9mm Rifles Are Pointless?

Published on January 17, 2025
Duration: 14:14

This video provides a data-driven comparison of 9mm firearms with varying barrel lengths, from a 4.3-inch pistol to a 16.37-inch rifle. The Banana Ballistics host uses a Garmin Xero C1 Pro chronograph to measure velocity and conducts tests for accuracy, penetration in various media, and performance against steel plates. The analysis reveals that while longer barrels offer velocity gains, especially with +P ammunition, the practical benefits for accuracy and subsonic performance may be less pronounced than expected.

Quick Summary

A 16.37-inch 9mm rifle barrel increases muzzle velocity significantly compared to a 4.3-inch pistol, especially with +P loads, and improves penetration on steel targets. However, accuracy gains over a 9-inch PCC were minimal, and subsonic rounds remained subsonic.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction: Barrel Length Comparison
  2. 00:09Accuracy Testing at 25 Yards
  3. 03:05Muzzle Velocity Comparison
  4. 04:41Subsonic Performance Test
  5. 05:48Penetration Tests (Wood, Sand, Gel)
  6. 12:34Steel Plate Penetration Test

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a 9mm rifle offer significant accuracy improvements over a 9mm PCC?

In testing at 25 yards, a 16.37-inch 9mm rifle was found to be easier to shoot accurately than a 4.3-inch pistol, but it did not demonstrate a significant accuracy advantage over a 9-inch 9mm PCC. The ease of shooting contributed more to perceived accuracy than inherent precision differences.

How much does barrel length increase 9mm velocity?

Increasing barrel length from 4.3 inches (pistol) to 16.37 inches (rifle) yielded velocity gains of over 200 FPS with +P 9mm ammunition and approximately 163 FPS with standard 115gr loads. Subsonic rounds, however, remained subsonic even in the longer rifle barrel.

Can a 9mm rifle push subsonic ammunition into supersonic speeds?

Based on testing with 147gr and 150gr subsonic 9mm rounds, even the 16.37-inch rifle barrel was insufficient to push these specific loads into supersonic velocities. They remained subsonic throughout the test.

What is the practical difference in penetration between 9mm firearms with different barrel lengths?

Against a steel plate, the 9mm pistol failed to penetrate, while both the 9-inch PCC and 16.37-inch rifle successfully penetrated, demonstrating the impact of increased velocity from longer barrels on hard targets. Penetration in wood and gel showed less dramatic differences.

Related News

All News →

More Tactical & Gear Videos You Might Like

More from Banana Ballistics

View all →