Hello. I curious about 9x18 stopping power. I'm not sure anyone knows or has any data, but opinions are interesting too. Please give your opinions, experiences, agree with, or debunk what I've said below.
Below are second hand facts and opinions to consider before answering:
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The .32 ACP has or should decent 3 shot stop power. I base this on it's one shot stop capability, which I don't remember for sure, but I think was around 40%. However, multiply that by 3 and you are well over 100%. I think this applies to warmer climates only. Cold climates mean thick wool and other winter coats that might act almost like a bullet resistant vest to a .32 ACP.
The Paraguay Police and Military reputedly use .32 ACP CZ-83s and .32 Mag Ruger SP101s as standard issue weapons. Supposedly their laws limit handguns to .32 caliber or smaller. I've heard the police and military have a policy of triple taps. This probably works pretty well in the warm climate where everyone is wearing a thin shirt or less. Also, people bleed more in hot weather. In a cold climate, with people wearing heavy coats, I don't think you could rely on 3 shot stops.
The Ruger SP101 however, is an entirely different matter in .32 Magnum. I think the .32 Mag packs a good wallup with good penetration. Not a powerhouse round, but no wussy either. It probably has one shot stop ability as good as, or maybe better than, a .38 special. I don't think any winter coat is going to stop a .32 Mag. Also, if one shot wouldn't do it with .32 Mag, I'm sure two shots would.
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Many of the police forces and/or civilians in the rest of S. America and Europe use the .380 ACP for standard carry.
Everyone knows a .380 is better than a .32 ACP, but probably not as good as a .32 Mag. The 1 shot stop capablity of the .380 is questionable. However, the .380 has reliable 2 shot stop capability, as long as they're not wearing a heavy coat.
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Where does that leave the 9x18 coming out of a 3.8" barrel? I can guess as follows:
First of all, notice that I said the .380 is a good 2 shot stopper IF THEY ARE NOT WEARING A HEAVY COAT. The 9x18 has enough extra punch that it could probably, in my opinion, defeat any winter coat. Probably. I'm sure the Ruskies must have thought about this when they designed it. If one shot of 9x18 hollow point wouldn't do it, I'm sure a second would.
Now let's be more specific about 9x18 power levels.
The standard is what the Ruskies, Bulgys, and East Germs used in their true Makarov pistols.
The Check (spelling?) CZ-P82 and P83 were designed to shoot 20% more powerful 9x18 ammo, according to CZ and Check claims. The Check military ammo was (supposedly) loaded 20% hotter for use in P-82s and later P83s. This would be +P+ ammo, if the Checks used this term. They just called it Check military ammo and it was understood that is was 20% hotter than regular 9x18 Mak ammo.
Regular 9x18 Mak ammo is equivalent to a .380 +P. This is what is intended for Rusky, Bulgy, East Germs, and other true Makarovs. You might be able to shoot 9x18 +P safely in these guns, but I'm not sure.
The CZ-P82 and P83 can easily handle a steady diet of 9x18 +P+ because that is what it they were designed for.
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Now back to stopping power: Since the standard Makarvo 9x18 ammo is like a .380 +P, we must conclude it's slightly better than .380, but not much. However, every little bit helps a lot when you're borderline for stopping power.
I'd say a standard 9x18 in hollow point should be a reliable two shot stopper, but can't be relied on for one shot stops. However, two shot stops are good enough for me. Unfortunatlely, a thick winter coat would call the two shot stops into question.
Now look at a CZ-P82 or P83 and the ammo it is intended to shoot all the time: Check ammo, which is 9x18 +P+ ammo. That helps a lot. If you can get this ammo in hollow point, you'd have a decent 1 shot stopper with power half way between .380 and 9mm Parabellum. I think 2 shots would do it for sure.
Therefore, I conclude that a CZ-83 shooting 9x18 +P+ hollow points is a good defense round that offers a decent chance of a one shot stop and a near certainty of a two shot stop (assuming good bullet placement). I believe this would be true regardless of winter coats or not.
Also, the CZ-82 and CZ-83 can easily handle a steady diet of +P+ 9x18 because that's what they were made for.
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Lastly, look at the super hot loaded Mak 9x18 PMM ammo made for the new high capacity, high powered Makarov PMM. The 9x18 PMM ammo is 70% more powerful than standard 9x18 ammo, which is 50% more than a P82 or P83 can handle.
The Makarvov PMM ammo is ballistically the same or very similar to 9MM +P Parabellum. So there is no need to guess about it's perfomance. Don't ever put 9x18 PMM ammo into an old style Makarov or a CZ-83 because it's way to powerful for those guns and I think it would be VERY dangerous.
The only gun you can put 9x18 PMM ammo into is a Makarov PMM pistol. Don't try putting this ammo into anything else.
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Your thoughts on 9x18 stopping power, or lack of it?
Below are second hand facts and opinions to consider before answering:
=====================================
The .32 ACP has or should decent 3 shot stop power. I base this on it's one shot stop capability, which I don't remember for sure, but I think was around 40%. However, multiply that by 3 and you are well over 100%. I think this applies to warmer climates only. Cold climates mean thick wool and other winter coats that might act almost like a bullet resistant vest to a .32 ACP.
The Paraguay Police and Military reputedly use .32 ACP CZ-83s and .32 Mag Ruger SP101s as standard issue weapons. Supposedly their laws limit handguns to .32 caliber or smaller. I've heard the police and military have a policy of triple taps. This probably works pretty well in the warm climate where everyone is wearing a thin shirt or less. Also, people bleed more in hot weather. In a cold climate, with people wearing heavy coats, I don't think you could rely on 3 shot stops.
The Ruger SP101 however, is an entirely different matter in .32 Magnum. I think the .32 Mag packs a good wallup with good penetration. Not a powerhouse round, but no wussy either. It probably has one shot stop ability as good as, or maybe better than, a .38 special. I don't think any winter coat is going to stop a .32 Mag. Also, if one shot wouldn't do it with .32 Mag, I'm sure two shots would.
======================================
Many of the police forces and/or civilians in the rest of S. America and Europe use the .380 ACP for standard carry.
Everyone knows a .380 is better than a .32 ACP, but probably not as good as a .32 Mag. The 1 shot stop capablity of the .380 is questionable. However, the .380 has reliable 2 shot stop capability, as long as they're not wearing a heavy coat.
======================================
Where does that leave the 9x18 coming out of a 3.8" barrel? I can guess as follows:
First of all, notice that I said the .380 is a good 2 shot stopper IF THEY ARE NOT WEARING A HEAVY COAT. The 9x18 has enough extra punch that it could probably, in my opinion, defeat any winter coat. Probably. I'm sure the Ruskies must have thought about this when they designed it. If one shot of 9x18 hollow point wouldn't do it, I'm sure a second would.
Now let's be more specific about 9x18 power levels.
The standard is what the Ruskies, Bulgys, and East Germs used in their true Makarov pistols.
The Check (spelling?) CZ-P82 and P83 were designed to shoot 20% more powerful 9x18 ammo, according to CZ and Check claims. The Check military ammo was (supposedly) loaded 20% hotter for use in P-82s and later P83s. This would be +P+ ammo, if the Checks used this term. They just called it Check military ammo and it was understood that is was 20% hotter than regular 9x18 Mak ammo.
Regular 9x18 Mak ammo is equivalent to a .380 +P. This is what is intended for Rusky, Bulgy, East Germs, and other true Makarovs. You might be able to shoot 9x18 +P safely in these guns, but I'm not sure.
The CZ-P82 and P83 can easily handle a steady diet of 9x18 +P+ because that is what it they were designed for.
======================================
Now back to stopping power: Since the standard Makarvo 9x18 ammo is like a .380 +P, we must conclude it's slightly better than .380, but not much. However, every little bit helps a lot when you're borderline for stopping power.
I'd say a standard 9x18 in hollow point should be a reliable two shot stopper, but can't be relied on for one shot stops. However, two shot stops are good enough for me. Unfortunatlely, a thick winter coat would call the two shot stops into question.
Now look at a CZ-P82 or P83 and the ammo it is intended to shoot all the time: Check ammo, which is 9x18 +P+ ammo. That helps a lot. If you can get this ammo in hollow point, you'd have a decent 1 shot stopper with power half way between .380 and 9mm Parabellum. I think 2 shots would do it for sure.
Therefore, I conclude that a CZ-83 shooting 9x18 +P+ hollow points is a good defense round that offers a decent chance of a one shot stop and a near certainty of a two shot stop (assuming good bullet placement). I believe this would be true regardless of winter coats or not.
Also, the CZ-82 and CZ-83 can easily handle a steady diet of +P+ 9x18 because that's what they were made for.
=======================================
Lastly, look at the super hot loaded Mak 9x18 PMM ammo made for the new high capacity, high powered Makarov PMM. The 9x18 PMM ammo is 70% more powerful than standard 9x18 ammo, which is 50% more than a P82 or P83 can handle.
The Makarvov PMM ammo is ballistically the same or very similar to 9MM +P Parabellum. So there is no need to guess about it's perfomance. Don't ever put 9x18 PMM ammo into an old style Makarov or a CZ-83 because it's way to powerful for those guns and I think it would be VERY dangerous.
The only gun you can put 9x18 PMM ammo into is a Makarov PMM pistol. Don't try putting this ammo into anything else.
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Your thoughts on 9x18 stopping power, or lack of it?
Though interesting on paper, that's not suitable for the real world. 
