This gives very high over-pressures in normal temperatures. It has damaged many pistols and even some submachine guns.

What I said is not "very incorrect", although I wasn't trying to be real specific either... AND, FWIW, just so you know, I've happen to have run L7A1 through Glocks before, they handle it just fine (and I'm not the only one either, as I looked it up before shooting it just to be safe and found that plenty of guys have run it, it's well documented that most of the better quality guns will handle it...).

Guess I'll be more specific: make sure it says 9x19! (some weirdos out there may call .380 9mm-short or 9mm-kurtz, and 9mm also comes in 9x21 and 9mm-steyr flavors, etc. may be more, never took a test on the subject before...)

As for those Marines saying there's not much difference between JHP or FMJ, that's just plain wrong, it's called science and physics, not somebody's opinion.

There's some truth to the fact that certain +P or even +P+ loads don't provide much advantage over their regular standard pressure cousins, but that is highly dependent on which exact brand from which manufacturer you're looking at, as a general rule, a hotter +P or +P+ will perform better most of the time.

Edited February 8, 2010 by CK1

[JReedEsq]

As for those Marines saying there's not much difference between JHP or FMJ, that's just plain wrong, it's called science and physics, not somebody's opinion.

Maybe they were exagerating a bit to make a point. They did say there is a difference. I think their point was that placing rounds on target is more important than better (or bigger) bullets. Back to the original question, I've not found any 9mm rounds that won't function flawlessly in my Glocks and I believe even the hottest brass, 9mm luger rounds should be ok so long as they are factory loaded.

Don't get me wrong, I've got JHP for carry. I have limited time and money however, and I'm not going to spend either researching or testing the absolute best +P+ performance. I feel I'm better served finding the good deals on range ammo so I can practice more often.

Edited February 8, 2010 by JReedEsq

[Guest CK1]

Maybe they were exagerating a bit to make a point. They did say there is a difference. I think their point was that placing rounds on target is more important than better (or bigger) bullets.

Now that right there is gospel!

Maybe it's just me but I've run into so many guys who've told me how foolish I am for carrying a 9mm and that a 9 doesn't have enough stopping power, "real calibers start with a 4"... etc, only to see them on the range struggling to even hit the paper...

[Guest Bonedaddy]

A well placed .22 will kill you deader than hell. If you can't hit it, it might hit you and you're not gonna wonder what size or load he was usin' when your falling to the floor bleeding.

[Guest la0s615]

im pretty sure it will me and my brother put 500 rounds of +p+ with no problem

[eapking]

A well placed .22 will kill you deader than hell. If you can't hit it, it might hit you and you're not gonna wonder what size or load he was usin' when your falling to the floor bleeding.

Just look at Va. Tech. Pretty sure that a__hole used a .22.

[Guest dougmcfalls]

I have a G-17 and a G-26 that both carry +p+ ammo. The Glocks handle the hot stuff just fine.

[Guest Ae-35]

Yeah, he had a P22 and a G19. At least that's what was on the news, don't know it for a fact, just what WCYB TV reported.

[Guest mikedwood]

Let's make that 4cents worth. I take a lot of flak for the same opinion as well.

I'll make it 8 cents.

I personally like regular hp 9mm just fine, Gold Dot prefered. + this and that I'm not into at all.

I just carry daily but the odds of me getting into a gunfight are probably about the same or more than winning the lottery or being shark attacked. But if I do it will be with 9mm Gold Dot.

Edited February 9, 2010 by mikedwood

[RoDan]

9mm rocks in my opinion. Very size effecient, and has proven itself over the years. No need for a caliber to start with a "4" or any of that silly bs. I also love .45, but not for carry.

I carry DoubleTap 147 +p in my G26. Why +p? Well I feel that in the shorter barrel it helps keep the velocity up. Also, the 147 gr round is slow to begin with, and in a +P it's as fast out of my 26 as standard pressure 147 gr is out of say a g19 or g17. DT 147 +p is about 1050-1100 out of a 26 give or take. I'm of the mentality and thinking that I want the heaviest round in a given caliber, and I want the fastest load in that weight. For me it is all about pure physics and terminal ballistics-- momentum not energy. DoubleTap's "bonded JHP" is a Speer Gold Dot bullet, they just just can't say it is for licensing purposes or something but they used to advertise this fact on their website. I shoot this load well, it is fairly inexpensive (less than a dollar per shot) and I trust the DT stuff.

[BigPoppa]

they didn't say there isn't a difference, just that they think way too many "net ninjas" spend too much time debating ammo and caliber and not learning to shoot effectively. The consensus was that as long as you're using a service caliber handgun, the ability to place your shots center mass is more important than anything else.

HEAR, HEAR !!

[RoDan]

Of course, it never matters how big a bullet you miss him with. However, I still say throw the most effective lead at him you can as long as it doesn't hinder your accuracy and/or shot placement.

[graycrait]

Retired Army guy with loads of friends and acquaintances who use guns for a living, many of the same for recreation. In some of our opinion the Glock 9mm in the G19 and G17 is the most reliable handgun ever made. JMBs designs are good and if you stay on top them maintenance-wise they will work reliably, same with S&W revolvers and a host of others. Bersa Thunder 9 should not be discounted. But Glock wins in parts availability world-wide, manual of arms, ease of maintenance, etc.

We have shot just about every kind of 9mm ammo you can run out of a Glock. The beauty of the Glock 9mm is that you can take it anywhere in the world, find ammo lying about, load it up and fire away. My only caution is that here in Middle Tennessee there is some what appears to be Pakistani 9mm ammo available at a fairly good price that feels to me to be very inconsistent in charge, from near squib to ++P+. I shot several hundred rounds one day and didn't feel good about it after awhile. I would use it in life and death situation, but will not knowingly use it. Anything else on the shelf I use.

As far as handgun caliber, several friends and myself conclude, along with many others: hits count, so do holes, lots of them, especially where handguns are concerned, caliber not so much as long as you can hit what you are shooting at quickly and accurately with either hand one-handed. If it is small caliber use solids, if collateral damage is an issue use frangible or hollow points. Here is a good website tutorial: Terminal Ballistics

[Guest Ae-35]

What does 22s and shot placement have to do with the OPs question? To the original post. Back a few years ago, at a IDPA shoot in FL. , that question was posed to a Glock factory rep. He said, that the 17 would handle all 9mm ammo including the higher pressure sub-gun rounds. But the 19 would suffer excessive wear from the higher pressure NATO and sub-gun rounds. I remember that cause a friend of mine ( who was there and heard the reps comments ) sold his 19 to my brother and got a 17, that day.

[RoDan]

?? that makes no sense... I think the recoil spring weights are identical in the 19 and 17, slide mass is only marginally heavier in the 17 and on top of that, if it were true then the 26 would be SOL if you tried to run +P+ through it. Not to mention the 22, 23 and 27 run the same recoil springs as their 9mmm counterparts, correct? and all weigh the same... Seems to me all of the .40 Glocks would be all stove up and broken by now. Same frames, same everything structural. I'm not saying you are wrong, I'm just saying I think that rep was just trying to sell 17s or something? Oh well.

Edited February 10, 2010 by RoDan

[Guest Ae-35]

I don't know, I was shoot'n in the single stack class, even though I owned a G19, didn't really care about the Glock platform. My friend had introduced me to him and asked the question. There's been "facts" repeated, that the 22 has shown stress problems with the frame, the pressures of the sub-gun 9mm is said to be at least as high or higher than the 40. Since it's the same frame well, who knows. That's supposed to have been addressed with the new gen. 4s. Mike Bane of Shoot'n Gallery, reported that Glock had made structural changes to strengthen the frames also. That was in his review of the new gen 4 G17 from the Shot Show.

Edited February 10, 2010 by Ae-35
spelling

[DWARREN123]

If you stay with regular or +P/NATO ammo you will be good. +P+ is not really a standard except it is over the SAMMI standard of +P in pressure.

Remember +P and +P+ only means more pressure. NATO is also higher in pressure than standard pressure ammo.

It is a good idea to stay away from sub-gun ammo in a handgun.

Edited February 11, 2010 by DWARREN123

[Guest Boogieman]

Just look at Va. Tech. Pretty sure that a__hole used a .22.

"Cho bought 22-caliber pistol in February, 9 mm Glock in March"

Heres something from a Glock rep according to a story found on GlockWorld.

Glock is even more positive and states that its guns are designed for continuous use with NATO ammunition and, therefore, may be used with +P+ because, "This type of ammunition does not exceed maximum NATO specification pressure levels and is totally compatible to be used in Glock pistols."