We�ve all seen how greatly the 9mm has benefitted from cartridge development into a very solid defensive cartridge when employed with good quality JHP ammunition. But what I find interesting is how well 9mm is working for the military. Sure we occasionally hear of stopping failures, but there�s not nearly as many as I thought I�d hear, not by a long shot (no pun intended).
Now 9mm NATO is a bit of a different animal than the old 9mm 115 grain hardball loads, but those performance differences are for barrier penetration and do very little to change terminal performance in soft tissue. Either load will drill a 9mm hole right through the upper torso of most anyone. So why the difference in performance? Why is it years ago we heard the 9mm was worthless, and these days most elite military units actually prefer it to the sacred .45 ACP?
I say the difference is the focus on handgun training, where in the past there was very little focus on handgun training. I think our soldiers shoot handguns better than they ever have in history, and therefore enemies who are shot, tend to be shot more center of mass, and thus the cartridge is doing its job.
What say you?
