9mm Handguns & Pistols

Shop easy to shoot 9mm handguns for sale at DEGuns, America's largest gun store. Ideal for concealed carry, self-defense or target shooting, 9mm pistols offer a perfect balance of power and velocity. The energy of a 9 millimeter pistol loads allows for significant expansion and penetration with hollow-point ammo. Find a semi-automatic pistol that ensures your safety and enhances your shooting experience!

Why Choose a 9mm Handgun?

The 9mm handgun is very popular worldwide. It is known by different names like 9mm Luger, 9mm Parabellum, or 9mm NATO. This type of ammunition is widely used in handguns in the United States and around the world.

Over 60% of law enforcement agencies currently use 9mm handguns for concealed carry or full-size patrol. At the same time, 9mms are the best, most common concealed carry caliberfor civilians in the United States.

9mm handguns compromise power and manageability, offering slightly less power than larger calibers, all to maintain a small and compact type of piece. However, they still boast impressive magazine sizes than other small guns. Their recoil is easier to control than other guns, making it easier to quickly draw and shoot when speed is important.

9mm handguns are also versatile in the types of ammunition they can house, ranging from full metal jacket ammo to hollow-point rounds, making them great for practice and potent for self-defense purposes alike.

DEGuns offers the largest selection of high-quality 9mm pistols and handguns on the web. From concealed carry handguns, self-defense revolvers, 9mm compact guns to full size 9mm pistols, we provide detailed features and specifications for each weapon so you can find which firearm works best for your needs.

9mm pistols for sale include Smith & Wesson, Springfield Armory, Glock, Heckler & Koch, Sig Sauer, Taurus, Ruger and many more 9mm handguns. The complete list of brands is available here at 9 mm Handgun Brands.

So, where did the 9mm pistol come from?

9mm Pistol Terminology and Nomenclature

Originally designed as a handgun caliber, the 9mm has reinvented itself multiple times throughout its brief 115-or-so years. During that period, experts discovered it in the barrels of full-sized handguns, pocket pistols, revolvers, carbines, and even submachine guns.

This variety of uses for a single caliber leaves many shooters who buy 9mm ammo confused about Luger vs. NATO, 9mm Luger vs. 9mm Parabellum, or 9x19mm vs. 9mm. The simple answer is that it's all the same, except for the slightly heavier NATO ammo.

The 9x19mm Parabellum is an ammunition cartridge with a bullet measuring 9 millimeters in diameter and a casing that measures 19mm in length. The name "Parabellum" comes from the motto of the first company to manufacture 9x19mm ammo, the German munitions manufacturer Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken (DWM).

The DWM's Latin motto - "Si vis pacem, para bellum" - translates to "If you want peace, prepare for war," and therefore, Parabellum means "prepare for war."

The cartridge often bears the label 9mm Luger, which is linked to the developer's last name (in other words, the 9x19mm Parabellum and 9mm Luger are the same cartridge).

Other times, it's 9mm NATO, which is still the same size ammunition, but with a slightly heavier bullet - 124 grain (gr) compared to 115 gr - and loaded to a higher pressure (think +P) than traditional range or training rounds.

Unlike most pistol cartridges, the 9mm cartridge has a slightly tapered casing. When stacking bullets side by side, notice the spacing difference between the bottom of the casing and the top. This increases the reliability and accuracy of feeding ammo from the magazine into the firearm, allowing it to happen quickly and without fail.

9mm ammunition has become wildly popular, leading to an incalculable number of varieties and wide range of projectiles available. Projectile weights can be as low as 65 grains and as heavy as 158 grains, depending on the application. The most popular grain weights for training and defensive purposes include 115gr, 124gr, and 147gr.

The Development of the 9mm Cartridge

In 1902, DWM firearms designer Georg Luger developed the 9mm Parabellum as a service cartridge, designed for the DWM Luger semi-automatic pistol called the Pistole Parabellum, aka the Luger. He created it to be lethal at 50 meters.

This new caliber improved on the previous handgun ammunition, which was large and heavy. Still today, the compact cartridge has less recoil and allows for easy handling. It is lightweight and accurate, and because of its small size, handguns chambered in 9mm hold significantly more cartridges than those in higher calibers.

During WWI, gun makers developed the first submachine guns. These guns used 9mm bullets. The reason for using 9mm bullets was because they could easily penetrate field equipment. Magazine-fed, fully automatic carbines, some of these submachine guns could shoot 900 rounds a minute.

After the birth of the Browning Hi-Power in 1935 and the gun's prevalence in WWII, the 9x19mm's popularity spread. As time passed, its use grew to encompass not only the armed forces but police agencies and civilian self-defense as well. But the milestones for the 9mm didn't end here - they continued with:

• NATO adopted the 9x19 Parabellum in 1955 as their official sidearm cartridge
• The U.S. Military exchanged the venerable .45 ACP for the 9mm as their official cartridge.
• Some of the country's most significant police forces, like New York City and Los Angeles, adopted the 9mm cartridge, which has been proven ballistically superior to the .38 revolver
• The FBI returned to the 9mm Parabellum in 2014 after they had left it for a brief period for the more modern 10mm cartridges

By the 1990s, many civilian gun owners moved away from handguns like the .38 Special and .357 Magnum, favoring 9mm semi-automatic handguns. Ammunition availability has followed this trend, making 9mm cartridges more plentiful and accessible to find than most cartridges.

In 2013, 9mm ammunition was the top seller, making up 21.4% of the cartridge market. It was followed by .223 ammunition. Remington at 10.2%.

Are There Different Types of 9-Mm Cartridges?

While 9mm Luger ammo (aka the 9mm Parabellum and the 9x19mm) is the world's most popular cartridge in both military handguns and submachine guns, it's not the only 9mm cartridge available. A wide range of rounds featuring the 9mm bullet have been developed since its birth in 1902, some better than others.

• 9-millimeter Ultra: Also referred to as the Police, these cartridges were designed for the German police and fall between the 9mm Luger and the .380 Auto. The shell measures one mm shorter than the Luger and one mm longer than the .380, leading to a casing length of just .04 inches shorter than the 9x19mm.
• Although this cartridge is difficult to find in the U.S., a handful of excellent firearms, including the Sig Sauer P320 and Benelli B76 Auto, are chambered for it.
• 9 millimeter Bayard Long: This cartridge was designed for the 1910 Model Bergmann-Bayard pistol, which was the official sidearm of the Danish military during the period. Some Spanish pistols used the 9mm Bayard Long cartridge. This cartridge became popular after World War II with a heavy to military surplus. However, it was never manufactured in the U.S.
• nine 9-millimeter Browning Long: The 9mm Browning Long was a European cartridge designed for the FN Browning 1903 Model pistol, which became the official sidearm of Sweden in 1907. After WWII, many pistols were released to the public as military surplus, and most have been altered to fire .380 ACP ammo.
• 9 millimeter Mauser: The 9mm Mauser was used briefly from its development in 1908 for the Export Model Mauser until the gun was discontinued in 1914. Nearly a quarter-inch longer than the 9mm Luger, this rimless cartridge came back during WWI when some submachine guns were chambered for it.
• 9 millimeter Winchester Magnum: Released in 1988, the 9mm Winchester Magnum was designed for the stainless steel Wildey gas-operated pistol used in silhouette competitions.
• 9-millimeter Glisenti: The Italian military used the Glisenti during WWI and WWII. Although it highly resembles the 9mm Luger, they're not interchangeable. The Glisenti has a significantly lighter load, and the Model 1910 Glisenti automatic pistols the cartridge was designed for can't handle the power of a 9mm Luger.
• 9 millimeter ABC Mi-Bullet: Made by Advanced Ballistics Concepts, LLC, the 9mm Mi-bullet features a multipart bullet that uses Kevlar tethers that unlock and expand, allowing this 9mm cartridge to act like a shotshell. Designed as a self-defense load, the bullet reaches maximum expansion at 12 feet and holds its pattern until 21 feet, increasing the probability of hitting an attacker.
• 9x21 millimeter: In countries like Italy, Mexico, and France, the government prohibits its citizens from owning firearms chambered in military calibers, which makes the 9mm Luger illegal. The 9x21mm was developed to overcome this, measuring just two mm longer than the 9x19mm.
• The 9mm Steyr was made for the Austrian military pistol, the Steyr Model 1912 Auto. It is longer than the Parabellum, with a case length of 23mm. Common in Austria, this cartridge is also found in Romania and Chile.
• 9x23 millimeter Winchester: Winchester released its 9x23mm Winchester ammunition in 1996. It is a high-pressure cartridge designed to meet the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) regulations. The 9x23 Winchester looks like a stretched-out 9mm Luger but has many internal differences.
• 9mm Federal is a rimmed Luger made for revolvers like the Charter Arms PitBull, a five-shot double-action revolver. This firearm was only briefly manufactured after the cartridge's creation in 1989, as Charter Arms went out of business (although the company later reopened).
• 9mm Kurz: The Kurz uses a 9mm bullet in a shorter, 17mm casing. John Browning created this ammunition in 1912. It is often referred to as the 9mm Browning Short. However, it is more commonly known as the .380. ACP.

The 9mm cartridge has come a long way since its conception over a century ago, dominating the consumer ammunition market and law enforcement agencies today.

With its many types of cartridges, variety of uses, range of projectile types, affordability, ease of use, and ability to work in different firearms - the 9mm Luger (or whatever you'd like to call it) will remain one of the most popular calibers for years to come.

Whether you're new to buying guns or have experience, our 9mm pistols are reliable and perform well. And, if you haven't noticed already, we have the largest selection of 9mm pistols that any online retailer in the U.S. has to offer. With options ranging from 9mm compacts to full-sized handguns, there's a model to suit every preference and requirement at our store.

FAQ

1. Is a 9mm a good carry gun?

• A 9mm handgun is a good option for a carry gun. It has a good balance of power and precision. This makes it easy to conceal, effective and affordable.
• They provide good stopping power for self-defense and are light enough to carry easily concealed. They also come in larger sizes if needed.
• 9mm pistols are popular because ammunition is easy to find and cheap in most places.

2. How much is the 9mm price?

• A 9mm pistol can cost as low as $250 for a simple model and over $2,000 for higher-tier pistols. The price of a product can change depending on various factors. These factors include the brand, safety features, custom finishes, and ergonomic upgrades provided by the manufacturer. And don't forget to budget for things like ammunition and maintenance materials when considering a 9mm handgun.

3. What is the best 9mm carry handgun?

• The ideal 9mm carry handgun will always depend on individual preferences, including size, weight, grip comfort, and purpose. Some firearms will be more suited for self defense while others will be tailored for competition shooting. At the end of the day, the best handgun is one that you feel comfortable handling and carrying daily.