Marketed primarily to competition shooters as a replacement for .38 Super for International Practical Shooting Confederation, United States Practical Shooting Association and International Defensive Pistol Association competition, the cartridge failed to find significant market success despite a high-profile introduction.

[3] Patent 5,187,324 was filed by John Ricco of CP Bullets in 1992 for an "improved 9mm cartridge casing" that he called the 9×23mm Super.

Announced to the public in early 1996 at an NRA convention, the 9×23mm Winchester cartridge was claimed to have the lowest recoiling load and still qualify for Major Power Factor designation in the IPSC.

[2][4] The IPSC Power Factor (PF) is equal to bullet weight in grains times muzzle velocity divided by 1,000.

That meant that users of the 9×23mm Winchester were able to return to target in less time than with a compensated .45 ACP pistol of otherwise identical design.

When the 9×23mm Winchester came to market with its much-increased pressure ceiling, produced by thickening the web section of the cartridge case, it was no longer needed.

Using this cartridge at full power in a handgun built around the standard .38 Super +P pressure limits and lower may result in a drastically increased level of wear on the firearm or even serious damage to it due to insufficient tensile strength and hardening of the frame, slide and various small parts.

This is not a significant design problem as the recoil forces are directly comparable to those of the .45 ACP, and the lock-up between the barrel and slide is normally more than adequate to handle the increased pressure.

It is worth noting that the internal capacity of Winchester and Starline manufactured cases are not quite the same, so maximum loads developed in one should not be applied to the other without working up again.

Also, the Starline 9×23mm Comp has thinner walls than the original Winchester cases and will not withstand as much pressure in an unsupported chamber.