If you’re like the vast majority of the gun-carrying public, you probably have at least one 9mm ammo type that you carry or keep nearby for self or home defense. And while we know that when using good bullets, the 9mm will perform well against nefarious two-legged targets, do you know what 9mm ammo will do when encountering everyday obstacles or materials?
For instance, how far will 9mm ammo penetrate through interior walls? How much difference does it make if we use a Full Metal Jacket bullet vs a Jacketed Hollow Point? What about a car door? Yeah, we didn’t either. But it would be good to know, right? So we decided to do some not entirely scientific testing to find out.
Background and Types of 9mm Ammo
Here are some fun facts about the 9mm: it's well over 100yrs old, having been introduced in 1902 by George Luger for his Luger pistols, and it was adopted by the German Army in 1908.
However, it's actually older than the venerable 45 ACP and will undoubtedly outlive John M Browning's portly, boomer-favorite cartridge. *It's ok, you can let the hate flow through you, but it's just a fact. I digress, however…
Whether you call it 9mm ammunition, 9mm Luger, 9mm Parabellum, or 9X19mm, it is a reasonably light bullet that moves at a moderate velocity. It commonly weighs in between 115 to 147 grains and moves at a velocity in the 1,000fps – 1180fps range.
Most full-size and compact pistols can be had in 9mm, and it’s probably the most common handgun/cartridge combination in the U.S, despite what 1911 fanboys will tell you.
9mm ammunition is highly versatile, extremely popular, and is frequently used by military members, law enforcement, and everyday firearm owners. The ammo is produced by all the major manufacturers and is available in various types, depending on which shooting style you're interested in.
- Unjacketed: With no outer casing, unjacketed ammo features plain lead bullets that are generally slower and less powerful. This is not common for 9mm.
- Full metal jackets (FMJ): Primarily used for target and range shooting, 9mm FMJ ammo features a lead bullet encased in copper or another hard metal.
- Jacketed hollow point (JHP): 9mm JHP ammo features a lead bullet with a hollow tip that expands on impact. JHP ammunition generally has increased stopping power and is best used in self-defense, home defense, and everyday carry roles.
- Open tip match (OTM): Accurate and consistent, OTM ammunition is designed for target and competition shooting, similar to hollow points, but not as deadly. OTM rounds are more commonly found in rifle calibers.
- Ballistic tips: Designed for pistol hunting, 9mm ballistic cartridges have increased stopping power and can travel further distances.
Don’t forget, Ammunition Depot can help you with all your ammunition, firearms, and firearm accessory needs and are your trusted online source for 9mm, 40 Smith & Wesson, 357 Magnum, and even 45 ACP.
9mm Penetration Test Results
In this video ammunition review, our Ammunition Depot firearms expert Matt field-tests popular 9mm ammo types by comparing the penetration power of common everyday items and barrier materials.
From 115-grain Total Polymer Jacket, 124-grain Hornady FTX, and XTP – find out how layers of sheetrock, drywalls, and vehicle parts stack up against 9mm ammunition.
Which ammunition do you think will pack the most penetration power? Watch the video to see the actual results and how the bullets performed against other materials and objects!
In our best efforts to make the 9mm Penetration Test realistic, we put together various real-world materials that anyone/everyone is likely to encounter on a daily basis. These items included interior walls, vehicle doors, windshields, cinderblocks, and even a tire!
A bullet going through sheet rock inside a building is one of the most common scenarios. To demonstrate this portion of the penetration test, we made five little facsimile walls to shoot through with a few different bullet types to see what would happen.
The results were a bit surprising. Every bullet we tested went completely through the five sheetrock walls with ease, in what seemed to be a decent amount of “oomph” still available on the other side.
We also put a tightly folded, heavy-quilted moving blanket on the other side of the walls to capture some of the bullets. We recovered two bullets in the blanket that still penetrated six to eight layers.
One 9mm bullet type, the Hornady FTX Hollow Point, blew through the walls and eight layers of moving blanket with ease. We found the FTX Hollow Point about fifteen feet away in the berm embedded in moving blanket stuffing.
The test shows us that for better or for worse, interior walls are realistically only concealment, not cover. The 9mm Penetration Test also demonstrates how important it is to get your bullets on target and know what is beyond. After all, you can’t be running around blasting shots off like a Stormtrooper.
Were you surprised by any of the results? Will these results change your thoughts or plans for using a 9mm indoors for self-defense in any way?
Would you like to see this informal but real-world testing on 9mm vs 45 ACP? Maybe try it with 10mm?
BONUS Information
Looking for more information on 9mm ammo types? We’ve got you covered! Check out our informative deep dive on FMJ vs JHP ammunition and more below.
What is FMJ Ammo?
A Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) projectile is a small-arms caliber with two distinct metal parts/types. First is the core, which is generally composed of lead. The second is the outer shell, which is usually made of copper or copper alloy and is referred to as "the jacket."
In addition to being extremely popular amongst new and experienced firearm owners, FMJ ammo is also popular among all the major manufacturers. Available in multiple calibers and dozens of variations, manufacturers have even created their own proprietary variations to enhance the projectile's performance.
Advantages of FMJ Ammo
Compared to other ammunition types, full metal jacket rounds are relatively inexpensive and are commonly used by firearm owners for range training and high-volume competitions. Additionally, many high-volume shooters do not have to sacrifice quality for quantity when utilizing FMJ rounds.
Finally, because FMJ rounds are not designed to expand on impact with softened targets, they can often pass-through targets with very little loss of kinetic energy. Common targets include metals, walls, and many household items.
Disadvantages of FMJ Ammo
Although an excellent ammunition type for range use, FMJ bullets are not typically tailored to maximize energy delivered on targets making them less-than-ideal for hunting. A Full metal jacket round is likely to pass straight through a larger animal (like deer) or get stuck inside should you hit a bone.
For this reason, most firearm owners prefer the design and capabilities of JHP or Jacketed Hollow Point ammunition for hunting and self-defense situations.
What is JHP Ammo?
JHP or Jacketed Hollow Point ammunition was developed to rapidly expand when hitting its target, ultimately increasing the effectiveness of the round and decreasing the chances of over-penetration.
JHP ammo is available in a wide variety of calibers, often separated by shape, design, or the company that manufactures them.
Similar to FMJ, the JHP also contains a functional jacket. Still, the two are vastly different regarding stopping power. JHP ammo has a nose cavity instead of a flat, round, or pointed tip.
Advantages of JHP Ammo
The most obvious advantage of jacketed hollow point ammunition is its stopping power. When you hit a live target with an HP round, it will cause significantly more damage than FMJ, which in most cases will cause the animal to drop immediately.
Many avid hunters consider Jacketed Hollow points to be considered a more humane ammunition type, and the same sediment is shared by firearm owners who conceal carry for personal and home defense.
Disadvantages of JHP Ammo
The most significant and most commonly discussed disadvantage of JHP rounds is the price, especially when compared to FMJ. However, when it comes to firearm owners who are searching for a high-quality and reliable personal defense round, few can match the JHP performance.
Thanks for checking out our latest 9mm Ammo Penetration Test video review and learning more about FMJ vs. JHP 9mm ammo types. Be sure to comment in the section below and let us know what you learned or what surprised you!
Whether you're searching for FMJ or JHP ammo, Ammunition Depot has you covered. Our online inventory of 9mm Ammo and other popular handgun or rifle calibers is available for fast shipping at competitive prices.
