Winchester's WIN9S is a steel-cased 115-grain FMJ rated at 1,190 fps and 362 ft-lbs, for a power factor of 137 that clears the 125 minor floor by 12 points. From a 25-yard zero it drops 1.2 inches at 50 yards and 9.5 inches at 100, still moving about 1,070 fps at 50. Estimated recoil in a 1.9-pound compact pistol is 4.3 ft-lbs. The steel case is magnetic, some ranges refuse it, and it cannot be reloaded.

Among the six 115-grain ball loads in this comparison it is the second fastest. Only Sellier & Bellot is quicker, 90 fps ahead at 1,280 fps with about 13 percent more estimated recoil energy in the same pistol. MaxxTech and CCI Blazer Aluminum leave 40 to 45 fps slower with about 6 to 7 percent less recoil energy than the Winchester. The other steel-cased loads sit with them: Wolf Performance is 40 fps behind with about 6 percent less recoil, and Magtech Steel is 55 fps behind with about 8 percent less. Drop at 50 yards runs 1.1 to 1.4 inches across all six, so no hold changes at pistol distances; at 100 yards the spread is 8.7 inches for Sellier & Bellot to 10.4 for Magtech Steel.

This is the steel-cased pick for a shooter who wants full 115-grain velocity and whose range allows steel. Where steel is refused, MaxxTech is the closest brass-cased load, and CCI Blazer Aluminum is within 5 fps of it in an aluminum case that also cannot be reloaded. Shooters who want the mildest load here should take Magtech Steel and its 8 percent lower recoil energy. Anyone shooting behind a suppressor should look at Speer Lawman 147-grain instead, subsonic at 985 fps with about 19 percent more estimated recoil energy than the Winchester.