Lindcott Armory Pistol · CIP
9mm Ultra
West German police and military cartridge developed as a blowback-compatible 9mm round that fits in compact pistol designs without a locked-breech action.
- Caliber
- 0.3547″ · 9.01 mm
- Introduced
- 1936
- Case
- Rimless
- Primary use
- Military, Law Enforcement
- Status
- Active
- Introduced
- 1936
- Type
- Pistol
- Origin
- Germany
- Inventor
- Heinrich Ortgies
- Manufacturer
- Walther, various German
- Standard
- CIP
- Status
- Active
- Availability
- Limited
- Case capacity
- 11.5 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:10
- Primer
- Small Pistol
- Case type
- Rimless
- Max pressure
- 26,107 psi
- Eff. range
- 50 yd
- Max range
- 100 yd
- Recoil
- 3–5 ft·lb
- Subsonic
- Capable
Ballistics
- By real loads
- 1,000–1,050 fps · 8 loads
- Parent case
- —
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Performance
Buy links open 9mm Ultra ammunition at Rivertown Munitions.
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
CIP TDCC · verified| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 9.01 | 0.355 | ✓ |
| Neck ⌀ | 9.65 | 0.380 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Shoulder angle | n/a | ||
| Base ⌀ | 9.81 | 0.386 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 9.37 | 0.369 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.25 | 0.049 | ✓ |
| Neck length | n/a | ||
| Case length | 17.85 | 0.703 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 25.27 | 0.995 | ✓ |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. 9mm Ultra is highlighted below.
Factory loads
In production — 8 active loads across 5 brands. Top 15 shown · see all 18 →.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sellier & Bellot | FMJ | 100 | FMJ | 1,050 | 245 | — |
| Fiocchi | FMJ | 100 | FMJ | 1,050 | 245 | — |
| Sellier & Bellot | Standard | 100 | FMJ | 1,050 | 245 | — |
| Norma | Safeguard | 95 | FMJ | 1,000 | 211 | — |
| Fiocchi | Range | 95 | FMJ | 1,000 | 211 | — |
| Sellier & Bellot | Sport | 95 | FMJ | 1,000 | 211 | — |
| Kynoch | Standard | 95 | FMJ | 1,000 | 211 | — |
| PPU | Range | 95 | FMJ | 1,000 | 211 | — |
| Buffalo Arms | Custom | 100 | FMJ | 1,060 | 249 | — |
| Armscor | Standard | 100 | FMJ | 1,060 | 249 | — |
| Wolf | FMJ | 100 | FMJ | 1,060 | 249 | — |
| Norma | Classic | 100 | FMJ | 1,060 | 249 | — |
| RWS | Classic | 100 | FMJ | 1,060 | 249 | — |
| PPU | Standard | 100 | FMJ | 1,060 | 249 | — |
| Kynoch | Classic | 100 | FMJ | 1,060 | 249 | — |
Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads dimmed.
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Firearms chambered in 9mm Ultra
6 models in the database chamber 9mm Ultra. Browse all →
Connected reference
History
Originally developed in 1936 by Walther for a compact Luftwaffe pistol requirement. After WWII, West German police forces adopted the cartridge for the Walther PP and related blowback-operated pistols. The 9mm Ultra offered more power than .380 ACP in a package compatible with compact blowback designs without the locked-breech requirement of full 9mm Luger. Still produced by European manufacturers for police users.
FAQs
- What twist rate does 9mm Ultra use?
- 9mm Ultra typically uses a 1:10 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is 9mm Ultra?
- 9mm Ultra uses a 0.3547″ (9.01 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is 9mm Ultra still in production?
- 9mm Ultra is active; typical availability is limited.
- What is 9mm Ultra used for?
- 9mm Ultra is primarily used for military, law enforcement.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 8 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →