Best 9mm Ammo of 2024: Self-Defense, Plinking, Competition, and More

The humble 9x19mm (also called 9mm Luger, 9mm Parabellum, and 9mm NATO) is one of the most popular cartridges around, so there are a staggering number of different options out there for you to choose from.

This is great because it makes it a very versatile cartridge that can handle a number of roles, but it also introduces a problem. Namely: how on Earth do you choose between all the hundreds of options out there?

To help with this, we got the guns out and tested as many of the top choices as possible to find the best 9mm ammo for just about every purpose.

Our top pick overall is Fiocchi Range Dynamics because it works well for training, plinking, and competition, but of course, there are better options out there depending on what exactly you want to do.

Our Top 3 9mm Ammo Picks

Here are our favorite three 9mm ammo choices-

  1. Fiocchi Range Dynamics - Best 9mm Ammo Overall
  2. Hornady Critical Duty - Best 9mm Self-Defense Ammo
  3. Federal American Eagle 147 gr - Best 9mm Training Ammo

Let’s take a deep dive into each of these, starting with our top pick, and then we’ll cover some helpful info that should make it easier to choose the right 9mm ammo for your specific needs and the type of shooting you’re doing.

The Best 9mm Ammo Options in 2024

Fiocchi Range Dynamics - Best Overall

Specs

  • Bullet Type: Full-Metal Jacket
  • Bullet Weight: 115gr
  • Muzzle Velocity: 1200fps
  • Muzzle Energy: 368ft-lbs
  • Casing Type: Brass

Pros

  • Great velocity
  • Feeds, cycles, and ejects reliably
  • Affordable
  • Easy to find in stock in large quantities

Cons

  • Not suitable for self-defense

Why We Chose It

Fiocchi Range Dynamics is full disclosure; my personal favorite 9mm ammo, so I may be a little biased here. Still, for the types of shooting I do most, it has proven itself to be the best option around.

For a no-frills range ammo choice, it’s hard to beat. It cycles well, and I’ve fed my Glock 19, CZ Shadow 2 (best gun on the planet), and SIG Sauer P320 thousands of rounds of this stuff without any issues, even in my perpetually-dirty Shadow 2.

It has very solid velocity, even compared to other 115gr 9mm options out there, and it comes in at a very attractive price point, which is great for those of us who shoot a lot. High-volume shooters will also love the fact that you can get this in everything from a 50-round box to a 1000-round case fairly regularly.

Fiocchi does a great job with these middle-of-the-road, budget-friendly offerings, and I was pleased to find that an ammo that I’ve trusted for years scored so highly in our reviews.

Honorable Mention: Remington Range 9mm Ammo is another great option that can do it all at a reasonable price. And you can usually get these in 500-round packs pretty reliably, making it great to stock up on if you’re trying to fill an ammo can.

Hornady Critical Duty - Best 9mm Self-Defense Ammunition

Specs

  • Bullet Type: Flex-Tip Jacketed Hollow Point
  • Bullet Weight: 135gr
  • Muzzle Velocity: 1010 fps
  • Muzzle Energy: 306ft-lbs
  • Casing Type: Nickel-Plated Brass

Pros

  • Ideal penetration in FBI ballistic gelatin testing
  • Proven Flex-tip
  • Used by multiple state law enforcement agencies, as well as federal agencies abroad
  • High-lubricity nickel-plated brass cases

Cons

  • Expensive
  • FlexLock hollow points struggle with some feed ramps on some pre-1970s 9mm pistols. If your gun is from The Vietnam War or prior, make sure you test these first.

Why We Chose It

Hornady’s Critical Duty line is one of the most successful and prolific self-defense ammo lines on the planet and with good reason. Many different state and federal law enforcement agencies have turned to Critical Duty and Critical Defense for their carry gun ammo.

In FBI ballistic gel tests, the Critical Duty line has shown an ideal penetration depth to allow it to stop a threat in a defense situation, but without excessive overpenetration. The FlexLock tip is designed to avoid clogging up with heavy clothing, making it an ideal defense load.

This improved terminal performance of the 135-grain bullet is excellent. When passing through tissue, the 9mm projectile expands to over 16mm in diameter before coming to a stop and does so incredibly reliably.

Recoil is a bit sharp out of a sub-compact, but that comes with the territory. The 135-grain JHP needs the extra velocity to have sufficient kinetic energy for deep penetration.

Overall, this is a round that has proven itself over and over again in law enforcement situations, and it has performed well in every test we (or the FBI and ATF) can think to throw at it. Personally, that’s good enough for me.

Honorable Mention: Speer Gold Dot hollow points are also a great option with a proven track record. Ballistic gel performance is similar, as is law enforcement use. They’re also considerably cheaper. Federal’s HST line is up there as well, but we gave it to the Gold Dots here to have something more affordable out there.

Federal Premium American Eagle 147 gr - Best 9mm Training Ammo

Specs

  • Bullet Type: Full Metal Jacket
  • Bullet Weight: 147gr
  • Muzzle Velocity: 1000 fps
  • Muzzle Energy: 326ft-lbs
  • Casing Type: Brass

Pros

  • Similar recoil impulse to +P ammo
  • Cheap enough to buy in bulk
  • Can also be used for general target shooting or competition

Cons

  • Lower velocity than some more expensive options

Why We Chose It

Federal American Eagle is an always dependable option. Still, we’ve specifically selected this heaver bullet-weight version because it has a fairly high recoil, making it a good stand-in for your more expensive self-defense ammo.

It’s cheap enough that you can run it as your standard target ammo, though you might want some of the cheaper 115gr options below for that. This one was picked specifically because it has a recoil that comes close to matching some of the higher-velocity defensive options out there.

When you’re in a life-or-death situation, and adrenaline has your hands shaking, your recoil control is going to be the worst it’s ever been. That’s why we always recommend training for carry and defense with ammo that at least comes close to the recoil impulse of your carry ammo.

Honorable Mention: Magtech 124gr is another affordable training option with a fairly sharp recoil impulse that I’ve used in training, particularly in a couple of concealed carry classes. Side by side with defensive ammo, the recoil feels very comparable.

Winchester Target & Practice - Best Target/Competition 9mm Ammo

Specs

  • Bullet Type: Full Metal Jacket
  • Bullet Weight: 115gr
  • Muzzle Velocity: 1190 fps
  • Muzzle Energy: 362ft-lbs
  • Casing Type: Brass

Pros

  • Reliable
  • Affordable enough to buy in large quantities
  • Consistent velocity
  • Reliably knocks over steel targets

Cons

  • Higher recoil than some other competition rounds

Why We Chose It

Winchester Target & Practice excels at exactly what it says on the box. If you’re looking for something to take to the range for some training, or you’re looking for a nice factory option to run in IDPA or USPSA, then this is a great choice.

The 115gr projectile is pretty standard for most pistol and PCC competitions and is a great choice for anyone who needs a reliable performer in large quantities. Winchester has been making ammo for over a hundred years now, and their iconic white boxes are a familiar sight to anyone who spends a lot of time at the range.

I especially like the Target & Practice line for its price-to-performance ratio and clean burning powders that won’t foul your gun too terribly, even during day-long range sessions that see hundreds of rounds leave the barrel.

All in all, this is a fan favorite for a reason and one we can attest to the quality of. For general target shooting, it’s hard to find a better off-the-shelf value for the money.

Honorable Mention: CCI Blazer 115gr is another great option that won’t break the bank but still has very consistent and reliable performance.

Sellier & Bellot Subsonic - Best Subsonic 9mm Ammo

Specs

  • Bullet Type: Full Metal Jacket
  • Bullet Weight: 150gr
  • Muzzle Velocity: 1001 fps
  • Muzzle Energy: 333ft-lbs
  • Casing Type: Brass

Pros

  • Cycles reliable in most semi-autos with a can
  • Heavy 150gr projectile
  • Affordable

Cons

  • Not suitable for home defense
  • Can be hard to find in stock

Why We Chose It

Sellier & Bellot subsonic 9mm is a great option for anyone running a suppressor on a carbine or handgun. It cycles well in most platforms I’ve personally tried it in, and the wider suppressor community can’t get enough of it. I’ve had two representatives from two separate suppressor manufacturers specifically recommend it to me.

In testing, it has consistently cycled where other, lighter subsonics would not, and the ammo feeds reliably. Primers are also reliable, and velocity is consistent, so you won’t have to worry about your point of aim changing too terribly much.

Finally, it’s cheap and available in bulk, which is great for us suppressor lovers because most of us like to shoot just for the fun of it, which means we go through ammo quickly whenever we’re at the range.

Honorable Mention: Stealth 165gr Subsonic is another great option that is very quiet when run through a suppressor. At just 800fps, it’s a big, slow bullet, but it cycles very reliably in everything I’ve tested it in, including a notoriously cantankerous MP5 clone.

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