Both calibers are a fine choice, and each has it's advantages. If the shooter can do his part, either round will perform. This depends on what the use is for each tool. Even the lightest 9mm load can meet the penetration requirement and moreover, pack a better punch while doing it. Most premium hollow points have what is know as, 'Controlled Expansion.' This means that the bullet has been engineered to expand at a controlled rate so that it can meet the penetration needed, without over penetrating. So, the question is, can the 9mm meet that requirement? The answer is, yes it can with any weight bullet in its class. 38 has the edge.įBI recommends that between 12 to 15 inches of penetration is needed for a good self defense cartridge. I point this out solely because it is the only valid defense the. 38 Special is more effective than a 147 grain 9mm. 38 Special would be moving slower, but heavier loads should penetrate better. While the 9mm does look better on paper, its heavy weight load tops out at 147 grains, while the 38 Special tops out at 158 gains. What I do know is that heavier bullets mean greater penetration, and penetration is crucial to stopping an attack. I do not know anyone willing to stand down range and catch lead from either. Does that mean that it is a better man stopper? Not necessarily, although it certainly has more power, dead is dead. Buffalo Bore Ammunition BallisticsĪs we can see from the charts above, the 9mm at double the pressure, translates to near double the amount of muzzle energy. Mathematically the differences between the two cartridges would remain consistent if the weights of both projectiles are evenly increased. I will only compare rounds that are approximately the same weight. Lets apply some common sense to simple physics and see what the ballistic charts look like. 38 Special but boasts double the pressure. Both bullets are equal in bullet diameter, the 9mm case is about 3/8 of an inch shorter than the. Now pause a minute, lets stop right here. The height of a loaded cartridge is 1.169 inches (29.69 mm). Common weights for the round will vary from about 115 to 147 Grains. Standard +P loading would be around 38,500PSI. The maximum pressure for a standard load is 35,000PSI. This cartridge was designed to use the more volatile, higher pressure smokeless powder, thus the shorter case length. Which is also known as 9mm Parabellum or 9x19. The 9mm round was introduced in 1902 by George Luger. The height of a loaded cartridge is 1.55 inches (39 mm). 38 Special round will vary from about 110 to 158 Grains. Standard +P loading would be around 20,000PSI. The maximum pressure for a standard load is 17,000PSI. Within a year, after its debut, smokeless powders were introduced and used in the. Thus the longer case length of the 38 special. Much of the powder is wasted upon explosion, therefore more powder is needed to propel the projectile. Because of the impurities in Black Powder it is slower burning, and less efficient. Black powder is not a very efficient propellant, it is actually classified as an explosive. 38 Special was introduced in 1898, and began as a Black powder round. The slight difference in diameter is not relevant to any degree worth debating. They are within two thousandths of an inch of each other. 38 Special and 9mm are the same size bullet as far as I am concerned. Compared to a 50 Cal.? Sure, but compared to a. While this may have some merit, it is not always accurate. One can also assume that if an item costs more, it must also be superior as well. Sure one can assume that because something is larger it must be superior. The only reliable statistics are those that have been proven and recorded. Truth is, 92% of statistics are made up on the spot. It is strange how myth and legend can somehow evolve into fact.

380 vs 9mm