Making Peace With The 9 m/m – Part 2

[JimT]

Bill started this so I am carrying on with Part 2. Most everyone who knows me knows I prefer the .45 … .44 … .41 … those that begin with “4”. However, to be honest, I like most anything that goes BANG! I also know that the 9mm has been with us for over 123 years and has fought in every war since that time. If it did not work it would not still be with us.

The pointy bullets that are called “round nose” that are loaded in many 9mm factory loads have been one reason for the failure of it to do what folks wanted. Properly shaped bullets are a “must have” if you are shooting things that live, breathe and bleed. The 9mm has always been a good penetrating caliber. And with the ammo available today it can perform pretty well.

I have been able to spend time with Phil Shoemaker, the Alaskan Bear Guide who killed a big one with his 9mm. I have spent several weeks with him at The Shootists Holiday and really enjoy his company. He used Buffalo Bore's heavy 9mm load that day and it worked well. Phil has shot enough bears over 40+ years that he knew where to hit it and how. And yes, he wished he had his rifle with him but you use what you have when the situation arises. Some of the rounds he fired into the bear gave almost complete penetration!

My first 9mm was a Colt Commander that I bought more than 30 years ago. I shot a lot of ammo through that gun. The first time I took it out I discovered why so many people like it. It is LOUDER than the .45 and it DOES NOT RECOIL AS HARD. In other words, it sounds powerful.

I also discovered some tricks to make that gun shoot accurately. I wrote about it years ago and the article is still on the Leverguns website. If you have not read it and are interested, you can find it here:

https://www.leverguns.com/articles/tayl ... oading.htm

Eventually I traded the 9mm for two 1st Generation Colt SAA's. One in .32-20 made in the 1913 and one in .45 Colt made in 1887. I gave the Colt Commander with 6 magazines and $300 for the single actions and was happy.

Fast forward to 2020. One day I ran onto a deal for a Star BM 9mm and bought it. I didn't have any ammo for it but I eventually gathered up everything I needed to cast bullets and reload for it. One of the members of the Leverguns Forum sold me a nice 4-die set of reloading dies that I still use. I appreciated the help!

I have shot the Star and reloaded a lot of ammo, experimenting with different loads and bullets. I found it to be an easy-to-carry gun. It is also easy to shoot with a nice trigger just as it came. And it is an accurate pistol. I have carried it at times and never felt under-armed. I know it will work. It's just not my preferred carry gun. I don't try to defend my preference by demeaning that which I do not prefer. Or at least I don't do that too often. Hopefully.

Never make a choice bases on other people's opinions. Use what you are comfortable using and familiar with. People's opinions won't help you when it is just you facing the odds.

[Bill in Oregon]

Great post, Jim. Thanks for the link to your article.
Good to know what load Phil used that day to defend his fishing clients against that bear.
I recently bought a Tisas 1911 Tank Commander in 9mm and have had a .38 Super barrel fitted to it, but I was surprised how civilized -- even if sacrilegious -- the 9mm behaves in John Browning's classic platform.

[AJMD429]

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I am considering switching to a 9 mm 1911 for concealed carry because it’s got the sights that I want. I just have to relearn how to shoot it accurately and accurize it to some extent if needed.

[Bill in Oregon]

Reading your article, Jim, I was astonished what an accuracy difference case length made.

[JimT]

Reading your article, Jim, I was astonished what an accuracy difference case length made.

I remember I was also. I haven't tried the Star with all the different lengths. I did try two different lengths plus just some random cases and actually there was no difference between them all, so it may just have been the Colt Commander for some reason was benefited by it. But it did work there. The Star shoots "OK" with all loads. It's not a one-hole gun at 20 yards but it's pretty good.

[Sarge]

I don't have anything against the 9mm; in fact one of the finest shooting handguns I ever owned was a Beretta 92G Centurion. I shot my best ever 'chewed hole' LE qual target with it and a ridiculously small, witnessed five shot group with it, around the barricades at 50 yards using Federal's 9BPLE. I've only owed two 9mms, but that one I should have kept.

If I lived in town a 9mm would probably suit me fine. As it stands, I spend a lot of time outside near what used to be 2000 acres of wild Missouri. Bear and cougar/panther have been sighted, in recent times, 10 miles from where we live. A 180-185 grain 40 caliber RNFP/SWC at 1050+ fps is as low as I'll go.