ATTENTION:  Effective Sept 1, 2020, the BBTI Project is in "Archive Status."  No further tests will be conducted, but we will maintain this site and data for the use of the firearms community.  Thank you.

9mm Luger Results in fps

Click here for a Muzzle Energy graph for the tests in this caliber.

barrel length Cor Bon
90 gr.
JHP +P
Cor Bon
115 gr.
JHP +P
Cor Bon
125 gr.
JHP +P
Cor Bon
115 gr.
DPX
Federal
115 gr.
JHP
Federal
135 gr.
Hydra-
Shok
JHP
low recoil
Federal
105 gr.
Expand'g
FMJ
Federal
124 gr.
Hydra-
Shok
JHP
Federal
147 gr.
Hydra-
Shok
JHP
Speer
124 gr.
Gold Dot
Short
Barrel
18" 1754 1543 1449 1458 1297 1194 1370 1231 1083 1395
17" 1766 1550 1421 1455 1320 1207 1381 1250 1096 1400
16" 1740 1525 1430 1476 1295 1185 1358 1243 1073 1379
15" 1768 1536 1392 1416 1304 1194 1364 1244 1090 1375
14" 1767 1532 1405 1440 1295 1182 1372 1241 1090 1390
13" 1738 1517 1477 1427 1281 1183 1343 1237 1081 1378
12" 1716 1514 1385 1380 1282 1184 1273 1225 1081 1361
11" 1690 1496 1372 1391 1268 1166 1318 1212 1059 1360
10" 1647 1474 1372 1379 1253 1167 1314 1211 1067 1338
9" 1663 1476 1369 1377 1238 1161 1307 1212 1055 1345
8" 1634 1458 1366 1366 1234 1145 1278 1180 1047 1329
7" 1619 1446 1329 1350 1223 1136 1258 1161 1040 1316
6" 1566 1402 1312 1332 1188 1113 1235 1131 1030 1284
5" 1539 1372 1282 1315 1166 1085 1194 1115 1007 1259
4" 1444 1316 1226 1265 1094 1039 1140 1061 951 1203
3" 1345 1245 1170 1215 1029 976 1073 988 902 1108
2" 1215 1134 1061 1132 948 909 985 900 837 1074

 

real
world
weapon
Cor Bon
90 gr.
JHP +P
Cor Bon
115 gr.
JHP +P
Cor Bon
125 gr.
JHP +P
Cor Bon
115 gr.
DPX
Federal
115 gr.
JHP
Federal
135 gr.
Hydra-
Shok
JHP
low recoil
Federal
105 gr.
Expand'g
FMJ
Federal
124 gr.
Hydra-
Shok
JHP
Federal
147 gr.
Hydra-
Shok
JHP
Speer
124 gr.
Gold Dot
Short Barrel
Special
Weapons
MP5
clone
18" barrel
1704 1477 1362 1424 1277 1231 1360 1259 1073 1323
Kel Tec
Sub-2000
16" barrel
1751 1524 1387 1385 1317 1227 1348 1270 1086 1391
Beretta
Cx4
Storm
16" barrel
1751 1489 1354 1345 1287 1188 1316 1252 1049 1354
DSA
TP-9
6" barrel
1516 n/a 1273 n/a 1157 1092 n/a 1135 1001 n/a
Sig P210
Target
6" barrel
1561 1415 1307 1306 1193 1136 1263 1178 1037 1292
Kimber
Target II
1911
5" barrel
1565 1411 1314 1327 1181 1137 1262 1173 1027 1279
Korth
semi-auto
5" barrel
1451 1312 1235 1250 1125 1062 n/a 1110 962 1194
Beretta
92 FS
4.875" barrel
1522 1384 1291 1280 1171 1093 1234 1115 989 1251
Steyr
S9
3.6" barrel
1410 1301 1178 1225 1064 1027 1108 1035 931 1152
Para LDA
Carry 9
3" barrel
1389 1281 1198 1204 1075 1035 1129 1071 933 1142
Rohrbach
R9 2.9" barrel
n/a n/a n/a n/a 949 885 985 927 813 n/a

Other Resources

BBTI is not the end-all of ballistics testing, just one more component available for the common good.  In addition to extensive discussion about ballistics to be found at many gun forums, here are some other great resources pertaining to ballistics testing you should check out.  (And if you would like to recommend a site to list here, please send an email.)
  • BrassFetcher:  excellent resource, with an emphasis on bullet performance in ballistic gelatin
  • The Box O' Truth:  testing ammo penetration through various barriers
  • Terminal Ballistics Research:  Specializes in the research of cartridge & projectile performance, using hard data gathered from 20 years of hunting game.

Acknowledgements

We'd like to personally and specifically thank Pat Childs at Fin & Feather in Iowa City, as he not only helped get most of our ammunition and other supplies, he was the brilliant gunsmith who worked with us to make this insane project much more practical.  Without his help all of this would have been much more difficult and perhaps impossible.  Anyone who uses our data owes him a debt of gratitude.

And thanks to our spouses, who were not just tolerant but enthusiastically supportive of this rather nutty project.

Disclaimer

This project, and all of its results, is only our fault.  We (well, Jim K, mostly) paid for everything ourselves, and we did not receive any kind of sponsorship or remuneration from anyone.  We did all the work.  We used products we were either familiar with, or because they were what was available, and mentioning them by name does not constitute an endorsement of any kind.  Furthermore, the data is provided purely for entertainment purposes - to better facilitate arguments over what ammo or caliber or gun is "best."  How you use the data is entirely up to you.  And if you think you could do better, feel free to spend the money and do the work and publish your own results.  Or not.  Your choice.