9mm
When it comes to
shooting sports, and competition shooting, we’ve come a long way from the
sticks and spears of the early days. Today, you will find that the most popular
round among competitive pistol shooters is the 9mm. The 9mm round, known by
it’s SAAMI designation as the 9mm Luger, was created by Georg Luger in 1902.
It was created in response to a need for
a round that had
enough stopping power to bring down a criminal while helping to reduce the cost
per round. Additionally, with the popularity of semi-automatic pistols on the
market, weapons manufacturers needed
a round that could chamber easily in this
format. Before long, military organizations and law enforcement agencies all
over the world were adopting this caliber as their primary weapon.
With regards to pistol competitions, the 9mm is popular
primarily due to
it’s low price and ample availability. Beyond factory rounds,
the elements to reload 9mm rounds are readily available, as is load data for
any aspect of shooting one might need. In fact, the 9mm has more information
available for
handloading than nearly any other caliber.
Because of the round’s popularity, firearm manufacturers
offer nearly infinite possibilities in a 9mm pistol. For beginners, there are several
“out-of-the-box” pistols (meaning straight from the factory with no
aftermarket modifications) available, as well as additional enhancements
available to the expert shooter. This all makes the 9mm the go-to gun for any
shooter looking to “get their feet wet” in competitive shooting.
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