9MM Luger

[whymememe]

Is $8.00 per box of 50 a good price?

[Hammerslagger]

For new, non-corrosive, commercial ammo; $8.00/50 seems almost to good to be true. If it is chlorate primed (corrosive) military surplus with steel bullets, I would say "no". Such ammo is hard on guns and not worth the savings in price.

[mogunner]

If it's brass then heck yeah, steel... meh, about the usual price.

[whymememe]

Thanks for the info and specifics. I met a guy at block buster last week said he had 1500 rounds. I have his number I'll have to call him. He said he just got out of the Marines, it might be the military grade, if its the good stuff I'm going to buy some. I'll invite him to join the forum, O.K.?


I called him, it's Federal Brand, lucky me huh? Buying some today.

[whymememe]

yeap, its federal, I got 250 rounds for $40.00 U.S. Saving my pennies for more.

[Hammerslagger]

If it is Federal military ammo (with a NATO + inside of a circle on the primer end of case) it will be loaded to about 36,000 psi which is about 12% hotter than most civilian 9x19 mm ammo. Most non military pistols will digest a limited amount of it without undue wear; but it does put more stress on such guns, than some were designed for. Check with your pistol's maker or owner's manual.

[whymememe]

It's Federal brand comercial grade 115 grain. I'll be firing a Star BM9. I can't determine if it's nitro tested. I know it will handle the 115 grain just fine.

[whymememe]

The Chamber pressure limit is 29,157 psi. That's pretty strong, I think.

[Hammerslagger]

Relative to post #8, I am curious as to where the 29,157 psi chamber limit pressure comes from?

Most commercial 9x19 mm loaded in the USA meets SAAMI (USA) and CIP (Europe) pressure limits so USA ammo manufacturers can sell their products abroad. Both USA and European pressure limits for 9x19 exceed 34,000 psi. It is likely that most commercial regular pressure ammo is loaded a bit below the 34K limit.

[Alpo]

Originally Posted by whymememe

It's Federal brand comercial grade 115 grain. I'll be firing a Star BM9. I can't determine if it's nitro tested. I know it will handle the 115 grain just fine.

Since 9mm was never loaded with black powder, having a gun chambered in 9 that was not proofed for smokeless would be kinda foolish.

[whymememe]

Originally Posted by Hammerslagger

Relative to post #8, I am curious as to where the 29,157 psi chamber limit pressure comes from?

Most commercial 9x19 mm loaded in the USA meets SAAMI (USA) and CIP (Europe) pressure limits so USA ammo manufacturers can sell their products abroad. Both USA and European pressure limits for 9x19 exceed 34,000 psi. It is likely that most commercial regular pressure ammo is loaded a bit below the 34K limit.

This is a manual I found online.


http://star-firearms.com/firearms/ma...p,s_manual.pdf

The stats are on Page 22.

[Hammerslagger]

Thanks for posting the link to the old Star manual online. It is most interesting.

I actually found the specs and ballistics on page #20.

My briefly stated opinion is that much of the pressure and ballistics data stated there is not realistic. It looks like it is taken from some old European ammo makers wishful advertising, that is full of technical errors.

For example, it states that 5.39 grains of propellant drives a 125 grain bullet from a 9x19 cartridge at 1206 fps generating only 29157 psi. I do not think such is possible. {If it is possible, I wish we could get powder like that here in the USA.}

In any case, I would not worry about it. The Germans used a lot of Star "B's" in WW II with ammo that developed about 38,000 psi, according to H P White lab tests shortly after the war. I once owned a "Model B" made in 1953 that had been used by the west German police agency "LPN". It was a good pistol and showed no signs of any problem shooting commonly available US and European 9x19 mm.

[TheGunClinger]

Wow! At that price I would have bought it all.

1952 posts! The year I was born.