Thursday, May 18, 2023

9×18 vs 9×19 – Makarov versus Luger

There have been surplus Makarov pistols on sale in the US for many years.  Initially they were often converted to shoot the more available (but less  powerful) 380 cartridge.  9X18 ammunition is now easier to find in the US, making conversions unnecessary.

"A 9x18mm cartridge is 18.10mm long; the 9x19mm's (9mm Parabellum) casing is 19.15mm long. The 9 itself represents bullet diameter, but this too is not totally exact. The 9x18mm has a 9.27mm diameter bullet; the 9x19mm has a 9.01mm diameter bullet.

Handloaders can use the same primer, propellant, and shell holder for either. Their brass are not interchangeable, however. The 9x18mm's case is 1.05mm shorter, so it will not headspace correctly in a handgun chambered for 9x19mm (and vice versa). Furthermore, the 9x19mm's bullet is not compatible with the 9x18mm's wider bore, and the 9x19mm's substantially higher chamber pressure would also destroy a blowback-operated 9x18mm firearm like the Makarov pistols.

The 9x18mm was designed for an economical blowback pistol, where the recoil spring alone holds the breech closed. This type of operation can only accommodate so powerful a round, and indeed the 9x18mm is the upper limit of what a blowback action can accommodate."

People have successfully trimmed 9mm Parabellum brass (9X19) to reload as 9X18 (search Internet for videos, etc.).

https://www.ammunitiontogo.com/lodge/9x18-vs-9x19-makarov-versus-luger/

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