Micro 9mm Power

G

Gary L. Griffiths

New member
I've decided to replace my Ruger LCP with a Diamondback DB9 for EDC. I've been testing it for reliability and effectiveness before relying on it as a defensive weapon. The picture shows the gun with three types of defensive rounds I've tested; Hornady Critical Defense 115-grs., Winchester PDX1 147-grs., and Federal HST Micro 150-grs. The first two both function reliably and expanded fairly well in water-filled jugs, but the Federal HST was rather a vast disappointment, not only failing to expand, but nose-diving into the feed ramp on several occasions.

 
Using heavy bullets in such a short barrel is contradictory to expecting effective performance.
Use the lightest(ie: fastest) bullet and hope for the best. Gold Dots or the obsolete Winchester SilverTips(the one with the thin aluminum jacket) will offer far more expansion.
 
Expansion, while nice, is overrated.

As long as you are getting acceptable penetration (without unacceptable over penetration) a few thousands of an inch is unlikely to matter that much.
 
Just my 2c. Shot placement and 115 - 147 gr HP should make your day. Keep shooting to the bad guy is down. Nothing short of artillery is a sure thing.
 
Yeah, but if I understand the post correctly, function was erratic with the Federal. That would be a reason for me to drop it, regardless of expansion or lack of it.
 
Expansion out of short barrel guns like yours tends to be hit or miss. Fortunately, modern ammo technology is making huge progress.

Speer Gold Dot makes a load specifically for short barrels that you might check out. Or just stick with the hornady critical defense.
 
Micro 9's are cool...

I've never tried a DB auto, but I do carry another micro 9mm, that is the Ruger LC9S in OD Green, I installed a set of BigDots and Pachmayer grips sleeve.

This little gun has the most amazing striker fired trigger of any in my collection.

~4 lb. & clean. Makes the surprise break......a surprise. :cool:

2mdqfdz.jpg
 
Using heavy bullets in such a short barrel is contradictory to expecting effective performance.
Use the lightest(ie: fastest) bullet and hope for the best. Gold Dots or the obsolete Winchester SilverTips(the one with the thin aluminum jacket) will offer far more expansion.
Click to expand...

Exactly. With such a short barrel there isn't much length to get it up to speed. The higher grain also reduces controllability with added recoil and muzzle flip. Liberty Ammunition makes some very light and fast self defense rounds. I just bought some for my .380.
 
My EDC is a Diamondback DB9. Prior to that it was the Ruger LC9. The LC9 is not as finicky about ammo as is the DB9. However, the DB9 is reliable with the right ammo, you just really have to test hollow points.

What I have done to make my DB9 more reliable is have the chambered round a hollowpoint; the next round is jacketed ball ammo; and all subsequent rounds are hollowpoints. If the first round out of a stacked magazine is a hollow-point, it tends to hit the feed ramp. You could try downloading the magazine by one round and that should help too.
 
Mobuck said:
Using heavy bullets in such a short barrel is contradictory to expecting effective performance.
Use the lightest(ie: fastest) bullet and hope for the best.
Click to expand...

TheGunGeek said:
Exactly. With such a short barrel there isn't much length to get it up to speed.
Click to expand...

Gun Geek you have it exactly right but have come to the wrong conclusion.
With short barrels you don't have much length(time) to accelerate the bullet a 147 will lose less velocity going to a short barrel than 115s will and with bullet technology the 147s will still be well into their window of expanding consistently.
 
What I have done to make my DB9 more reliable is have the chambered round a hollowpoint; the next round is jacketed ball ammo; and all subsequent rounds are hollowpoints.
Click to expand...
Or you could make the second round a Hornady Critical Defense 115-gr. Same profile as FMJ. I haven't had any issues with them feeding in my DB9.:cool:
 
Gun Geek you have it exactly right but have come to the wrong conclusion.
With short barrels you don't have much length(time) to accelerate the bullet a 147 will lose less velocity going to a short barrel than 115s will and with bullet technology the 147s will still be well into their window of expanding consistently.
Click to expand...

I think the first statement is right. Over a distance of 3-10 yds, I don't think there would be a lot of velocity loss from anything you throw at the bad guy.

Personally, I would make it 100% Critical Defense. They can be had in various weight bullets if you desire to shop.

I have tested 50 rounds in expansion media and not one failed to expand at distances of point blank up to 40 yds.
 
It's more important that you hit where it counts. Whether it's a 115 or a 147, expansion is secondary. In fact I might prefer the 147 and hope for penetration.
I have a regular LC9, not the striker model, it eats what ever ammo you put in it. Not everyone likes it because of the trigger. A LC9s has a good trigger and would be my choice if buying right now.
 
The LC9 and DB9 are not really comparable. I have carried both and the DB9 is a true micro 9mm; the LC9 is larger.
 
I'm definitely going to be using Underwood's Xtreme Cavitator for my Kel-Tec .32. I would strongly consider the Xtreme Defender for a 9mm micro pistol. Not 100% sold on it yet but the tests I've seen look to be pretty convincing. For such short barreled 9mms I just might bite.
 
I carry a Kahr MK9. IMO, the best thing to use for short barreled guns like my Kahr or the DB9 is the Gold Dots made specifically for short barrels, which is what mine is loaded with, if you're concerned about expansion. These are designed to expand at lower velocities then normal defense ammo, and velocity is always going to be a problem with short barrels. You can use excellent tooling and other minor technological trickeries to get a little more velocity; the S&W Shield comes to mind, but in the end, I think the smartest solution is the outside-the-box one. If you can't get more velocity, make the bullet expand better when it is moving slower. AFAIK Gold Dot is the only one that does this, but don't quote me on that one as absolute.

I can't speak as to how MUCH better that expansion is, since I don't test ammo lole that and don't really care all that much, but it is what it is supposed to do.
 
When I worked at a major retailer, we sold these Diamondbacks. People had trouble with them constantly. Failures to feed, failures to eject several times a magazine, you name it. One customer continued to send his back (we were only about an hour and a half north of them) and was on his 3rd pistol and still having problems. Between that and the crude characteristics of all the Diamondback firearms, I have never cared to try one for myself. They are very ammo sensitive from what I hear so I would stick with what's working well for you if you're getting reliable function from one brand of ammo.
 
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