9mm Luger (9x19mm Parabellum)
The default handgun cartridge of the modern era — cheapest centerfire pistol ammo, mild recoil, and the widest gun selection ever offered in one chambering.
Family
Handgun
Introduced
1902
Origin
Georg Luger, DWM, Germany
Military
9mm NATO (M882 ball in US service)
History
Georg Luger developed the 9x19mm at DWM in 1902 for his P08 pistol, and the German Army adopted it in 1908. It became the NATO standard pistol cartridge and, after the FBI's mid-2010s return to 9mm from .40 S&W, the overwhelming choice of American law enforcement and concealed carriers. Modern bullet design closed the old performance arguments and the market followed.
What it's used for
Iconic platforms
Glock 17/19, SIG P320 and P365, Smith & Wesson M&P, CZ 75, Beretta 92, and nearly every pistol-caliber carbine made.
Common load types
FMJ for practice, jacketed hollow point for carry and duty, plus +P and 147-grain subsonic loads.
Reference only — not loading data, not ballistics advice, and KitID links to no ammunition sellers. Know your local law before you buy anything that goes bang.