The 9mm Luger (9X19mm, Parabellum, P08) was developed in Germany in 1902. Widely used in both world wars, it is the most popular pistol cartridge in the world, now widely used by innumerable law enforcement agencies and militaries (including our own) in both pistols and submachineguns. The controversy over its "stopping power" will never go away, but its attribute is that it is much easier to shoot accurately than larger cartridges with greater power...but more recoil. Advancements in bullet design for law enforcement and personal defense have narrowed the gap considerably. The 9mm Luger is a world standard, chambered by virtually all makers of semiautomatic pistols, with a myriad of factory loads. The most standard is probably a 115-grain load at 1160 fps, with common bullet weights ranging from 95 to 147 grains, and +P loads at higher velocity.
