The 9x19mm NATO (Luger, or parabellum) cartridge continues to hold high ground in the defensive pistol community, in spite of the trend toward larger, heavier bullets, namely the .40 S&W and timeless .45 ACP rounds. The reason for this popularity is due to several factors: more than a century of tradition of the 9x19mm cartridge, its relatively high magazine capacity, its low recoil impulse and the great increase in projectile performance during the last 25 years.