9×23mm Winchester

9×23mm Winchester
Type	Pistol
Place of origin	United States
Production history
Designer	Winchester Ammunition (John Ricco) (Anthony Valdez)
Designed	1996 (1994)
Specifications
Parent case	9x23 Super
Case type	Rimless, straight
Bullet diameter	0.356 in (9.0 mm)
Neck diameter	0.381 in (9.7 mm)
Base diameter	0.392 in (10.0 mm)
Rim diameter	0.394 in (10.0 mm)
Case length	0.900 in (22.9 mm)
Primer type	small pistol *Some people use small rifle primers
Maximum CUP	40,000 CUP
Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type	Velocity	Energy
124 gr (8.0 g) Win USA JSP (.180Bc)	1,460 ft/s (450 m/s)	587 ft·lbf (796 J)
124 gr (8.0 g) Win JSP @ 50yds	1,308 ft/s (399 m/s)	471 ft·lbf (639 J)
125 gr (8.1 g) Super-X Silvertip HP (.129 Bc / 5" Bbl)	1,450 ft/s (440 m/s)	583 ft·lbf (790 J)
125 gr (8.1 g) Super-X @ 50 yds	1,249 ft/s (381 m/s)	433 ft·lbf (587 J)
125 gr (8.1 g) Super-X @ 100yds	1,103 ft/s (336 m/s)	338 ft·lbf (458 J)
Test barrel length: Varied Source(s): Winchester Ammunition; C.I.P.[1] SAAMI[2]

The 9x23 Winchester is a pistol cartridge developed as a joint venture by Winchester Ammunition and Colt's Manufacturing Company.^[3] 9x23mm has a convoluted development history, but was commercially introduced by Winchester in 1996. Marketed primarily to competition shooters as a replacement for .38 Super for International Practical Shooting Confederation, United States Practical Shooting Association and International Defensive Pistol Association competition, the cartridge made a splash, but never really caught on.

The main advantage of 9x23mm Winchester is a much strengthened case that does away with the semi-rimmed case design of the .38 Super. The strengthened case allows the 9x23mm Winchester to operate under a higher internal pressure, 40,000 CUP, than the .38 Super which maxes out around 30,000 CUP. Also, the case is not necked down like the .357 SIG, 9x25mm Super Auto G, or 9x25mm Dillon allowing greater magazine capacity; however the 9x23 is longer overall thus requiring the extra length of a 1911 style magazine.^[4]

History

Patent 5,187,324 was filed by John Ricco of CP Bullets in 1992 for an "improved 9mm cartridge casing" that he called the 9x23 Super. He had the brass casing made by Winchester Ammunition which they took, improved upon, and filed patent 5,507,232 in 1995. Winchester had lengthened the overall case by 4mm and removed the semi-rim of the case and named their new cartridge the 9×23mm Winchester. Ricco sued for the royalties that Winchester denied him and won.^[5][6]

Announced to the public in early 1996 at an NRA convention, the 9×23mm Winchester cartridge was designed to have the lowest recoiling load and still qualify for Major Power Factor designation in the IPSC.^[3][7] IPSC Power Factor (PF) is equal to bullet weight in grains times muzzle velocity with a PF of at least 175 equaling a Major Power Factor designation. A lighter bullet weight requires a larger muzzle velocity to achieve the same PF and the larger charge of powder required to achieve this velocity creates higher pressure inside the case.

Winchester designed the 9×23mm to prevent case-wall blowout caused by the increased pressure by thickening the web section, which is the "solid" part of the case.

The event that spelled doom for the cartridges like the 9×23mm Winchester and 9×25mm Dillon in competition use was when USPSA reduced the power factor necessary to make Major, from 175 to 165. This greatly reduced the internal pressures required allowing ammunition with less charge to qualify for Major Power Factor.^{[citation needed]}

Effects

This section requires expansion.

The performance of the 9x23mm Winchester is virtually identical to that of the .357 SIG.(These figures exceed the factory ballistics of a .357 SIG in a 4" test barrel. Even using a 5" bbl. it is not likely that you would hit 1,450fps with a 125gr bullet in the .357 SIG. Not while staying within SAAMI pressure limits.) Being that it is a long form pistol round, it fit large frame automatics such as the 1911. Not being suitable for small(er) frame pistols chambered for rounds like 9x19mm Parabellum, it never gained the mainstream recognition the .357 SIG enjoys, despite offering similar ballistics and terminal effects as well as higher magazine capacity.

Reloading

This section requires expansion.

The maximum over all length of the cartridge can vary with the magazine length of the converted pistol. A Star Super B converted to 9x23mm may be loaded to 1.29" while a converted Tokarev may be loaded to 1.36". Using this cartridge at full power in a handgun built around the standard .38 Super ACP +P pressure limits and lower may result in a drastically increased level of wear on the firearm or even serious damage to it due to insufficient tensile strength+hardening of the frame, slide and various small parts.

See also

• List of firearms
• List of handgun cartridges

References

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (September 2010)

External links

• Winchester
• USPSA
• IPSC