9×18mm Ultra

9×18mm Ultra
TypePistol
Place of originNazi Germany
Service history
Used byWest German police
Production history
Designed1936
Specifications
Case typeRimless
Bullet diameter9.01 mm (0.355 in)
Shoulder diameter9.65 mm (0.380 in)
Base diameter9.81 mm (0.386 in)
Rim diameter9.37 mm (0.369 in)
Case length17.85 mm (0.703 in)
Overall length25.27 mm (0.995 in)
Primer typeBerdan or boxer small pistol
Ballistic performance
Bullet mass/type Velocity Energy
6.09 g (94 gr) JFP 320 m/s (1,000 ft/s) 312 J (230 ft⋅lbf)
6.48 g (100 gr) JFP 323 m/s (1,060 ft/s) 338 J (249 ft⋅lbf)

The 9×18mm Ultra is a German pistol cartridge.[1] It was originally developed in 1936 for use by the Luftwaffe, but was not adopted at that time.[1]

Description

In the 1972–1973 time frame, Walther introduced the Walther PP Super, chambered in 9×18mm Ultra for the West German Police.[1] It might have been influenced by the success of the Soviet 9×18mm Makarov, although most observed the opposite (the Ultra cartridge is usually agreed to have been the design basis for the Makarov, with similar case length and a slightly wider and shorter projectile). It is often interpreted as an intermediate round between 9×17mm and 9×19mm Parabellum, fit for simple blowback pistols.[2] However, as actually loaded, the cartridge's working pressure and velocities are much closer to those of .380 ACP than to 9×19mm.

The Walther PP Super was discontinued in 1979.[citation needed] The cartridge was made available to the civilian market in 1975,[1] but did not gain lasting popularity.

In addition to the Walther PP Super, the SIG Sauer P230,[1] Mauser HSc-80,[3] and Benelli B76[1] were also produced in 9×18mm Ultra.

The 9×18mm Ultra (.355-inch caliber) is not interchangeable with the 9×18mm Makarov (.365-inch caliber), which uses a larger-diameter bullet.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Frank C. Barnes (2012). Richard A. Mann (ed.). Cartridges of the World: A Complete Illustrated Reference for More Than 1,500 Cartridges. Gun Digest Books. p. 338. ISBN 978-1440230592.
  2. ^ Erenfeicht, Leszek (2018) (in Polish). From Russia with Love. Pistolet Makarowa. „Strzał.pl” No. 6/2018. III (19), p. 25-26. ISSN 2451-4942
  3. ^ Downey, Jim (2 May 2012). "Gun Review: Mauser HSc-80: A decent gun except for the 9mm Ultra cartridge". Guns.com. Archived from the original on 24 April 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2016.