[adguy]

I have a Beretta CX Storm in 9mm. It's neat little carbine.

I've read about how powder burns in longer barrels, etc, but I do not really have a clear understanding of that or really how the pistol caliber carbines differ from pistols, other than barrel length.

Would a 124gr +P work be a good choice? Or would a standard velocity 124gr or 147gr. be a better choice. I think 147 used to be the choice in some carbines.

This little rifle functions with everything.

Thanks so much for the advice.

Adguy: I added Ammo to your thread Title to avoid confusion, hope you don't mind. Bob

 

[weshowe]

adguy,

Most of my 9mm "carbine" work has been with SMG's and SBR's...basically short submachinegun barrel lengths. Say 8" or so.
The 147 really rules. It was developed for accuracy and subsonic/suppressed weapons usage. It excells at that and that is what I would recommend.
My Uzi and Mini-Uzi shoot one hole groups at 25 yards with these loads...and about anything you care to stuff in them.

Wes

 

[adguy]

Thanks, Wes.
I think the Beretta has a 16 inch barrel.
I have used the 147gr. Gold Dot in my Hi Power.

 

[Guest]

A better choice for what ?,,,, neither would be a good choice for elephants, anything reliable and accurate would be good for cardboard. The fact that you dont reload makes powder burn rates irrelevant because you get what the manufacturers load. A reloader trying to do different things with the bullet will pick different powders within the window of reccommended powders for that cartridge. For instance if I have a 4" 9mm and shoot alot of night or lowlight matches I'll use a very fast powder to minimize flash. If I had a carbine that I wanted max velocity out of I would figure a powder on the slow side would do that because the longer barrel would give the powder time to burn and convert that into bullet velocity

 

[twoguns]

Howdy Mr. Adguy,

I am going from memory here, but about 15+ years ago I attended a training course by my agency to be blessed to qualify co-workers with the MP-5 SMG. Our ballistics expert in our national firearms unit had done testing and ballistic work ups with all the 9mm rounds we issued or allowed for issuance at that point in time. We issued at least one standart 124 JHP, one +P 124 JHP, and a standard 147 JHP.

His work up concluded when using the 147 JHP (I think it was Winchester Ranger then) to sight the MP-5 in with, a 25 yard zero would produce a 100 yard zero as well, which was what my agency considered its maximum effective range to be.

Since I controlled the office ammo and issuance of the MP-5 to co-workers, initially I issued the 147 JHP for duty use, quals and practice with that platform. Over time we selected other duty rounds in 9mm, and were issued the Speer Gold Dots in 124 standard and +P, and the +P+ 115. We quickly discovered that the 115 +P+ was damaging the roller bearings in the MP-5s, and stopped allowing the +P+ for duty use in any platform.

Using either of the 124 Gold Dot loads and the 124 +P Remington GS, we had no problems with the MP-5s, which if I recall correctly, our model has a 9" barrel. I have no problems using the 124 JHPs, but my preference would also be for the 147 JHP. I think you get increased accuracy and velocity from the longer barrel, so I prefer to send a bit more lead downrange when possible too. Just my thoughts, and I hope they might help you a bit anyway.

twoguns

 

[dave]

Howdy there. I'm another 9mm Cx4 carbine shooter.

Is it the case that for shooting at 100 yards or so a 147grain bullet might be better than a lighter bullet? Does anyone know whether wind effects lighter weight 9mm bullets more?

I'm reading this thread with considerable interest. In my experience all bullet types have worked well *if* factory magazines are used. Once I deliberately tried to make the carbine jam and found that *if not* a factory mag, then blunter bullet shapes and larger diameter cavity hollow points can fail to feed. Ball rounds and more of an ogive shape work really well.

I might repeat that the literature on Winchester 127grain JHP +P+ LEO round specifically rules out using it in longarms.

--d.

 

[twoguns]

Howdy Mr. Dave,

I am sure no expert, and no one will ever hear me claim to be, lol. But I can share what little I know and think. As Mr. Wes pointed out, the original 147gr JHP was developed for the Navy SEALS to fire in suppressed SMG platforms. It was subsonic to reduce the "crack" and gave it a bit more weight on target.

I was fairly close with our ballistics man and he told me the reason he liked the 147gr in the MP-5 was the fact the round was dead on at both 25 and 100 yards. He felt because of that, anything in between the two distances would remain close enough for govt work, so to speak. At ranges less than 25 yards, precise sight alignment would not be as much an issue anyway.

As far as wind resistance issues, personally, I simply don't think in a normal breeze (however that would be defined) the difference between say a 147, a 124, or even a 115 would be worthy of concern. I simply think our man liked the 147 gr in the MP-5 as he had previously worked for HP White Labs and had some involvement in the original 147gr JHP concept. He felt it was good initially, and things had not really changed his mind. But as more effective 9mm rounds such as Gold Dots were developed, he was smart enough to realize there were other good rounds to be considered too.

Not really a precise answer to your question sir, but I hope it helps a bit anyway.

twoguns