9mm range

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KMAX

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What would be considered the maximum lethal range of 9mm out of a 16 inch barreled semi-auto carbine? What would be the velocity at that range?
 
What would be considered the maximum lethal range of 9mm out of a 16 inch barreled semi-auto carbine? What would be the velocity at that range?
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I have a 16" 9mm blowback AR I made and love it and have shot LOTS of different ammo and handloads through it, and my answer is that there is so much variation between bullet weights and charges used it's impossible to give a straight answer to that. I would say my hottest P++ loads would be quite lethal to 50 yards; maybe a bit more, but ballistically the 9mm projectile loses energy fast. I've even whipped up some very high velocity 9mm loads using ultralight bullets though they tend to destabilize a bit.
 
I suppose I should have stated for home defense. I would never consider using 9mm to hunt deer except possibly in a post-apocalyptic world. My question stemmed from the thought that I might accidentally miss my intended target.
 
The Lyman 50th ed manual has reloading data for the 9x19mm in a 16.25 inch barreled rifle. Surprisingly, (or not so surprisingly) there was little difference in velocities from a rifle versus a handgun. Using the ballistic co-efficients for a 115 and 125 grain, 9mm bullet, and assuming muzzle velocities of 1300 ft/sec and 1250 ft/sec, respectively, you can make these approximations.

The trajectory is about the same for either bullet. For a 50 yard zero: a 2 inch drop at 75 yards, -6 inch @100 yards, -20 inch @ 150 yards, and -44 inch @ 200 yards.

Velocities for the 115 grain and 125 grain respectively, are 1050 and 1000 ft/sec @100 yards, 970 and 930 ft/sec @ 150 yards, and 910 and 880 ft/sec @ 200 yards.

If you consider that a 38 special, 158 grain bullet leaves the muzzle at 850 ft/sec, then it becomes apparent that the 9x19mm can be lethal to 200 yards and beyond.
 
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I recently bought one of the S&W FPC carbines in 9mm

https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/fpc

I'm shooting Winchester 147 gr loads in it. They should be getting 1000 fps from a handgun. I've not chronographed them, but I should be doing a little better from a 16" barrel.

I don't know about energy, but I'm getting 2" groups at 100 yards with a dot sight. It might not put a man down instantly, but I'd use it to 100 if I had to shoot that far.

I bought it to get a bit better accuracy at 25-50 yards than I can do with a handgun. I'm actually a bit surprised at that kind of accuracy at 100.
 
@JMR40: Thanks for the link. I've been considering a Henry Homesteader, but I'll take a look at the Smith & Wesson. I wasn't aware of Smith pistol carbine.

It's surprising the accuracy you can get with a 9x19mm with a little practice...even with a handgun. In the 60's, when 9mm military surplus was selling for 3$ per hundred, we would sit on a railroad trestle and plink at targets in a plowed field with Browning Hi-Powers. One of the brownings had the tangent, or ladder rear sight, and once you got the elevation right by observing the puff of dust in the field, it became pretty easy to hit a man sized target out to two or three hundred yards.
 
@JMR40 This is the specific gun that I happen to be using and I agree. I wanted something more for the 50-75 yard range but was impressed with the 100 yard accuracy.
 
Plenty of small game has fallen to the 22 LR lobbed out to 150 yards or farther. I've taken small game cleanly out to 100 yards with a reasonable degree of accuracy. After that lethal hits on small game are not certain enough for my comfort level. I'm sure a 22 LR would be lethal well past 200 yards if a person was hit in the head. A 9mm would retain much more energy much father than that. The problem is not the lethal range as much as the effective range. Depending on the gun you might get sub 5 inch groups at 100 yards from a 9mm carbine. You might be able to make solid hits out to 200 yards but I doubt you could reliably hit at 300 yards due to the rainbow trajectory of a bullet that drops over 110 inches by that point will be moving along well under 1000 fps.
https://www.buffalobore.com/images/eb_24a_1500fps.png
 
The problem is not the lethal range as much as the effective range.
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That was my first thought. A 9mm P bullet will have killing power way beyond its effective trajectory and accuracy. The "Red Nine" Mauser's sight was only graduated to 500 meters instead of the 1000 of the 7.63.
 
At a guess, possibly up to 2 to 4 miles if fired at an elevation angle of 39° for maximum range.
Flight time could be on the very loose order of 30 to 38 seconds.
 
I agree. It's probably potentially lethal out to the limit of its trajectory as long as it doesn't hit something or start tumbling.
 
Little as 12ft-lb of energy is lethal. Imagine firing from high altitude such as high mountain or an aircraft. Literally sky is the limit.

That's why it is crucial to have backstop. I've seen videos showing expert hunters taking game on ridge line without backstop. They know what they are doing?

-TL



Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 
On boxes of .22s it says "dangerous over a mile" (or more), the 9mm, and essentially every other bullet will be also.

Maximum effective range is another matter, and depends on how good you are, and what effect you are hoping to achieve.

Shooting in self defense at long range is not easily supported by our legal system. A bullet traveling long range, because you missed, and you being responsible for any and all damage that bullet causes, is supported by our legal system, and can cost you a LOT!.
 
I shoot on hilly and flat terrain. The problem with bullets is they like to bounce depending on the hardness of the terrain and the angles. 22s in particular like to skip and bounce if the start tumbling on contact with hard ground. If you shoot down on a flat piece of land from a high angle, generally the bullet will stop in the dirt regardless of soil compaction but if you shoot the same land at a shallow angle, it will often skip a bit unless the dirt is tilled. I've shot at a shallow angle on a freshly disked field where I could see for several hundred yards and saw my 22 bullets make several splashes before running out of steam way far on the other side of the field. It's kinda like skipping rocks on a pond when you shoot at a shallow angle on compacted dirt. One of the blessings of the 17s is the bullets are so fast and frangible they tend to break up but they can also skip and do damage if they hit the dirt at a shallow angle.
 
Ive been able to get almost 2000 fps and well over 700 ftlbs energy at the muzzle using 90 gr interceptors out of my 16" barrel in my handloads. I would not use them in a handgun.
 
The OP said home defense, but as 44AMP pointed out, you aren’t going to be taking 200 yard shots and claiming home defense. So I’m wondering if the posters concern is over penetration, like hitting the neighbors house and someone inside, or penetrating interior walls and hitting a family member?
 
If over penetration is a big concern then how about a good old pump 12 with some high brass #4 shot or maybe #4 Buck?
I’m not sure a 9mm pistol, much less a carbine will give you what you want if stray bullets are such a concern.
God forbid that day comes for me but I know this much, over penetration from my 9mm won’t be what’s on my mind.
 
44caliberkid said:
The OP said home defense, but as 44AMP pointed out, you aren’t going to be taking 200 yard shots and claiming home defense. So I’m wondering if the posters concern is over penetration, like hitting the neighbors house and someone inside, or penetrating interior walls and hitting a family member?
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While unlikely, it is possible that a person or house could be engaged by a threat with a rifle from well beyond 200yds. Again, very unlikely, but not impossible.
 
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