what do you use?

[Flyerman]

looking for recomendations for a good dependable and not super expensive ammo to be used mainly for self defense. i think it would be a good idea to use this ammo for target practice, to get a feel of it. i'm looking to get a Springfield Armory XD45ACP. anyone have a good self defense ammo for this pistol?


what do you use?

[Thernlund]

Hydrashok or Gold Dot is going to be the standard answer.

Magtech Gaurdian is a bit less expensive (about $0.75 vs. $1 per round).


-T.

[ArchAngelCD]

DoubleTap will cost you half of what Speer Gold Dot will cost you and they use Gold Dot bullets in their ammo in most cases.

I just changed over from 135gr Speer Gold Dot .38 Special +P ammo to 125gr DoubleTap .38 Special +P ammo because they are both accurate in my revolver but Speer GD costs $21/20 rounds and DT costs $25/50 rounds. That's cheap enough to allow me to practice with my carry ammo without going broke.

Their 185gr, 200gr and 230gr JHP ammo all use Speer Gold Dot bullets and cost $27.95/50 rounds. They also sell quantity discounts unlike other SD companies. Their 45 ACP rounds are priced at $259.95/500 rounds. Here (http://www.doubletapammo.com/php/catalog/index.php?cPath=21_34&osCsid=3f564205080d83743c09e306493e4c73) is the link to DoubleTap's .45 ACP ammo page.

Other good SD ammo like Buffalo Bore, Federal Hydra-Shok, CorBon, Winchester Silvertip, Remington Golden Saber and so on are all too expensive to practice wit, at least for me they are.

[kingpin008]

Probably gonna get flamed for this, but here goes. My 1911, and the fiancee's 642 are both loaded with standard, run o' the mill, ball ammo. I've got the remains of some 230 grain WWB FMJ and 230 grain Georgia-Arms reloads in my mags, and she's got her .38 loaded with 158 grain LSWC reloads from GA.

I'm not going to go into it too deeply, but my personal feeling is that things like shot placement, repeatability, and PRACTICE do more for success when shooting than the ammo does. That goes for SD as well. Might be wrong, might be right, who knows. But I'll tell you this - I know for sure how that ammo functions in both of those guns, and I'm confident in the ability of those slugs to make a goblin think twice about continuing the fight.

HP's are dandy, but don't rule out the humble FMJ.

[MPanova]

This is what I carry in my Taurus 24/7 Pro 45

http://www.streichers.com/ProductDetail.aspx?Catalog=Guns%20and%20Ammo&Category=AMMO_DHAND&Prod=FC-45HST

http://www.streichers.com/productimages/550_750/fc-hsttactical.gif

[jeepmor]

I just read an article today that touted the Barnes XPB bullet as the best penetrator into 4 layers of denim, then into a Gelatin block. Then, they added a layer of leather to simulate a jacket over all that. It was the only bullet that consistently fully expanded in all calibers from 380 thru 45ACP. These are Barnes's all copper hex bullet. Not a cheap option, but apparently the best in this test. They also did some testing simulating going through a car door and this bullet also reigned supreme.

You'll have to do your own search, I used google and gelatin testing for firearms. Brassfetcher.com is a good link to compare gelatin and caliber results. Not all inclusive, but still very elaborate to help with your decision making process.

These were specifically Corbon DPX product, but the key is the Barnes XPB bullet. If your a 10mm fan you can find this bullet offered for about $1 per round through Double Tap with significantly more energy than that offered from Corbon. Is this cheap, no way. However, after reading this article, I may be looking into them for CCW use since it's getting cold and the goblins are layering up.

[chipperi]

I've said it in a few different similar threads.

Call your local Sheriff / PD and find out what they carry. In my case the Sullivan County TN Sheriffs office carries .40 Federal Golden Sabers, so I carry the same except in .45. This way if I ever have to use it some pecker head lawyer trying to get money for the family of a criminal cant say I was using "Homemade, super duper, explosive, man stopper, cop killer bullets." I can politely say nope I use the same thing the cops use to defend their lives.

[Ala Dan]

Actually, I prefer Hornady's T.A.P. (Tactical Application for Police) in the
200 or 230 grain weight for my .45 ACP CCW piece. I also use their 124
grain T.A.P. in my 9m/m's~! :scrutiny: ;) :D

[lee n. field]

This is what I carry in my Taurus 24/7 Pro 45

http://www.streichers.com/ProductDet...&Prod=FC-45HST


Ohhhh. Pretty.

I have a new desktop background, to piss off my gun phobic shopmate.

[Thernlund]

This is what I carry in my Taurus 24/7 Pro 45

http://www.streichers.com/ProductDet...&Prod=FC-45HST

$26/50 rounds. Good price. In fact, that site has good prices on all ammo it looks like. $30 for 50 Hydrashoks (.45ACP). Nice.


-T.

[TOADMAN]

WWB JHP will do just fine... In 45 ACP, WWB ball ammo will suffice also...

[BayAreaTactical]

Take a look at Hornaday TAP ammo

[jonboynumba1]

I usually load it with federal HS or Speer Gold Dot 230gr (230gr is what .45 is all about...as a bud once said to me...other than 200gr SWC for plinking I'd agree

I once shot a cow in the head with a corbon 230gr +P It went down with one shot and stayed down (it had to be put down....neighbors cow...long sad story) I backed it with 2 rounds of ball just in case...they weren't needed. I shot the second corbon round just to make sure....cowskulls are pretty stout. It performed well though that load is far to "snappy" for me to do comfortable good work with it. For a "Top end" load I load a 200gr XTP with 7 gr. of Unique. I read that another guy here uses 7.5...which would probably be a good +P hunting load to work up to. I've never gone past the 7 gr load...but plan to try his out nextime I reload some .45 rounds.

I really liked a lighter 230gr XTP load I tried last range trip...I can't recall offhand if it was 5 or 6 grains of unique but it was notably less snappier than even federal 230gr HS ammo. Still hit the steel plate with a good "Pa-Tink" very controllable. I wish there was a comparable factory 230gr load. Federals did hit plate a little louder...but I liked how fast you could follow-up!

I don't like lighter (weight) .45 loads no matter how hot. 200gr. is an "alright" concession to make more room for powder. It gets pretty "snappy

[sixgunner455]

My 1911, and the fiancee's 642 are both loaded with standard, run o' the mill, ball ammo. I've got the remains of some 230 grain WWB FMJ and 230 grain Georgia-Arms reloads in my mags, and she's got her .38 loaded with 158 grain LSWC reloads from GA.

don't rule out the humble FMJ

FMJ is not plain lead semiwadcutter. That load is good and effective in a .38 Spc. FMJ has a copper or steel jacket around a lead core, like what you say you are loading in your .45 -- not a bad load in that gun.

FMJ in a .38 is usually an anemic (slow) 130 grain bullet, and is not a wonderful load. Your soft lead semiwadcutter is much better in the .38. It's plain jane, but decent.

[CountGlockula]

It'll definitely depend on what your XD will like.

My Glock will take all Winchesters, Remingtons, American Eagle and reloads...yes quality reloads.

[TimboKhan]

Probably gonna get flamed for this, but here goes. My 1911, and the fiancee's 642 are both loaded with standard, run o' the mill, ball ammo. I've got the remains of some 230 grain WWB FMJ and 230 grain Georgia-Arms reloads in my mags, and she's got her .38 loaded with 158 grain LSWC reloads from GA.


Eh, I happen to have hydra-shoks loaded up in my .357 right now, but I would feel just as comfortable with the regular old SWC cartridges that I had in there before. I do feel just as comfortable with plain old ball in my .45. The only pistol I have where I truly feel better having hydra-shoks loaded up is my 9mm. I like the 9mm, but I have been shot with regular old 9mm ball and I will just say that an expanding bullet would have been far more devastating to me than the ball was.

[sm]

XD, no experience

45ACP, lots of experience.
Personally I like:
230 gr : Hardball, and Old Fed HS
200 gr: Flying Ashtrays and HG#68 SWC.
185 gr: Win STHP (great for indoor use, less felt recoil, and feeds in anything IME).
I ran out of 50,000 rds of some kind of Montana Bullet reload, one of these days maybe I will check to see what this was.
These only lasted me just over a year...

Name it, I've shot it, and my main deal is reliable with mags, POA/POI.
For what I do, concerns with glass, mirrors, and all , Hardball is fine.
Guns I use, will feed anything, just easier to grab hardball

[KBintheSLC]

My 1911, and the fiancee's 642 are both loaded with standard, run o' the mill, ball ammo.

Don't carry ball ammo. Unless you live out in the woods. Remember that you are responsible for every round that comes out of your gun. Get a good expanding round that won't over-penetrate your target.

Federal Golden Sabers

Golden Sabers are made by Remington. They are a good round for defense, however they do not use modern jacket bonding methods, so core/jacket separation can occur. I use them though, and they seem to work fine.

I think that the three very best on the market are the Gold-Dot +P, Corbon +P, and the Winchester Ranger +P. They are pricey though, but the expansion consistency, jacket bonding, and energy delivery are well proven.

[obxned]

SXT, Hydro-shock, Gold Dot, Golden Saber, DPX, HST all will get'r done! There are other good ones out there, but any of these is a pretty safe bet.

[esq_stu]

I don't get to the range often these days and I don't use a lot of SD ammo for practice - I shoot mostly WWB plus whatever's in my gun plus my reload.

At that rate of consumption - maybe a 20 rd box of DPX every few months, I figure I'll buy the best SD ammo that functions well in my SD gun, regardless of price. Ranger, Gold Dot, DPX, whatever. So I buy one 20 rd box of SD ammo plus a few hundred WWB rounds each trip.

That only changes when I'm breaking in a new SD gun. Then I put more SD ammo through it.

[mgregg85]

I haven't had a chance to buy any defense ammo for my .380 so I just carry ball. Its done a fine job killing people in every war since the hague convention, why wouldn't it work today. Especially with a .380, more penetration might not hurt. In my .45 I carry hydrashoks or DPX.

[sixgunner455]

I haven't had a chance to buy any defense ammo for my .380 so I just carry ball.

In .380 ACP or .32 ACP or .25 ACP, fmj is not a bad choice. The first task is to penetrate far enough to do the damage necessary to stop the person. In those low-pressure, light bullet autos, fmj maximizes the limited penetration potential the cartridges bring to the table. .380 or 9mm Mak is where I am most ambivalent about it, but I don't get too uptight if I have good hollowpoints or ball in either of those two, leaning towards ball in .380 and some types of hollowpoints in 9mm Mak -- if I can't find them, then ball is fine.

[jad0110]

Depends on prices in your local area. My 1911 loves the 230 grn Remington Golden Sabre, and I can get them locally for $13.95 for 25.

[KBintheSLC]

I agree with the above statements... anything smaller than a 9mm luger should be loaded with FMJ to consistently meet the minimum 12" penetration rule.

[The Lone Haranguer]

I am fond of Federal "Classic" JHP (the 115-gr. 9mm "9BP," 185- and 230-gr. .45) ammo. I admit, they are not the latest and greatest. This is just a conventional hollowpoint design, not the new HST or even a Hydra-Shok for that matter. But they are accurate and known to function in my guns, and I've never read any accounts of any supposed ineffectiveness. The 9BP is about $11/20, the .45s about $15/20, these at my local Sportsman's Warehouse.

Another load sharing these attributes is the Winchester Silvertip 185-gr. .45.

[jpwilly]

Federal Premium Self Defence Hydro Shok 230gr in all my 45's. At the range I feed them lots of reloaded HP's and FMJ's.

[DirksterG30]

In my 9mm pistols, I carry Golden Sabers; when I owned a 1911, I carried 230gr. Golden Sabers in it. I picked these rounds because they meet the FBI's criteria for handgun ammo penetration, and they feed reliably in my handguns.

I'd suggest you check out this webpage; it has lots of good info on defensive ammo: http://www.ar15.com/content/page.html?id=237

[BlindJustice]

Depends on what gun/cartridge yah refer to...
I use cheaper bullets for practice but loaded to
the same velocity as SD loads

S & W 1911
.45 ACP Leadhead 200 gr. SWC @ 1,025 FPS
.45 ACP Hornady 200 gr. XTP JHP
.400 Cor-Bon Leadhead 155 gr. SWC @ 1,300 FPS
.400 Cor-Bon CorBon 150 gr DPX
S & W 625 ( reloads are .45 ACP in full moon clips )
.45 Auto Rim Leadhead 225 gr. TC-BB @ 950 FPS
.45 AUto RIm Barnes 225 gr. XPB HP
S & W 686P
.357 Magnum Hornady 140 gr. XTP JHP @ 1,400 -4" Bbl.
S & W 60
.38 SPecial Speer +P 135 gr. Gold Dot JHP @ 900 FPS