The 9x25mm Dillon is a high-performance cartridge based on the 10mm that fires a 9mm bullet at rifle velocities.
The 9x25mm Dillon is not listed in SAAMI’s rifle (Z299.4), handgun (Z299.3) or rimfire (Z299.1) standards, so there is no SAAMI reference velocity, pressure limit or test barrel to quote for it. This guide charts what the makers of the loads we stock publish for them instead, and compares the 9x25mm Dillon with the 10mm Automatic, which SAAMI does standardise.
9x25mm Dillon ballistics chart: manufacturer-published loads
These are the manufacturers’ own figures for specific loads we stock, taken from each maker’s page for the item number shown. There is no SAAMI reference for this cartridge, and each maker chose its own test barrel, so the figures should not be laid directly beside another brand’s.
Scroll the table sideways for the remaining columns.
| Load | Item no. | Bullet weight | Bullet | Muzzle velocity | Muzzle energy | Test barrel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DoubleTap Ammunition Bonded Defense® JHP | Not published | 125 gr | Bonded Defense® JHP | 1,700 fps | 803 ft-lb | Not published |
| DoubleTap Ammunition FMJ-FP | Not published | 147 gr | FMJ-FP | 1,495 fps | 730 ft-lb | 6″ Lone Wolf barrel |
What the numbers mean for a shot
The 2 loads charted above, from DoubleTap Ammunition, run from 125 to 147 grains, with published muzzle velocities of 1,495 to 1,700 fps and published muzzle energies of 730 to 803 ft-lb. Each maker fired its load in its own test barrel, so a difference between two brands can come from the barrel as well as the load.
None of this is SAAMI data. Each product in our 9x25mm Dillon ammo range lists whatever its maker publishes for that item.
Chamber and pressure
This page states no SAAMI pressure limit for the 9x25mm Dillon. Fire 9x25mm Dillon ammunition only in a firearm chambered for it, and follow both the ammunition maker’s and the firearm maker’s instructions. Several unrelated cartridges share a number, so match the full designation on the box to the marking on your barrel.
9x25mm Dillon vs 10mm: what the data supports
A like-for-like comparison needs both cartridges measured the same way. SAAMI standardises the 10mm Automatic, so its figures come from one standard test barrel. The 9x25mm Dillon has no SAAMI figures, so its numbers come from individual makers and their own barrels. The table sets them side by side with the source of each figure stated, and should be read that way.
Scroll the table sideways for the remaining columns.
| Specification | 9x25mm Dillon | 10mm Automatic |
|---|---|---|
| Listed by SAAMI | No | Yes |
| Maximum average pressure | Not published by SAAMI | 37,500 psi (SAAMI) |
| Bullet weights | 125 to 147 gr (loads we stock) | 135 to 200 gr (SAAMI reference loads) |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,495–1,700 fps (manufacturer-published, each in its own barrel) | 985–1,410 fps (SAAMI reference, 5.000 in test barrel) |
| Muzzle energy | 730–803 ft-lb (where the maker publishes it) | 401–684 ft-lb (computed from SAAMI velocity) |
What this cannot settle is which cartridge is more powerful in your rifle: the two columns come from different sources and different barrels. We stock the other side of this comparison too: 10mm ammo.
9x25mm Dillon ballistics questions
Does SAAMI standardise the 9x25mm Dillon?
No. SAAMI’s rifle, handgun and rimfire standards do not list the 9x25mm Dillon, so there is no SAAMI maximum pressure, reference velocity or test barrel for it. The figures on this page are the ones each maker publishes for its own loads.
What muzzle velocity do manufacturers publish for the 9x25mm Dillon?
For the 2 loads we stock from DoubleTap Ammunition, the makers publish muzzle velocities from 1,495 to 1,700 fps, for bullet weights from 125 to 147 grains. Each maker measured its own load in its own test barrel, so these are not reference figures and are not directly comparable between brands.
Is the 9x25mm Dillon more powerful than the 10mm Automatic?
The two cannot be compared like for like, because SAAMI publishes reference data for the 10mm Automatic but not for the 9x25mm Dillon. The 2 loads charted here for the 9x25mm Dillon publish muzzle energies of 730 to 803 ft-lb, each in its maker’s own barrel, against SAAMI reference loads for the 10mm Automatic that compute to 401 to 684 ft-lb from a 5.000 in test barrel.
What is the effective range of the 9x25mm Dillon?
Effective range is not a published specification for the cartridge; it depends on the bullet, the load and the shooter. Where a maker publishes downrange velocity and energy for a load, the tables above show it, and only out to the last range that maker publishes.
How much does the 9x25mm Dillon drop?
None of the makers of the loads we stock publishes a trajectory table for them, so this page gives no drop figure. Drop depends on the bullet’s ballistic coefficient and on the zero range, so use the figure a maker prints for the specific load.
Where to buy these loads
Hilltop Armory carries 9x25mm Dillon ammunition from DoubleTap Ammunition. Browse the full 9x25mm Dillon ammo range.
