I'm curious what defense ammo you guys are running in your PM9s.  I'm looking to try out some new stuff.

I use which ever works the best for functioning and accuracy in mine..Speer 124+P gold dots..also Federal HST 124+P's as well...

Anything on this list http://ammo.ar15.com/project/Self_Defense_Ammo_FAQ/index.htm should be GTG provided it feeds reliably with your PM9 (IIRC, some users had issues running longer cartridges, mainly 147gr). Personally, I run Speer 124gr. +P Gold Dots.
 
 

I'm running Corbon DPX 115 +P

Speer Gold Dot 124 gr. +P short barrel loading.

For the times when HP isn't politically correct (NJ), Hornady Critical Duty 135 gr. +P FlexLock.

speer gold dot 124+P ........wvleo

Win 124+P ranger

Hornady Critical Defense

Hydra-Shoks for now, til I can afford a bunch of DPX.

147 grn Remmy Gildensabre

Federal HST 147gr

Speer Gold Dot 124gr

This

+1

Goes bang every time!

The only worse load would be Glaser Safety Slug.  Critical Defense sucks.




When I carried a PM9, it was loaded with this.

Corbon 115gr +p for me.

Another vote for the 124gr Gold Dot. Proven performer.

This one is a winner for me.

I ran 147gr Gold Dots on my MK9. I'm a heavier for caliber fan regardless of barrel.

124gr Gold Dot. Tried the Critical Defense and it choked in every magazine.

DITTO

http://ammo.ar15.com/project/Self_Defense_Ammo_FAQ/index.htm#9mm

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I'm running Speer Gold Dot 124 gr. +P and they work great for me.

I went with the Speer Gold Dot 124gr +p for Short Barrels and so far the PM9 loves em! Looks like a lot of others do too.

this. The heavy bullet weight should retain more energy in the shorter barrel. Atleast thats the thought.

ETA: Because the powder has more time to burn pushing the heavier bullet and given that energy over to the projectile. Whereas smaller bullets are more likely to burn a lot of the powder after the bullet has left the barrel and create more muzzle flash.

I am not impressed with Critical Defense or Critical Duty.
Both work fine in my weapons when at ambient temperature... I left a few boxes sit in the sun as I shot other stuff... Then both the Critical rounds choked my guns like I couldn't believe.

All I could guess was the polymer tips either became more tacky or expanded slightly in the heat and as a result hung up on feed ramps (not only limited to Kahr weapons).   As of right now, I will not use a polymer tipped JHP pistol round.

Federal HST in the 147gr flavor. -Todd

Win Ranger T 127 +P+

Gold Dots +p's or PDX +p in my CM9. Cycle perfectly.

Federal HST 124 gr. seems to work for me.

Ranger T 147's or HST 124+P. Both have shot well in my gun.

Winchester Supreme Elite PDX1 Bonded 147GR JHP. I've never had a feeding issue with these.

I have been carrying 124gr Hornady ftx or 124gr hydrashocks.

Speer Gold Dots for me.

124gr +p HST

+1
did some backyard "tests" with different ammo and these were most devastating for what we did (from the pm9). completely unscientific but fun nonetheless and enough of a learning experience for me to prefer them over the lighter rounds or some of the other defensive ammo we tried...

Doctor Gary Roberts took care of the science part. This round passes his test for penetration and expansion.

Curious what you tested and what other rounds you compared them to.

lol. thanks but i bet we had more fun!

ugh.. they were all good and would have no problem using them and had no misfires or function issues with any and i
dont want to start a "my ammo is better because blah blaha blah" but:
we used the win pdx 124gr+p (which was actually better with full size glock than the 147gr)
Speer gold dots 147gr (great expansion but didnt stay together)
hornady critical duty (forget which ones)  
147gr hydra shocks

we were really curious about the 147gr vs the lighter rounds but a bullet guru (worked for s&w & leo instructor) we had with us thoroughly explained (and proved) why the 147gr worked better in short pistols and at a previous range trip.
this trip our tests were way less scientific and we just wanted to shoot stuff.  jugs stuffed with shredded paper & pumpkins, both with and without denim 1st.
the 147gr pdx1 was most effective (although all were close to each-other), expanded every time & never separated at all.

Cor Bon 115 +P+ in summer,  Win Silvertip 147 in winter.

Here's results from some tests I did back in 2007. I still haven't found anything to change my mind to go else where

" This past April, I got 2 Kahr PM9's for concealed carry for the wife and myself, I started looking for a reliable defense round out of the 3" barrel. We also have Kahr K9's since 1999 that we carry concealed. We've both legally carried concealed for many years.
 After not really finding many bullet comparison test results for 3" & 3 1/2" 9mm Kahr pistols, or for short barreled revolvers, I decided to run my own wet pack tests on ammo that interested me. The tests have 2 criteria, one is a good penetration to expansion ratio, and the second is to find the softest felt recoil for multiple, fast follow up shots for my wife ( not me ).

 Before someone may get on the "practice, practice, practice" soap box, as I've read on some forums, please allow me to say that we have our own 25 yard outdoor  pistol range, and she shoots more in 1 month than most people do in 1 year. She practices moving, drawing, and firing out of a fanny pack, or a custom made paddle holster, at single and multiple targets. (I don't need to practice )

 These tests are a work in progress as the weather allows and I collect newspaper. What I have in my favor is that I can shoot off of my back deck between downpours.My goal is to test 9mm Kahr PM9 and a K9, a 1 5/8" .38 S&W mod.60, a 2" .38 titanium S&W, a 2 1/2" .357 S&W mod. 66, and a 4 1/4" .45 1911 Colt commander or an Officers Model.

 I'll try to make my packs consistent with what I've read from people that seem to know what they're doing.
 My procedure will be to put the dry news print into plastic milk crates and then submerse them in a live stock trough for 24 hrs. I'll then lift out the crates and let the water drain out. Then I'll transfer the wet paper into a plastic garbage bag lined cardboard box. On the inside back side of the box I double up on the thickness of the cardboard. I want to allow for flexibility but also for the thicker skin of the human back. Call me obsessive.
 Since the winter climate here is mostly mild but wet, I felt that 4 layers of a denim shirt was adequate.

 All velocities are measured on a PACT mkIII timer and chronograph.
 All recovered diameters are measured at the widest points, and in some cases at two different areas, as explained below.
 All penetration measurements are the total of an inserted rod into the bullet hole to the base of the bullet plus the length of the recovered bullet.
 The formula to convert wet packs penetration to FBI ballistic gelatin is the displayed penetration number times 3 divided by 2

 This first set of tests is out of a PM9. The distance is 10', with a chronograph set up mid way.  I fired a maximum 9 shots into each wet pack

 The ammo tested were all standard pressure, Fed. 124 Tactical (LE9T1), Fed. 124 HST standard pressure, Fed. 147 HST standard, Win. 147 RA9T and an oldie, Win. 147 ST. All this ammo is labeled Law Enforcement, but can be found.



 This is Fed.124 Tactical. What a big disappointment. The bullets all traveled over 1000 fps (1042.0, 1050.9, 1059.6) out of a 3" barrel, and only one expanded (.650"). Don't be fooled by the expansion. If you push back the two protruding petals, the bullet measures.574"  When I traced the bullet paths of the other two, I could see that the holes from the over penetration rounds were the same diameter, front to back. There were no attempts at any expansion. I can only conclude that the noses were plugged up.
 Federal advertises this round as +p, but the box doesn't say so, and I don't think the advertised 1160 fps velocity is +p.
 This round had the most felt recoil. (sharp snap), especially out of a polymer frame.





 These are Federal 124 HST standard pressure. At about the same velocity as the above Federal Tactical, these expanded reliably (.519", .537"). I can remember back to the 70's, early 80's when you'd be lucky to get this kind of expansion. And the penetration was 8 1/2", 9 3/8".
 In our opinion the felt recoil was sharp but didn't have the snap to it like the Federal Tactical. Less slide velocity?










These are standard pressure Federal 147 HST. All I can say is WOW! .599", and .624" expansion from a bullet only traveling at 927.5 and 929.9 fps with a penetration of 8 1/2" and 8 9/16" out of a 3" barrel. I guess that the longer score lines on the side of the bullet help with the expansion. If the penetration formula to convert wet packs to FBI ballistic gelatin standards is accurate, I'd be happy with this round out of a 3" Kahr PM9  in my area's climate.  










 These are standard pressure Winchester 147 RA9TA. To me these are a big question mark. First what do I measure for expansion, the widest point from petal tip to petal tip, or the widest part of the main core ? So I measured both. Next these rounds had the lowest velocities (811.5 and 860.3 fps) and the worst velocity spread (48.8 fps) Next when I weighed the recovered bullets, they weighed less than advertised (141.6 gr. and 144.2 gr.) I can see that some lead is missing. But yet with all these flaws these rounds had the best expansion if you measure petal tip to petal tip, and some of the best penetration. I thought that my chrono was off until I started testing with a 3 1/2" Kahr K9, but that's another test.
I really want to like this round but I don't know if the narrow petals with the really sharp tips that do draw blood really do anything in the wound channel.They have the least felt recoil so far.









 Next up was an oldie called Winchester Ranger STX Controlled Expansion RA9STX (Black Talon). The expansion is really controlled. It didn't make an attempt to open at all, all the way through the wet pack. There were only two neat round holes through and through. We'll see if they do better out of a K9 just for grins. This was the kind of stuff that gave the 147's a bad reputation.

So here are my final test results.

   HIGHEST VEL.
Fed. 124 Tac   1059.6 fps
Fed. 124 HST  1059.3 fps
Fed. 124 HST  1057.9 fps
Fed. 124 Tac   1050.9 fps
Fed. 124 Tac   1042.0 fps
Fed. 147 HST   929.9 fps
Fed. 147 HST   927.5 fps
Win. 147 SXT   863.5 fps
Win. 147 RA9T 860.3 fps
Win. 147 SXT   852.0 fps
Win. 147 RA9T 811.5 fps

               DEEPEST PEN.  
Fed. 124 HST  9 3/8"
Win. 147 RA9T 8 7/8"
Win. 147 RA9T 8 5/8"
Fed. 147 HST  8 9/16"
Fed. 147 HST  8 1/2"
Fed. 124 HST  8 1/2"
Fed. 124 Tac  8 5/16"


          WIDEST DIA.
Win. 147 RA9T .698"
Win. 147 RA9T .676"
Fed  124 Tac  .650"
Fed. 147 HST  .624"
Fed. 147 HST  .599"                        
Fed. 124 HST  .537"
Fed. 147 HST  .519"

 
The next tests will be this same ammo out of a Kahr K9

OK EVERYBODY CAN WAKE UP NOW! "

I have to use Golden Saber. Department ammo They did the testing with the 40cal (Glock 22) and (9mm mp5) so we use it for backups in 9mm, 40 and 45. I know it works great in a full size, hope it does in a compact.

Federal HST 147gr

While I'm sure some will be here shortly to complain of the length of your post or debate the validity of your experiment, I would like to simply say thank you for taking the time to do your testing and share the results. It was well laid out and well written (and concluded similar to most of the other testing I've seen that the Ranger-T and HST rounds are both excellent).

+1  Thank you for sharing!

I carry a PM9 with 147 gr RA9T, but had no real insight as to how well suited they were.  Your post is very informative.

In my CW9 I've been carrying standard velocity Critical Defense, but I'll probably switch to +P.
I bet the gun can handle it.

CD ammo shows consistent penetration and expansion in repeated tests.

I do think you should carry what works in your gun and you are comfortable with.
If we have less "Your ammo is crap!" posts, you'll get more honest reports of what people are carrying.
Most of the ammo listed so far is decent.
I've switched carry ammo before and probably will again.

In the present ammo situation, the question may be "What ammo can you find?".

I have always carried speer lawman 115gn +p  

I will have to check out the testing better when my ammo options are more plentiful.

124 or 147 grain gold dots always

Same here in my CM9