Rose H. grew up shooting with her family in Colorado.
One day, the teenager heard a noise coming from the garage of the family house.
She grabbed a few shotguns and went to investigate.
“I just heard all this commotion and came running with a pair of shotguns I use for competitive shooting,” said Rose.
Rose discovered a big black bear eating dog food in the garage.
“I was face-to-face with the bear when my dogs chased it out of the garage through a hole the bear made going after dog food.”
She had milliseconds to make a potentially life or death decision.
So, when the bear reared up, she fired.
Not just one time, but six times.
You see, Rose had three shells loaded in each shotgun.
After firing three times she knelt and fired three more times.
The black bear stumbled over the side of a mountain and died.
The Park County Sheriff’s office said she did the right thing.
A law enforcement official said, “Anyone has the right to defend themselves against wildlife if they feel threatened.”
Locals started referring to the teen as “Rose ‘Grizzly’” and she became somewhat of a local legend.
There is no question that Rose’s competitive shooting skills paid off.
For those who participate in shooting competitions, specific guns and ammo are used to make the best of the competition – not just shotguns, but pistols too.
In fact, if you shoot 9mm in competitions, one ammo you may be familiar with is the 9mm Major round.
What is the 9mm Major?:
The 9mm Major round is a slightly larger 9mm compared to the more common 9mm Luger (it has a longer overall length than the Luger).
In addition, the 9mm Major is typically loaded to higher pressures than the Luger.
The Major often has a pressure load of around 38,000 PSI or more, creating velocities from 1,100 to 1,500 feet per second.
This makes the 9mm Major great for some guns and non-functional for others.
For comparison, the 9mm Luger round has a pressure load of around 32,000 PSI. This translates to velocities between 850 and 1,200 feet per second.
Benefits of the 9mm Major:
The main reason you might want to try 9mm Major rounds is if you are interested in competition shooting.
The Major ammunition is loaded to reach a Power Factor of 165 in IPSC or USPSA competitions.
The Power Factor is determined by the bullet weight times velocity, divided by 1,000.
Additionally, many competition shooters like to hand load their cartridges.
Since the Major is slightly bigger it gives more room for the precise load the shooter desires.
In self-defense situations, the increased velocity of the Major would lead to more penetration on the target.
But this would be something to remember and be careful with in home defense.
Drawbacks to the 9mm Major:
The most serious issue with the 9mm Major is that it could be dangerous to fire in some 9mm weapons.
In most cases, the only 9mm handguns that can handle the Major are pistols that are made specifically for competition shooting.
Most off-the-shelf 9mm firearms can’t safely shoot the 9mm Major.
So, if your 9mm can’t handle +P ammo, then it can’t handle 9mm Major.
Also, weapons that can safely fire the Major need to have a ramped barrel to support the casing.
Any barrel without the feed ramp wouldn’t be safe for the 9mm Major.
Should you use 9mm Major Rounds?:
Before you buy any 9mm Major, you should check to make sure it’s safe to use with your firearm.
Competition shooting is a good thing and can help improve the skills and fundamentals of shooting.
And, if you are competing it’s worth considering the 9mm Major.
