Thanks to their bullets, the 9mm Luger and 38 Special might seem similar to new shooters, but the two rounds have differing capabilities. The 9mm is often the best choice for self-defense for several reasons, which we shall discuss in our 38 Special vs. 9mm battle below.
Let’s get started!
38 Special vs. 9mm
The 38 Special was designed for use in revolvers over 100 years ago. It’s still a favorite of many shooters for various shooting applications.
I’ve fired my grandpa’s 38 Spl snub-nosed revolver many times at the range. I always found it very enjoyable, and preferable to his 357 Magnum revolver.
The 9x19mm Parabellum (aka 9x19mm NATO, 9mm Luger, or 9mm) was also designed over 100 years ago by Georg Luger. However, it didn’t take off in the U.S. until the 1980s and 1990s, when reliable semi-automatic pistols used by law enforcement agencies, such as the FBI, were developed.
I own multiple 9mm handguns. One is a revolver that uses moon clips. The rest are semi-auto pistols, any of which I would trust for personal protection and home defense.
After briefly comparing the cartridges’ specifications, we will see how these rounds fare in terms of recoil, trajectory, accuracy, stopping power, and several other factors. Upon tallying the winners in each section, we’ll decide which is best for your situation.
Cartridge Specs: 38 Special vs. 9mm
The 38 Spl and the 9mm appear to have similar characteristics to the untrained eye. As you can see from the chart, however, they have a few key identifying factors to distinguish the two. One giveaway for the 9mm cartridge is that it’s rimless, which helps it cycle better through semi-auto handguns. This also means you need moon clips to use it in a revolver.
The two most significant differences between these cartridges are the case length and maximum pressure. The 38 Spl’s case is 0.401” longer than the 9mm’s and has a larger capacity by 10.1 grains. However, 9mm rounds have double the maximum pressure of 38 Special rounds according to SAAMI specs.
These rounds also have similar bullet weights. The most common for a 9mm is a 115 grain bullet, but it generally ranges from 53 grains to 165 grains. The 38 Special typically ranges from 90 to 158 grains, with 158 grains being one of the most popular bullet weights.
Since both of these cartridges were designed for handguns, one might assume they perform identically in the real world. Let’s find out if that assumption is correct.
Recoil
Recoil is always a touchy topic because it’s never equal when comparing two cartridges. Recoil is determined by many factors, including the firearm’s weight, bullet weight, and muzzle velocity.
A snub-nose revolver will typically have more felt recoil than a semi-auto pistol because snubbies don’t have all the recoil-absorbing mechanisms that semi-auto pistols typically do, such as the spring and slide, which help to “absorb” some of the felt recoil.
All things considered as equal as possible, the 38 Special will have less recoil than the 9mm because of its lower pressure (therefore lower velocity). You can expect 2.6 to 3 pounds of felt recoil from the 38 Spl, whereas the 9mm has 4 to 8 pounds of recoil.
The 38 Special is off to a great start. But can it maintain its lead?
Trajectory
If you’re using these cartridges for concealed carry, you won’t notice enough difference in their trajectory to affect your choice since most self-defense situations happen within 25 yards. However, it’s important to remember that barrel length significantly contributes to trajectory. When firing the same round, a short barrel will produce a worse trajectory than a longer one.
Bullet design also plays a significant role in trajectory, although it’s less evident at short ranges than when shooting long range. But for the sake of the argument, the 9mm will generally have a slightly flatter trajectory than the 38 Spl due to the higher velocities of its similarly weighted projectiles.
Continue reading 38 Special vs. 9mm: Is It Even Worth Debating? on Ammo.com
