Well, there is a felt recoil difference for one. And range fodder is definitely cheaper than SD ammo.
But for me, I practice/train with what ammo I tend to carry (a close duplication anyway).

 

NATO uses the 124 gr bullet in the 9mm. If you carry 124s you want to shoot 124s in practice. Consistency in felt recoil and shot placement on target.

If you only practice at belly button distance there likely won’t be a difference in shot placement. At further distances you would see a difference.

 

The statement about NATO using the 124 gr. bullet is not correct. NATO has a range of specifications for 9mm ammunition (weight, pressure, accuracy, etc.). The outgoing U.S. 9mm NATO (M882) uses a 124 gr. RN-FMJ bullet loaded in the high 1100 to low 1200 fps range (velocity depended on the gun). The current M1152 uses a 115 gr. FP-FMJ loaded in the high 1200 to low 1300 fps in M18 and M17 pistols. Various other countries in NATO use a variety of weights. The 115/124 split in 9mm Parabellum goes back over a hundred years.

 

Is there any advantage to shooting 124 gr. when 115 gr. is much cheaper?

IMO, the real advantage is to 124 is actually avoiding the disadvantage of 115's. Most 115's are downloaded to the point that they don't always run a new gun reliably. This is why most/many smiths and brands recommend 124, especially in new guns.


So if your gun is broken in (or sprung lightly enough) to run 115's of your chosen brand, then the only advantage you enjoy is the price.

 

having been mugged/attacked by six thugs about 30 years ago, from my experience it happened so fast and so sudden that it was only afterwards that I realized what had just happened. I highly doubt that during a "bad experience" you will be thinking something like "....sure glad I am shooting the same weight bullet I practiced with..."

I think the more practice the better, and if cheaper 115 grain gives you more range time, then it is worth it, assuming your firearm functions reliability. But then too, having experience with managing malfunctions is a vital learning experience. Me, I have reloaded in 124 grain for years, so I can just keep my settings the same. I can tell the difference in my mid-power 124 loads versus commercial 9mm, but the hole in my target paper is in the same place, so I don't think it matters what grain or load I shoot. The bullet is long gone out the barrel before I can feel any recoil. As for double taps, not any difference in that for me. Just my experience. NV

 

I keep a few hundred rounds of underwood gold dot bullet 124gr +P for full size 9mm but for my wifes kimber ultra and p365xl pistols feels the difference in 147gr loads . The heavier bullets feel pushier , less snappy than 115 and 124gr standard pressure ammo so she carrys standard pressure 147gr hst or range t series in these lighter shorter barrel pistols. I'm a full size 40sw and 45 guy . I also load our practice ammo .

 

Other way 'round; at present I carry 115 gr JHP and load for match and practice with 124 coated. Every once in a while I will load or buy some 115 gr similar to my 9BP.

 

Exactly what I do, right down to the coated 124s.

 

Over the years, when shooting mostly full sized 1911s in 9mm, we shot whatever ammo was cheap or just came our way; 115s, 124s, didn't matter as long as the price was right. As we moved to aluminum framed guns and the ammo supply situation shifted to heavier projectiles for both practice and duty, we switched to 124s for most of our practice. Shooting our 9mm CCOs with our 124gr plated handload or assorted available SD ammo with bullet weights of 124gr and up, we found the recoil impulse, especially in the lighter guns, to be more comparable and thus more beneficial when switching between practice and carry ammo. Then again, this could be just all in my head. If, however, I load a magazine with a mix of Hornady 135gr CD, 124gr HST, 147gr HS, 150gr HS and Speer 147 G2, I can tell the difference in recoil impulse. At 7-15 yards there is very little difference in POA/POI

If prices decline to 2018 or so levels (which I sort of doubt), I'll start shooting whatever is cheapest again for practice.

 

I stick with 124 grain in my full size 1911.

Speer Gold Dot +P

and for Hardball I have mostly S&B, a little Norma, and a few boxes of Lapua 123 grain. The Sellior & Bellot is probably the best buy and the Lapua is very expensive. These are all rated 1180 to 1200 FPs ( S&B From a 6" barrel and Norma from ?) The Lapus is rated 1160 from a 4" test barrel. I have tried some Blazer Brass but found it to be very weak ammo.

 

When I bought my first 9mm (a SIG 320c) about 9 years ago, the LGS I bought it from made me a great deal on a case of Federal 115 FMJ and he gave me another great price on 10 boxes of SIG V-Crown 115 JHP. So it's what I had, it's what I practiced with, it's what I keep in the SIG now as my "house gun".

I do have a few boxes of 124grn JHP SIGs and I've shot some of it but I to be honest I can't really tell a big difference between 115 and 124 ... we're only talking about 9 grn in bullet weight. For me the point of impact at that 7 to 10yrds, SD ranges, is pretty much the same.

 

I carry 124 grain Federal HST. But I practice with whatever is cheapest at the store. This has been working well to date.

 

I run 124gr HSTs and practice with 124s as well. A little pricier but would rather be consistent

 

In my sa ronin 9m 115 is too Light( for me on recoil).124 is a hair different imo.I have big hands and really want a heavier kick like my 45s.So specifically I run 147 fmj.Being this is just a range gun I will pay a touch more for the heavier grain.My ammo choice.Its really clean

 

My LC9s carries 124gr HydraShok & my FNS-9 gets 147gr Sig V-Crown.
I tailor my practice reloads to duplicate those rounds, using 124gr & 147gr Xtreme HP's.

 

I reload almost exclusively 124 gr. bullets. For self defense, I typically choose a fast moving, 147 gr. hollowpoint that is traveling over 1,000 fps. I've reloaded XTP's to this configuration, with good success, but you can find them pretty easily in factory ammo now.

 

I typically choose a fast moving, 147 gr. hollowpoint that is traveling over 1,000 fps. I've reloaded XTP's to this configuration, with good success

Curious as to what powders you are getting these results with and are you chrono'ing them or going by book velocity?

 

Neither my 115 grain loads, or my 125 grain loads have significant or punishing recoil in my 9mm's. There are differences, my 115 grain loads are hotter, and actually have a greater felt recoil. Shoot well at 50 yards though

the 125 grain loads also do well at distance. I remember having few misses that day.

The few Bullseye shooters I know who tried 9mm use hot 115 grain loads. To be accurate at 50 yards the 115 grain bullet has to be at least between 1150 and 1200 fps, per gunsmith David Sams. He is the gunsmith who built my match M92.

I see no real practical value in shooting expensive Federal Hydrashocks for practice. Shoot the cheap stuff and concentrate on sight alignment, trigger pull, and follow through.

 

Buy Champion Training 9mm Luger Ammo 115 | WM5199 heres some specs at 1125

 

Buy American Eagle Handgun 9mm Luger Ammo 115 | AE9DP100 1180 on this one.

 

I carry 124 gr. P+ ammo. ( Federal Hydra-Shok )

I normally practice with 124 gr, FMJ.

Is there any advantage to shooting 124 gr. when 115 gr. is much cheaper?

No.

 

On my 1 and only 9m, I run 147 solely for more Kick.My big hands prefer well more recoil like my 45s.Yes I have plenty of 115,124 to burn up.Thats just my preference and If I carried my 9, it would be the heaviest grain, as that's my practice rd anyway.

 

 

I stockpile the cheapest 9mm, and 5.56.

But it's not my first pick for defense.

For 9mm, if it isn't JHP, it doesn't matter what weight you stockpile.