FBI approved 9mm ammo... what to feed your Glock

Bama Drifter · Sep 2, 2015

So as I was poking around the interwebs, I found this chart listing all FBI endorsed 9mm ammo for SD. My personal choice due to price/quality is Winchester PDX1 124gr +P (S9MMPDB).

FBI approves these 9mm rounds:

Barnes XPB 115gr HP (35515) such as loaded by Cor-Bon (DPX09115)
Winchester Partition Gold 124gr JHP (RA91P)
Winchester PDX1 124 gr +P JHP (S9MMPDB)
Winchester PDX1 147 gr JHP (S9MMPDB1)
Winchester Ranger-T 124 gr +P JHP (RA9124TP)
Winchester Ranger Bonded 124 gr +P JHP (RA9BA)
Winchester Ranger-T 127gr JHP +P+ (RA9TA)
Winchester Ranger-T 147gr JHP (RA9T)
Winchester Bonded 147gr JHP (RA9B/Q4364)
Speer Gold Dot 124gr JHP
Speer Gold Dot 124gr JHP +P (53617)
Speer Gold Dot 147gr JHP (53619)
Remington Golden Saber 124 gr +P JHP bonded (GSB9MMD)
Remington Golden Saber 147gr JHP (GS9MMC)
Federal Tactical 124gr JHP (LE9T1)
Federal Tactical 135gr JHP +P (LE9T5)
Federal HST 147gr JHP (P9HST2)
Federal HST 124gr JHP +P (P9HST3)

Wondering what you guys keep loaded up for CCW or home defense? Gold Dot is obviously still a great choice and IIRC, Win Ranger T & PDX1 is same bullet as the old Black Talon w/out the black coating. Try not to make this a 9 vs .45 vs .40 argument... Thanks

Old Dog · Sep 2, 2015

Lately I've been using Hornady's "Critical Duty" in 135-grain +P.

Of course, my employer's approved duty issue in 9mm (which made the FBI's list, ooh) is:
Speer Gold Dot 124gr JHP +P (53617)
Federal HST 124gr JHP +P (P9HST3)
... so I use a lot of that stuff in the M&P.

While I like your choice in
Winchester PDX1 124 gr +P JHP (S9MMPDB)
and have a bunch of it hanging around, l just found a really big stash of the
Remington Golden Saber "Black Belt" in 124-grain +P that I got a really good deal on and will be evaluating by own, non-scientific testing in gelatin, stacks of magazines and old car windshields ...

pinehtr · Sep 2, 2015

Speer Gold Dot 124gr JHP +P. for home defense and carry.

Wishoot · Sep 2, 2015

Usually Speer Gold Dot 124.

Sometimes +P, sometimes not.

C0untZer0 · Sep 2, 2015

RA9T for everything from my pocket nine, to my nightstand gun.

AZ Desertrat · Sep 2, 2015

I like RA9T....or Speer 124gr GD.

Bama Drifter · Sep 2, 2015

C0untZer0 said:
RA9T for everything from my pocket nine, to my nightstand gun.

I've got a Glock 19. Been shooting it regularly for seven years with cheap 115gr Brown Bear & Tula Russkie practice fodder. It's cheap, dirty, and I love the smell. Anyway I've only run a couple mags worth of Fed 9BPLE in it just to see what recoil is like (not bad at all). As I said in post#1, I'm stocked up on (S9MMPDB) PDX1.

Simply put, how much RA9TA, 9BPLE, & etc. +P+ can a Glock handle? :scrutiny:

I've never seen an authoritative answer.

jakk280rem · Sep 2, 2015

Simply put,*how much*RA9TA, 9BPLE, & etc. +P+ can a*Glock*handle?**I've never seen an authoritative answer.

The Glock 19 is a military grade weapon designed to fire NATO pressure ammo. Although 9mm NATO doesn't conform to SAMMI specs, estimates are it is over +p and around +p+. It is likely it can handle more +p and +p+ ammo than you can afford.

Fishbed77 · Sep 3, 2015

Speer Gold Dot 124gr JHP here for HD and carry. It shoots great, and typically runs a few bucks cheaper than most of those other options, so that's a plus.

Winchester PDX1 124 gr +P JHP has never worked well for me. Though it's been reliable in all my pistols, it seems like the point of impact in almost all of my 9mm pistols is drastically different from other defensive and training loads.

C0untZer0 · Sep 3, 2015

Faster is not necessarily always better

I think it's instructive to look at bullet performance when the same bullet is driven to higher or lower velocities.

The 147gr Gold Dot at standard loading and Underwood's +P+

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSFQgP30Lao

Standard Speer 147gr Gold Dot - penetrate to around 14.25" expands to around .585"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMiI8VcPQ3c

Underwood's +P+ Gold Dot - penetrates to around 12.75" and expands to around .795"

The 147gr Federal HST in standard and +P loading:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNRqrJRq4T0

Standard 147gr HST penetrates to around 13.25" and expands to around .664"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i67WILeK66Y

+P 147g HST penetrates to around 11.25" and expands to around .700"

Neither HST nor Gold Dots have a design that limit expansion, the faster you push them, the more they flatten out and the Underwood +P+ loading of the 147gr Gold Dot is probably the most extreme example

Hornady Critical Defense and Critical Duty limit expansion by design. You're not going to see a Critical Defense or Critical Duty bullet expand much more than .55" no matter how fast you push it, which means that the faster the bullet is accelerated the deeper it will penetrate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJZFZFmBKa0

skt239 · Sep 3, 2015

Either Gold Dot 124 +p or the equivalent HST loading. Right now I'm carrying the Federals but in standard pressure.

JDR · Sep 3, 2015

There are no Underwood, Doubletap, Black Hills, or Hornady factory loads on that FBI Approved List! I like the Hornady American Gunner 124 gr. +P more than I like Win PDX1. It shoots accurately in my Gen3 G-17 and my HK P30, and it is readily available at a more reasonable price than most of the other "FBI approved" ammo on that list. Based on the way Federal Government agencies make decisions on firearms, do I really care what ammo the FBI approves? I care about which ammo works best in my guns at the range! And I'm taking my discount coupon down to Cabela's this weekend to stock up on some more Hornady AG ammo!

Bama Drifter · Sep 3, 2015

Thanks, excellent responses

Hey fellas, thanks for the positive answers.

The Glock 19 is a military grade weapon designed to fire NATO pressure ammo. Although 9mm NATO doesn't conform to SAMMI specs, estimates are it is over +p and around +p+. It is likely it can handle more +p and +p+ ammo than you can afford.

I would suppose Glocks being polymer can flex more with the +P+ ammo than all metal guns such as Browning M35 or other designs. By that token I'd guess it is no prob for Sig 226, M11, or an M9... albeit I think the M9 sucks.

I like the Hornady American Gunner 124 gr. +P more than I like Win PDX1. It shoots accurately in my Gen3 G-17 and my HK P30, and it is readily available at a more reasonable price than most of the other "FBI approved" ammo on that list.

Yes, I've been looking to try a box... it uses the FANTASTIC reliable XTP bullet. Nearly the same projectile I use for .357mag SD loads.

Rock185 · Sep 4, 2015

I would be comfortable carrying any of the ammo listed, and have carried some of it. As to how much +P+ a Glock can handle, there is no "authoritative" answer, but my educated guess would be: A LOT. Glock provides information to commercial users similar to many other manufacturers as to acceptable ammunition, commercial, etc. But Glock provides, or at least used to provide, different information to Law Enforcement agencies reference ammunition acceptable for use in Glock pistols. In a news bulletin to U.S. law Enforcement Agencies and in an LE information book, Glock indicates that "any commercially manufactured ammunition may be fired in the Glock pistol". IMI "Black Tip" Carbine, NATO, +P+,etc. is specifically mentioned. I can only say that I have used thousands of rounds of Winchester NATO, and a lesser amount of IMI NATO in quality 9MM pistols (to include Glocks), revolvers and carbines. I have also used IMI black and brown tip carbine, Winchester and Federal +P+, etc. in pistols, revolvers, and yes carbines, with no issues.....ymmv

TruthTellers · Sep 4, 2015

There's no point to using +P+ 9mm. The bullet is being driven so fast it falls apart inside the body and doesn't penetrate as deep. +P is just fine and probably more accurate.

If you want more energy and stopping power, with exceptional expansion and penetration, .40 S&W, .45 ACP +P, or .357 Sig.

As for 9mm, I'll stick with bargain priced WWB 115 grain JHP.

Llando88 · Sep 4, 2015

Speer GD 124+p for me.

Hangingrock · Sep 4, 2015

Is the listed ammunition actually approved by the FBI or is it a listing of ammunition that meets the FBI test protocol's? There is a difference!

exime · Sep 4, 2015

Federal HST 124gr -P not tested or not approved? I just spent $25 on a can. Albeit I have a subcompact so I'm sure standard is fine.

Hunter2678 · Sep 4, 2015

Winchester T&D 147 gn HP & Speer GD 124 gn HP in my glocks/P226/PM9

Captains1911 · Sep 4, 2015

Speer Gold Dot 124gr +P. It works flawlessly in all my 9mm guns, and I have no reason to change. Plus, it can be found in 50 round boxes at relatively inexpensive prices.

Blue Thunder · Sep 4, 2015

I bought several cases of Ranger T 127Gr+P+ just over 6 years ago and have run 1500 or so rounds thru my G-19 Carry gun at the range and in training. No issues and still have several cases. I have a couple hundred rounds of Remington Golden Sabers, Cor-Bon DPX and some WWB and my own reloads. All work great and at 7 yards only about a 3 inch spread between all of them from a rest.

jmr40 · Sep 4, 2015

There's no point to using +P+ 9mm. The bullet is being driven so fast it falls apart inside the body and doesn't penetrate as deep.

That depends on the bullet, If it were designed to operate at faster speeds it won't. The 125 gr 357 mag loads develop 1300-1500 fps depending on the individual load and barrel length and seem to work. No reason a 9mm+P+ or 357 Sig at 1300-1400 fps wouldn't work as well.

If speed didn't matter there would have been no reason to develop anything faster than 38 Special.

boatdoc173 · Sep 4, 2015

exime said:
Federal HST 124gr -P not tested or not approved? I just spent $25 on a can. Albeit I have a subcompact so I'm sure standard is fine.

I am sure they will get the job done if called to duty

TruthTellers · Sep 4, 2015

jmr40 said:
That depends on the bullet, If it were designed to operate at faster speeds it won't. The 125 gr 357 mag loads develop 1300-1500 fps depending on the individual load and barrel length and seem to work. No reason a 9mm+P+ or 357 Sig at 1300-1400 fps wouldn't work as well.

If speed didn't matter there would have been no reason to develop anything faster than 38 Special.

The key word you used is if bullets WERE designed for those velocities. The 9mm bullet and .357 bullets are totally different bullets and most manufacturers of 9mm +P+ are just loading regular 9mm bullets not optimized for the extra velocity. The ammunition itself is as difficult to find and as expensive as any .357 Sig defensive round.

I understand that 9mm fanboys want everything from soft shooting standard pressure 115 grain to +P+ ammo, but the 9mm is limited to about 400 ft/lbs max and still have an effective hollow point, but if you want the extra power, it's best to just go up to 10mm/.40/.357 Sig or use a .357 Mag.

So, speed does matter, but so does engineering and design.

F-111 John · Sep 4, 2015

I use Hornady Critical Duty 135 grain non +P.

FBI approved 9mm ammo... what to feed your Glock

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