[CmdrSlander]

So I'm in the process of turning my RIA M1911 FS-Tactical (in 9mm) in to my dream carry gun, from Novak-style night sights to a guide rod laser. I currently Run UMC and Winchester White Box FMJ through it without issue, but I've never shot any 'premium' or 'defensive' loads through it. For now the RIA has only been for the range, but once im done with my upgrades I'll be carrying it, what 9mm Round do you recommend that is:

a): inexpensive enough to get familiar with
b): not going to cause problems with feeding (I've heard that certain .45 ACP 1911s won't feed hollow points.
c): powerful for its size (I'm not asking for .45 ACP or 10mm performance or anything, but I want something pretty hard hitting)

Thanks

[56hawk]

Personally I wouldn't trust my life to cheap ammo. I was just looking at prices and the ammo I would trust is about twice as expensive as other hollow point ammo. To get powerful 9mm you need to go with +p ammo. Good luck finding any that is less than a dollar a round.

[Carter]

Federal hst from ammunitiontogo.com
+ p for less than $30 per 50 last I checked.

[MR.G]

Federal 115 gr +P+ 9BPLE can be found for under $20.00 a box of 50.

[rellascout]

http://www.sgammo.com/product/federal/50-round-box-9mm-federal-147-grain-hi-shok-jhp-hollow-point-9ms

50 round box - 9mm Federal 147 grain Hi-Shok JHP Hollow Point 9MS $17.95

http://www.sgammo.com/product/winchester/50rds-9mm-winchester-ranger-bonded-hp-147gr-zra9b

50rds - 9mm Winchester Ranger Bonded HP 147gr ZRA9B $22.95 If you buy oin bulk it gets down to $19.50.

[stanger04]

I may be nuts and probably am but I carry just plain old ball in my glock. If I ever have to use my gun then I will be pulling until I hear click, so I feel comfortable with it.

[Jason_G]

Every test I have seen for plain old WWB in the JHP version shows it to be a glowing success for the price. They seem to expand as often as the "premium" stuff, and although you won't find it in +p or +p+, and it might not chrono as consistently as some of the other stuff, it is a reliable stand-in if the premium ammo is out of budgetary bounds for one reason or another.

Jason

[Redneck with a 40]

I agree on the Federal PBPLE 115 gr +p+ load, I bought a box of 50 from surplus ammo for 20 bucks, that's about as good as it gets. This load has been proven with the Illinois State Police.

[Nico Testosteros]

I was gonna say Sellier & Bellot 115gr JHP but those are some good prices from sgammo on good ammo. Might have to shoot all my S&B and replace it.

[gym]

Cor-bon powerball 100 grain , for HD, I carry a mag of fmj and a mag of JHP.

[Snowdog]

Everyone naturally will have their favorites, just as I do mine. I have a great amount of respect for Winchester's RA9124TP. This +P 124gr Ranger JHP is usually priced competitively and from my informal tests, yields wonderful performance.

[Apocalypse-Now]

the HST 147gr 9mm is probably the best performer on the market right now. it's about $23 for a 50round LE box online.

[snooperman]

Including Philadelphia. This hollowpoint comes in boxes of 50 rounds and can usually be had for about $16-18 a box. I believe "Cheaper than dirt" has it now. It is highly recommended by Chuck Hawks and others because it is cheap enough to practice with and expands well for personal protection. Cheaper Than Dirt- at 1-800-421-8047

[rbernie]

I've shot a lot of the WWB 147gr JHP ammo and carried it for many years. My predominant complaint against it is that it is very 'flashy' in low light shooting.

I currently carry Speer GD 147gr JHPs and feel pretty good about that choice. I have not yet found a pistol in which this ammo will not reliably operate.

[wnycollector]

Federal 115 gr +P+ 9BPLE can be found for under $20.00 a box of 50.

Another vote for this round. It's hard to overlook the 30+ year track record of this round when you are looking to feed your 9mm on a budget.

[snooperman]

of 50. Excellent ammo for a very good price. Heck, I am going to get a few boxes now at that price. Massad Ayoob and many retired LEO use this ammo. This ammo has been around for a long time and has proven itself time again in actual shootings, It comes in +P+ and standard pressure and both work very well in my Glock 19 and Ruger SR9. Penetration and expansion is very good in both.

[mdauben]

Personally, I believe that velocity is particularly important for effectiveness in 9mm ammo, so I always go with 115gr or 124gr bullets, preferably in +P or even +P+ loads. I think both Speer Gold Dot 9mm 115gr +P+ and Federal HST 9mm 124gr +P can be found at less than $30 for 50 rounds.

[easyg]

I prefer premium ammo for self defense, but I also understand the value of cheap "good enough" self defense ammo to stockpile for those rainey days when ammo might become scarce or too expensive.

Wal-Mart carries Remington 115g 9mm hollow-point ammo in 100 round boxes at a very affordable price.

[481]

If you are looking to "economize" so that you can shoot enough of your carry ammo in order to achieve and maintain proficiency with it, the WinchesterUSA 9mm 147 gr. JHP is a possible candidate in that regard.

In the limited testing that I have done with that round it has done well...

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=7517281&postcount=66

...and not quite as well.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=7518795&postcount=68

In the end, I believe that it would be easiest to simply load and carry a higher quality SD design and practice/train with inexpensive ball ammo in the weight/velocity class that duplicates your service load most closely, but the choice is yours.

[Jason_G]

Wal-Mart carries Remington 115g 9mm hollow-point ammo in 100 round boxes at a very affordable price.

Although not in 9mm (it was in .45 ACP), the last box of UMC I bought was noticeably underpowered. Not anywhere near squib bad, but I could tell without a chrono that it was loaded a little weak. It very well could have been the one box, but I haven't bought any Remington UMC ammo since. Anecdotal, and probably isolated, I know, but even with that aside, across the board, I seem to have had a better experience with WWB than UMC in terms of consistency. It does flash a bit though, as rbernie mentioned.

Jason

[MedWheeler]

EasyG:

Wal-Mart carries Remington 115g 9mm hollow-point ammo in 100 round boxes at a very affordable price.

This is what's in my PF-9, and I feel good about it. The same maker's 88-grain .380 JHP rides (or rode, since it's not carried much anymore) in my Bersa Thunder 380.

[The Lone Haranguer]

Federal "Classic" 115-gr. JHP at standard pressure, often called "9BP" for its stocking number.

[Steve C]

I have picked up various premium and LEO load 9mm JHP's over the years when I found them on sale or at a good price. Have Gold Dots (115 and 124gr), Golden Sabers (124 and 147gr), Hydra Shocks, HST's, Federal 115gr +p+, Black Talons, Ranger SXT's, Ranger Partition Gold, Ranger 147gr SXT, Ranger 127gr +P+ SXT, PMC Starfire, Hornady XTS. They all feed and shoot well in my 9mm's though I've not put any +P's though the Walther P1's. Personally I feel comfortable with any of them for Self Defense though currently keep most loaded with Ranger Partition Golds which is a standard pressure load.

[Ben86]

a): inexpensive enough to get familiar with
b): not going to cause problems with feeding (I've heard that certain .45 ACP 1911s won't feed hollow points.
c): powerful for its size (I'm not asking for .45 ACP or 10mm performance or anything, but I want something pretty hard hitting)

How much will you have to shoot to be familiar with? If 40 rounds is enough you can get "familiar" with with Winchester PDX1 124 +P hollow points for about $36 or so then for an extra $36 pick up a couple boxes for defensive use. This is my current carry load.

If you want "value" hollow points I recommend remington 115 grain umc hollow points. They come in packs of 100 for $25 at walmart and have performed surprisingly well in function, accuracy and expansion/penetration. Winchester 115 grain USA hollowpoints are a good deal also. I think you should stick to premium ammo instead, but if it's not in your budget I can understand.

[1858]

I make my own. Hornady 124gr XTP, VV N340 powder and CCI small pistol primers ... about $0.21 per round or $10 per 50. I test each pistol with at least 100 rounds of that load but practice using 124gr plated bullets (same powder/primer) from Rainier which are considerably cheaper.

[MikeNice]

http://www.sgammo.com/product/winchester/50rds-9mm-winchester-ranger-bonded-hp-147gr-zra9b

50rds - 9mm Winchester Ranger Bonded HP 147gr ZRA9B $22.95 If you buy oin bulk it gets down to $19.50.

The "blemmish" Winchester Bonded works just as good as the regular. I have tested fifty rounds in my CZ and it all worked as advertised. I tested a few rounds for expansion and penetration. They all performed exactly like Winchester says they should. For the money it really is hard to find a better deal on SD ammo.

I carry them everyday.

I don't know of one LEO agency that carries 115gr 9mm anymore. The 124gr+p and 147g weights are most common. With the 147gr Ranger Bonded from Winchester getting 15"+ of penetration and .56" of expansion, you should be fine.

The only 115gr 9mm round still being recomended by most "experts" is the Barnes all copper bullet. It is most commonly found in the Corbon DPX loading. At nearly $30 for 20 it is not cheap.

[gym]

Cor-bon or hornaday sxt, getthe JHP with the ball or rubber point in the HP. This way you avoid feeding problems while still having a top notch man stopper. I carry 2 mags one with HP and one with FMJ's. If the shooter is behind a metal door or car door, I can switch if need be to penetrate the cover better than with a HP round. But do your homework and shoot all of the ones you think you are interested in. Don't just assume it will work because it's a couple bucks a round. every ramp angle etc is a little different. I fired 14 rounds of hydroshocks through my R1 last trip, because that's all I had on me, they worked perfectlly, 1 inch group at 30 ft. I will still need a full box to make sure next time, but was happy to dee the gun fed the way I had read it would. The 5 inch really made a difference in accuracy compared to the short "under 4" barrels I am used to carrying. It's just a big gun.

[thefamcnaj]

Hornady critical defense is my round of choice. You should have any feeding problems with it. It's 24 dollars for a box of 25. Well worth the money imho.