Silverback 9mm 115gr Solid Copper Expanding Projectiles (Qty 50)

What this is

This is the Silverback 9mm 115gr Solid Copper Expanding Projectiles (Qty 50).

This is the 115gr Silverback solid copper expanding projectile for 9mm, sold bare for handloaders. 115gr is standard weight for 9mm, the same weight most full-power factory self-defense and range loads use, and this design is built around a straightforward hollow-point mushroom expansion.

Built for standard velocity, not subsonic

Expanding pistol bullets rely on impact velocity to drive the mushrooming action, and a standard 9mm hollow point generally needs to be moving somewhere north of 900 to 950 fps on impact to open reliably. A full-power 9mm load out of a service-length barrel clears that easily. This is the projectile to load if you are running standard-pressure or +P 9mm ammunition through a normal barrel length, not a suppressed, reduced-velocity, or subsonic build.

How this differs from our subsonic 135gr

We also stock a 135gr Silverback design specifically engineered to expand at the lower velocities a subsonic 9mm load produces, where a standard hollow point like this one often fails to open at all and simply punches a straight hole. If you are loading for a suppressor or deliberately loading down to stay subsonic, that is the projectile to use instead of this one; using this standard design in a subsonic load risks getting no expansion.

Frequently asked questions

Will this expand out of a short-barrel pistol? A standard expanding bullet like this one needs roughly 900 to 950 fps of impact velocity to open reliably; a full-power 9mm load clears that from most carry-length barrels.

What powder charge should I start with? Start at the published starting load for this exact bullet weight and design, never a load worked up for a different bullet.

Is this the right choice for a suppressed or subsonic build? No, use our 135gr subsonic-rated expanding design instead, this standard design may not open reliably at subsonic velocities.

Related reading: 8.6 Blackout ammunition, 300 Blackout ammunition, or the ballistics calculator. Reference: SAAMI standards.

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