9mm Ammo 101: A Beginner’s Guide to the Basics

With ammo prices higher than ever  and personal safety becoming more of a priority than ever, new gun owners need to understand how to properly feed their firearms. Whether you’re concerned about home protection or just starting your journey as a responsible gun owner, one thing is clear:

9mm is the most popular handgun caliber in the world — period.

More pistols, carbines, and personal defense firearms are chambered (meaning they are only capable of “eating” AKA shooting in 9mm). There are caliber conversion accessories that allow certain guns to shoot whatever caliber the conversion kit is built for but that’s neither here or there for now. To land the plane,  9mm’s popularity in the gun world makes it #1 choice for new shooters, and one of the most available and versatile rounds on the market.

Why Ammo Knowledge Matters More Than Ever

In today’s world of rising crime, social uncertainty, economic tension, and seemingly more more lunatics in the world than ever before, more people are turning to firearms for the safety of themselves and their families. But your gun is only as effective as the ammo and training you put in it. But because you are new, we will take it nice and slow and just start with the ammo.

With 9mm being in high demand and prices steadily increasing, it’s crucial for first-time shooters to know exactly what type of 9mm ammo their pistol requires — especially for those focused on personal defense or home security and those who are bargain buyers and want topiary for the best but prepare for the worst.

Ammunition is like alcohol — it's constantly being consumed, every second of every day. Whether it’s for training, defense, competition, or recreation, ammo is always in demand and always being used. So consumers are always looking for the most reliable yet cheapest ammo out there.

But don’t rush to buy just yet—were just getting started.

When you here someone say “I need more 9” or “my handgun only carries 9mm”, they are usually referring to 9x19. See below:

Other 9mm Cartridges (Not for Your Standard 9mm Pistol)

• 9mm Kurz / Corto / 9x17
• Same as .380 Auto
• “Kurz” and “Corto” mean “short”
• Smaller and weaker than regular 9mm
• 9mm Makarov / 9x18
• Used in old Russian/Eastern European pistols
• Not the same as regular 9mm
• 9mm Largo / 9x23
• Found in old Spanish guns
• Longer than regular 9mm
• 9mm Glisenti
• Used in WWI-era Italian pistols
• Looks like regular 9mm but can't handle the pressure
• 9mm Steyr
• Made for Austro-Hungarian military guns
• Rare and not interchangeable

If you don’t have one of those rare pistols, stick with 9mm Luger — also called 9x19 or 9mm Parabellum. That’s the standard 9mm used in most handguns.

How to Read a Box of 9mm Ammo

After confirming you have the right 9mm ammo (9mm Luger or 9x19), check the bullet weight, bullet type, and SKU on the box. The SKU helps you find the exact ammo again and compare different 9x19 options easily.

Bullet Weight in 9mm Ammo: What You Need to Know

Bullet weight is the weight of the actual projectile, not the whole cartridge. It’s measured in grains (gr) — there are 7,000 grains in a pound.

Common 9mm bullet weights include:

• 115gr
• 124gr
• 125gr
• 147gr
• 158gr (uncommon but out there)

Generally, heavier bullets pack more punch but also produce more recoil and cost more. Most shooters practice with 115gr ammo because it’s affordable and easier to handle. For personal defense, many prefer heavier bullets like 124gr or 147gr for better stopping power.

Understanding 9mm Bullet Types: A Beginner’s Guide

When choosing 9mm ammo, the bullet type tells you the shape and purpose of the projectile. These are usually shown as 3–5 letter acronyms. Here’s a quick breakdown:

• FMJ (Full Metal Jacket)
• Round-nose bullet with a lead core and metal jacket (usually copper or brass)
• Best for target practice
• Most affordable ammo type
• Safe to shoot in any pistol

• FMJ FP (Full Metal Jacket Flat Point)
• Same as FMJ but with a flat tip for different flight characteristics

• FMJ TC (Full Metal Jacket Truncated Cone)
• Like FMJ but with straight sides instead of curved

• TMJ (Total Metal Jacket)
• Fully jacketed, including the base
• Often required at indoor shooting ranges

• JHP (Jacketed Hollow Point)
• Hollow tip designed to expand on impact
• Reduces over-penetration and increases stopping power
• The best choice for self-defense and concealed carry

• LRN (Lead Round Nose)
• Plain lead, non-jacketed bullet
• Not recommended for pistols like Glock or H&K due to rifling design
• Can be used for practice when nothing else is available
• Produces more smoke and fouling

• 9mm HAP & 9mm FTX (Hornady Ammo Types)
• HAP (Hornady Action Pistol) — designed for competition shooting
• FTX — designed specifically for self-defense

Other “popular” terms to note:

Subsonic: Subsonic means it does not exceed the speed of sound. For suppressor use, you want to use subsonic and/or 147gr ammo.

Frangible: Frangible means the bullets are made from pressed metal powder (usually copper) instead of lead. These bullets break apart into dust on impact, making them great for shooting steel targets without ricochets. They’re usually expensive and not recommended for personal defense. Unless you intend to keep for self-defense at home because they do not penetrate walls.

Pressure:  Pressure means the rounds are loaded to higher pressure than normal. It makes the bullet travel faster and hit harder. This will show up as +P or +P+. If you don’t see either of those, then it means the bullet has standard pressure upon firing.

And if you are understanding everything we wrote and you want the strongest 9x19 you can get; we recommend something that 147gr or greater that is +P+.