9mm Parabellum

The 9×19mm Parabellum (abbreviated 9mm, 9mmP, 9×19mm or 9×19) cartridge was designed by Georg Luger and introduced in 1902 by the German weapons manufacturer Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken (DWM) for their Luger semi-automatic pistol. For this reason, it is designated as the 9mm Luger by the SAAMI[6] and the 9 mm Luger by the C.I.P. Under STANAG 4090, it is a standard cartridge for NATO forces as well as many non-NATO countries. The name Parabellum is derived from the Latin: Si vis pacem, para bellum (“If you seek peace, prepare for war”), which was the motto of DWM. According to the 2006 edition of Cartridges of the World, the 9×19mm Parabellum is “the world’s most popular and widely used military handgun cartridge.”[10] In addition to being used by over 60% of police in the U.S., Newsweek credits 9×19mm Parabellum pistol sales with making semiautomatic pistols more popular than revolvers. The popularity of this cartridge can be attributed to the widely held conviction that it is effective in police and self-defense use. Its low cost and wide availability contribute to the caliber’s continuing popularity. [Wikipedia]