Self-Defense bullets/powder

Gold Dots are available as components.

As far as powder I'd be inclined to say go slow for the bullet weight and maximize velocity, but I've never really thought about handloading rounds specifically for defensive purposes before... I still have more faith in factory ammo for that, given my current experience level.

Also, is there really a law in California that you can't use handloads for self defense? I thought that was all a bunch of BS.

They would have to do a separate detailed forensic examination just to prove whether a particular round was a handload or not. I've never, *ever* heard of that actually happening...

defense loads

I use the same .357 125 gr. bullet for hunting and personal defense with 21.5 grs. of H110. According to Hodgdon it's not a max. load, but trust me, work up to it slowly. You probably won't want to be punchin' holes in paper with this load.

F. Prefect

I use power pistol for my .45acp loads. Anything from a 230gr XTP to 185gr gold dot. Those two bullets in any weight have been excellent choices with power pistol. Very accurate and the best expansion I have ever had. I have a thread on here with pictures if you look up "power pistol .45acp". Cons to it:

1. It has some recoil. I am not going to lie. Unless you are a 80lb weakling, its manageable.
2. Its got some flash, and you can see that from the pictures. In fact i will find the link and post it back up. Its not bad and I have shot at night and didnt have any issues.

Here you go:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=5684926#post5684926

For the 9mm Luger, Speer GDHPs or Hornady HP/XTPs in the 124gr persuasion are very nice SD bullets. With these bullets, you'll be hard pressed to find better powders than Power Pistol or 3N37. Power Pistol might give you a few more fps, but 3N37 does its work without all the flash that Power Pistol's known for. AA #5 and #7 are also good in 9mm, but don't burn as completely.

I think California is actually pretty good about shooting and/or killing someone in self defense. They just harrass gun owners the 99% of the time you are *not* using your gun for SD.

I reload .38 Specials for HD; 158 grain soft lead HP's with 4.5 grains of Unique. (I may up that to 5.0 next time, or switch to Bullseye.) For my .380, I use 4.2 grains of Unique with a 95 grain LRN bullet.

P.S.: I live in Ga. No stupid laws like in California where you really need to use commercial ammo for self-defense.

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But I bet they have just as many smart attorneys to sue you.......

I use lead swc's for most of my defense loads, because I believe that two holes are better than one. The exception is in my 357's for pocket carry, where I use Speer jsp's with a big meplat. No hope for expansion, again, but great bullets if you agree with the two-for-one concept.

power pistol is good for 9mm and .45acp. enforcer by ramshot is too and w/o the 'flash'.
I favor XTP and Rem GS (the tightest grouping jacketed I have personally loaded)
Noslers are great too.

Tested the factory Hornady Custom 124g and the Hor 115g Critical Defense in ballistic gel last month: both work as advertised. The Critical Defense line has reduced flash like the TAP line. Will test that as the light fades.
Still think factory is the way to load CCW gear.

That's especially important if you're attacked by ballistic gel. That stuff really has an attitude! People, on the other hand, come in a variety of sizes and shapes, wear lots of different types and weights of clothing, carry stuff in their pockets, and have body parts of radically different densities. I have come to believe that for gelatin defense you can't beat overpriced factory ammo.

Personally, I would not use handloads for self defense, too much of a liability.

All the opinions on whether handloads are a prudent choice for SD purposes aside, I'd look long and hard at gold dot or xtp slugs launched by the appropriate Vihtavuori powder.

Vit powders are extremely clean, very low flash, and consistant across the board in my experience.

I live in Ga. No stupid laws like in California where you really need to use commercial ammo for self-defense

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Why can't everyone who posts in every single thread like this honor what the OP says and not tell them to use only factory ammo instead of handloads??? :banghead: It's obvious in this thread the OP knows all the arguments for and against so the excuse, "I'm making sure they know" doesn't hold water.. Let the flames begin!

Hey Ben
What is the low flash V powder for 9mm 115g ??

L O L There must be a reason...I, too, use my own reloads for concealed carry. Hornady HP/XTP 124 grain for 9mmX19 and 185 grain for .45 ACP.

Did you know that Fiocchi of Italy uses 35 grain HP/XTP in their .25 ACP (Extrema)?? Maybe that's where all the XTPs are going...

take a look at the Barnes XPB bullet.

Interesting thread. The factory vs. handload ammo is irrelevant these days. You use what you can find.

In my local area, I can find all the XTP and Gold Dot bullets I want. What I can't find is factory versions of anything except FMJ and maybe a few Remington Golden Sabres, which do ok in my Kimber 45, but don't feed well in my Kahr 40.

As for the Gold Dots, the last factory ones I bought was in .40SW, for short barrels. My 6 month old Kahr, freshly cleaned, would not feed them...even first rack.(mangled the soft hollow part of the bullet) Emailing Kahr brought a canned response and they sent me a new stiffer spring. Anyway, moot point, as I have never found any more Factory Gold Dots to try them out and I hesitate to buy a whole box of bullets just to find out they don't work.

Hey Ben
What is the low flash V powder for 9mm 115g ??

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Flash wise, 3N37 has worked well for low flash when I tested it with the lights out at the indoor range. Accuracy wise it has been excellent as well. There are other powders that will drive the 115 a touch faster, but at the expense of greatly increased muzzle flash.

P.S.: I live in Ga. No stupid laws like in California where you really need to use commercial ammo for self-defense.

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Really? What law? Or is this more ignorance? Figured.

Ben Shepard, I second the 3n37 from Vihtavouri! In slightly milder loads, almost non-existant flash at night (shot at night at a range). When really bumped up trying to get the numbers Viht says it can get, you do get a white (as opposed to yellow or orange) flash, but only with heavy loads (and I mean, MAX), and even then, pretty mild. 3n37 can really speed up a bullet, but with little recoil too. I loaded to max 147gr 9mm and it was VERY mild compared to factory 147 subsonic (and went crazy fast too, 1050+-10 fps out of a 4" Glock 19).

Viht 3n37 is great in 9mm, not so much in .45 (meh velocity, pretty low pressure for a high energy powder). HP38 can be okay, Unique was great in regards to flash. I use slightly milder charges in .45 and .38 for low flash. Whatever you do, stay away from Longshot: It's velocity numbers and availability may seem cool, but the flash and ruckuss they cause is purely amazing. Every caliber, I have tried Longshot. Sure it gets you the velo, but at the cost of bright white huge flash (even in lower charges) and is very loud compared to other loadings.

Is there a Hodgdon powder considered pretty low flash?

That's the only brand carried locally, and I have a lot of my primary powder, and don't need enough to justify buying a lot to cover the mail order hasmat.

But I'll keep in mind that Vihtavouri for when I do need to make a large order.