9x19mm Parabellum The 9×19mm Parabellum ( abbreviated 9mm , 9mmP , 9×19mm or 9×19 ) cartridge was designed by Georg Luger and introduced in 1902 by the German weapons manufacturer Deutsche Waffen - und Munitionsfabriken ( DWM ) for their Luger semi - automatic pistol . For this reason , it is designated as the 9mm Luger / 9mm Luger + P by the SAAMI and the 9 mm Luger by the C . I . P . ( differentiating it from the 9mm Makarov and 9mm Browning cartridges ) . Under STANAG 4090 , it is a standard cartridge for NATO forces as well as many non - NATO countries . The name " Parabellum " is derived from the Latin : " Si vis pacem , para bellum " ( " If you seek peace , prepare for war " ) , which was the motto of DWM . According to the 2006 edition of " Cartridges of the World " , the 9×19mm Parabellum is " the world ' s most popular and widely used military handgun cartridge . " In addition to being used by over 60 % of police in the U . S . , " Newsweek " credits 9×19mm Parabellum pistol sales with making semi - automatic pistols more popular than revolver s . The popularity of this cartridge can be attributed to the widely held conviction that it is effective in police and self - defense use . Its low cost and wide availability contribute to the caliber ' s continuing popularity . Origins . Georg Luger developed the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge from his earlier 7 . 65×21mm Parabellum round , which itself was derived from the original 7 . 65×25mm Borchardt cartridge in the Borchardt C - 93 pistol . Shortening the length of the cartridge case used in the Borchardt pistol allowed him to improve the design of the toggle lock and to incorporate a smaller , angled grip . Luger ' s work on the Borchardt design evolved into the Luger pistol , first patented in 1898 and chambered in 7 . 65×21mm Parabellum . Demand for larger calibers in military sidearms led to Luger to develop the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge for his new pistol . This was achieved by removing the bottleneck shape of the 7 . 65×21mm Parabellum case , resulting in a tapered rimless cartridge encasing a bullet that was 9mm in diameter . In 1902 , Luger presented the new round to the British Small Arms Committee as well as three prototype versions to the U . S . Army for testing at Springfield Arsenal in mid - 1903 . The Imperial German Navy adopted the cartridge in 1904 and in 1908 the German Army adopted it as well . The ogive of the bullet was slightly redesigned in the 1910s in order to improve feeding . To conserve lead during World War II in Germany , the lead core was replaced by an iron core encased with lead . This bullet , identified by a black bullet jacket , was designated as the 08 mE ( — " with iron core " ) . By 1944 , the black jacket of the 08 mE bullet was dropped and these bullets were produced with normal copper - colored jackets . Another wartime variation was designated the 08 sE bullet and identified by its dark gray jacket , and was created by compressing iron powder at high temperature into a solid material ( — " sintered iron " ) . Popularity . After World War I , acceptance of the 9×19mm Parabellum chambering increased , and 9×19mm Parabellum pistols and submachine gun s were adopted by military and police users in many countries . The 9×19mm Parabellum has become the most popular caliber for U . S . law enforcement agencies , primarily due to the availability of compact pistols with large magazine capacities that use the cartridge . Worldwide , the 9×19mm Parabellum is one of the more popular pistol cartridges where it is legal ( some countries ban civilian use of weapons that chamber current or former military service cartridges ) , and cartridges in this caliber are generally available anywhere pistol ammunition is sold . From the early 1980s to the mid - 1990s , there was a sharp increase in the popularity of semi - automatic pistols in the U . S . , a trend foreshadowed by the adoption of the Smith & Wesson Model 39 by the Illinois State Police in 1968 . In addition , the Beretta M9 ( a military version of the Beretta Model 92 ) was adopted by the U . S . Army in 1985 . Previously , most American police departments issued . 38 Special caliber revolvers with a six - shot capacity . The . 38 Special was preferred to other weapons such as variants of the M1911 because it offered low recoil , was small and light enough to accommodate different shooters , and was relatively inexpensive . The 9mm is ballistically superior to the . 38 Special revolver cartridge , is shorter overall , and being an autoloader cartridge , it is stored in flat magazines , as opposed to cylindrical speedloaders . This , coupled with the advent of the so - called " wonder nines " led to many U . S . police departments exchanging their revolvers for some form of 9mm semi - automatic handguns by the 1980s . In 2014 the FBI released a report detailing the potential combat effectiveness of the 9mm cartridge when compared to other calibers such as the . 45 ACP and the . 40 Smith & Wesson cartridge that was specifically developed for use by the FBI . The report indicated that the new powders and more advanced bullet designs used in current 9mm defensive loads allowed for the caliber to deliver comparable performance to other calibers , like the . 45 ACP , and . 40 S & W . In addition to this the lower recoil , less wear , and higher capacity were all reasons that the report cited for the recent surge in orders of the ammunition from various police agencies . With a wider selection of officers being able to shoot handguns chambered in 9×19mm many departments choose this caliber so they can standardize around a single firearm and loading , making logistics and supply easier . Due to all of these factors , law enforcement orders of 9mm ammo from all major ammunition manufacturers have spiked dramatically . Cartridge dimensions . The 9×19mm Parabellum has 0 . 86 ml ( 13 . 3 grains HO ) cartridge case capacity . 9×19mm Parabellum maximum C . I . P . cartridge dimensions . All sizes in millimeters ( mm ) . The cartridge headspaces on the mouth of the case . The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 250 mm ( 1 in 9 . 84 in ) , 6 grooves , ø lands = 8 . 82 mm , ø grooves = 9 . 02 mm , land width = 2 . 49 mm and the primer type is small pistol . According to the official C . I . P . ( Commission Internationale Permanente pour l ' Epreuve des Armes à Feu Portatives ) rulings the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge case can handle up to P piezo pressure . In C . I . P . regulated countries every pistol cartridge combo has to be proofed at 130 % of this maximum C . I . P . pressure to certify for sale to consumers . This means that 9×19mm Parabellum chambered arms in C . I . P . regulated countries are currently ( 2014 ) proof tested at PE piezo pressure . The SAAMI pressure limit for the 9×19mm Parabellum is set at piezo pressure . The SAAMI pressure limit for the 9×19mm Parabellum + P is set at piezo pressure . Empty case with primer weighs approximately . Performance . The round was originally designed to be lethal to 50 m , but the bullet travels and is lethal at longer ranges . The 9 mm cartridge combines a flat trajectory with moderate recoil . According to the 1986 book " Handloading " : " the modern science of wound ballistics has established beyond reasonable doubt that the 9mm cartridge is highly effective . " Improvements and variations . In addition to the traditional pressure values for this cartridge , there are two main variants that offer different pressure standards than the SAAMI or C . I . P requirements . 9 mm Commonwealth standard . The Cartridge S . A . Ball 9 m / m Mark Iz ( 9 m / m BALL MK 1z ) was the standard Imperial 9 - mm Parabellum round in World War Two and was produced from December 1941 to 1944 . It was meant for use in semi - auto pistols like the Inglis Browning Hi - Power . Bullet weight was 115 grains [ 7 . 45 grams ] . Velocity was 1200 feet / second [ 365 meters / second ] at 20 yards [ 18 . 28 meters ] . It is noted by its purple annulus around a standard gold - colored primer . The higher - powered Cartridge S . A . Ball 9 m / m Mark IIz ( 9m / m Ball MK 2z ) was in production from September , 1943 to 1988 and was graded as NATO standard in 1962 . It was designed for use in submachineguns like the Lanchester , Sten , and Sterling . Bullet weight is 115 grains [ 7 . 45 grams ] over a charge of 6 grains [ 0 . 388 grams ] of Du Pont SR . 4898 or Dynamit - Nobel Parabellum Powder . Velocity is 1300 feet / second [ 396 meters / second ] at 20 yards [ 18 . 28 meters ] . It can be distinguished from the 9 - mm Ball MK 1z by its purple annulus around a silver primer . India and Pakistan manufactured 9 - mm Parabellum ammunition to this standard after independence . Canada ' s Cartridge S . A . Ball 9 m / m CDN Mark I ( 9 - mm Ball CDN MK 1 ) , made from 1955 to present , has similar ballistics . Bullet weight is 115 grains [ 7 . 45 grams ] . Nominal Muzzle Velocity is 1246 . 7 feet / second [ 380 meters / second ] . 9mm NATO standard . The 9 mm cartridge has been manufactured by , or for , more than 70 different countries and has become a standard pistol caliber for NATO and other military forces around the world . Its official nomenclature among NATO members is " 9mm NATO " . Standard bullet weight is 124 grains [ 8 . 03 grams ] . The 9mm NATO can be considered as an overpressure variant of the 9×19mm Parabellum that is defined by NATO standards . The service pressure Pmax of the 9mm NATO is rated at where C . I . P . rates the 9 mm Luger PTmax somewhat lower at . The proofing test pressure used in the 9mm NATO proof test however equals the proofing test pressure used in the 9 mm Luger C . I . P . proof test . While the NATO standards do not specify the type of bullet to be used , Declaration III of the Hague Convention of 1899 prohibits the use of expanding ammunition in warfare by signatories , and therefore official 9mm NATO ammunition is FMJ " ball " bullets . It should be noted that Declaration III does not apply in conflicts involving non - signatories to the Hague Convention , including paramilitary and other non - governmental fighting forces . Swedish m / 39 . The 9mm Parabellum entered Swedish service as m / 39 with the import of the " Kulsprutepistol " m / 39 from Austria , with a bullet weight of 7 . 5 gram ( 115 grain ) . During the Congo Crisis , the Swedish UN - contingent issued complaints about the performance of the m / 39 cartridge ( regular 9mm Parabellum ) used , which resulted in a commission of the Swedish Army establishing in 1962 that a new round was needed for the Carl Gustav m / 45 . The resulting m / 39B had a tombac - plated steel jacket surrounding the lead core . While the lands of the barrel can cut into the tombac , the steel jacket resists deformation and thus causes the gas pressure to rise higher than the previous soft - jacketed m / 39 , giving the 6 , 8 gram ( 106 grain ) bullet a Vₒ of and an impact energy of 600 joules . The mantle also acts like a penetrator when striking a target , going through up to 50 layers of kevlar , 7 cm bricks or 25 cm of wood , allowing the bullet to defeat body armour up to Type IIIA . The downside is the higher wear on the weapon , ultimately causing the service pistol m / 40 to be withdrawn from service . The m / 39 is also available as a " gallery round " – " kammarpatron m / 39 " – black with blue tip , for indoor gallery shooting , and as a blank round – " lös patron m / 39 " – which has the metal bullet replaced with one in red , hard plastic intended to disintegrate into dust when fired . 9×19mm + P variant . Attempts to improve ballistics of the cartridge came in the early 1990s with the widespread availability of high - pressure loadings of the 9 mm cartridge . Such overpressure cartridges are labeled " + P " or in the case of very high pressure loadings " + P + " . Ballistic performance of these rounds was moderately improved over the standard loadings . In addition , improvements in jacketed hollow - point bullet technology have produced bullet designs that are more likely to expand and less likely to fragment than earlier iterations , giving a 9 mm bullet better terminal effectiveness . 9mm SESAMS . The United States Military uses red and blue marking rounds in the 9mm caliber known as Special Effects Small Arms Marking Systems ( SESAMS ) . Commonly used for training simulations , these rounds are comparable in function to the paintballs used in paintball markers , except they are fired with a powder charge , and can be shot in Beretta M9 service pistols with only a barrel modification ( The Glock 19 - series 9mm pistol , common among police departments , has a similar available modification ) . The 9mm SESAMS rounds are fired from specially modified pistols as well as M16 and M4 rifles , which are incapable of chambering standard live ammunition . SESAMS weapons or components are normally painted blue or otherwise clearly marked , in order to denote their inert status and avoid a potentially catastrophic mixup with live - fire weapons . This allows the armed forces to train with nearly identical equipment as used in real life situations . The brand name for this ammunition , which is sold commercially and to law enforcement , is Simunition . Russian military overpressure variants . The Russian military has developed specialized 9×19mm cartridges that utilize relatively light bullets at high muzzle velocities for both pistols and submachine guns to defeat body armour . Besides enhanced penetration capabilities , these overpressure variants offer a flatter trajectory and lessened recoil . The increase in service pressure causes a rise in bolt thrust , so the use of this overpressure ammunition induces more stress on critical weapon parts during firing . After initial research , conducted since the late 1980s under the codename " Grach " , the Russian armed forces adopted two specialized 9×19mm variants . The 7N21 ( Cyrillic : 7 Н 21 ) 9×19mm overpressure variant features an armour - piercing bullet and generates a peak pressure of . The 7N21 bullet features a hardened ( sub - caliber ) steel penetrator core , enclosed by a bimetal jacket . The space between the core and jacket is filled with polyethylene , and the tip of the penetrator is exposed at the front of the bullet , to achieve better penetration . The penetration range for body armor is specified at up to 40 m . The MP - 443 Grach and GSh - 18 pistols and PP - 19 - 01 , PP - 90M1 and PP - 2000 submachine guns were designed for usage with this overpressure cartridge . " Jane ' s Infantry Weapons " stated in 2003 that the 7N21 cartridge combines the 9×19mm Parabellum dimensions with a 9×21mm Gyurza bullet design and was developed specifically for the penetration of body armor and for the MP - 443 Grach pistol , the latest Russian service pistol . The 7N31 ( Cyrillic : 7 Н 31 ) / PBP 9×19mm overpressure variant uses the same concept with a similar but lighter bullet that achieves higher muzzle velocity . The penetration of an 8 mm thick steel plate is specified at up to 10 m . The 7N31 cartridge was developed in the late 1990s for the GSh - 18 pistol . The 7N31 was adopted for the PP - 90M1 and PP - 2000 submachine guns . Its maximum service pressure remains unclear . The method of construction of the two rounds allows them to be effective against both unarmored and armored targets . If the bullet strikes an unarmored target , it holds together to produce a wide wound channel . If the bullet strikes an armored target , the sleeve is stripped away and the core penetrates alone . The disadvantage of the rounds is that high impact velocities are needed for them to work effectively , so the bullets are relatively light to maximize their muzzle velocity . This means they will lose velocity relatively quickly , limiting their effective range . 9mm major . " 9mm major " is a term common among handloaders in IPSC and USPSA competitions in the open division . It describes a 9×19mm loaded to reach or surpass the " major " power factor in those competitions , something that very few commercial self - defense loads do . Such loads are only rarely within the limits defined by SAAMI or CIP , exceeding even + P loads . 124gr projectiles are pushed beyond 1331 feet per second to meet USPSA power factor . Usually , they are loaded with relatively large charges of a low volume slow - burning powder such as HS - 6 and Autocomp . Sometimes they are made longer than standard OAL to allow more capacity with heavier bullets . Since they can be used with common 9×19 brass , they are considered a more economical alternative to . 38 Super . Other variants . VBR - B produces specialized bullets for this cartridge , a 2 - part controlled fragmenting projectile and an armor - piercing bullet that features a brass sabot and a hardened steel penetrator . These are designed for increasing the content of the permanent wound cavity and double the chance to hit a vital organ . U . S . data . The energy delivered by most 9 mm loads allows for significant expansion and penetration with premium JHP bullets . Illinois State Police , Border Patrol , Federal Air Marshals and United States Secret Service favored and used + P + 9 mm loads at for years with excellent results . Massad Ayoob has stated that the " Tried , Tested , and True " + P or + P + is the best self - defense load in this caliber . Proponents of the hydrostatic shock theory contend that the energy of the 9mm cartridge is capable of imparting remote wounding effects known as hydrostatic shock , in human - sized living targets . 9×19mm Parabellum pistols with standard ( not extended ) double - stack magazines can hold up to 19 rounds , such as the Springfield XD - 9 . The table below shows common performance parameters for several 9×19mm loads . Bullet weights ranging from are common . Loads are available with energies from just over to , and penetration depths from to over are available for various applications and risk assessments . " Key : " Expansion : expanded bullet diameter ( ballistic gelatin ) . Penetration : penetration depth ( ballistic gelatin ) . PC : permanent cavity volume ( ballistic gelatin , FBI method ) . TSC : temporary stretch cavity volume ( ballistic gelatin ) .