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From: boyd@mailer.cc.fsu.edu (Mickey Boyd)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Birth of the 9mm
Message-ID: <35598@mimsy.umd.edu>
Date: 14 Jun 91 00:56:29 GMT
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Organization: Florida State University Computer Science Department
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I was asked by someone the other day about the birth of the 9mm round.  To 
my great chagrin, I have forgotten most of it!!  

The way I heard the "birth of the 9mm" story is as follows.  The cartridge is 
a "cut down" version of another one common at the time (I think it was the 
.30 carbine, but I could be wrong).  No thought was given to superior 
ballistic design, they just needed to rechamber the Luger for a different 
round, and doing it this way meant less retooling.  Thus, (the way I understand
it) the 9mm specs were created in a "less than scientific" way.  Oh, the 
rechambering was needed due to a "request" by the German army, who did not 
want to adopt the pistol in the previous caliber.  

Does anyone know the full story?  I know it's even more humorous, but I cannot 
remember the details!!
 
-- 
             Mickey R. Boyd          |  "God is a comedian playing to an 
          FSU Computer Science       |      audience too afraid to laugh."
        Technical Support Group      |
      email:  boyd@fsucs.cs.fsu.edu  |                  - Voltaire