Best heavy grain 9mm SD ammo?

I like the Federal standard 147 HST. I use this load in most of my guns. Go on you tube and put in 9mm 147 testing plenty of information there. Nice gun the walther, good luck.

I have had very good results with with Remington Golden Sabre 147gr +P in a full-size pistols like the Beretta 92 series and Glock 34. Might give it a try.

I have been very happy with the winchester ranger +p+ 127gr JHP (ra9ta) in my S&W 910.

Federal HST 147gr (standard pressure).

$27.00/50 rd box (+ shipping) at http://www.policehq.com/Products/FC-9HST

wnycollector said:

I have been very happy with the winchester ranger +p+ 127gr JHP (ra9ta) in my S&W 910.

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This is what I prefer in 9mm as well. Good track record & about the same price at sgammo.

HST in 147, grab a couple of boxes of +P to try them side by side if you like.

I'd also be perfectly fine with fourth-gen Ranger-T in 147followed by pretty much any HST, Ranger-T, Gold Dot, Golden Saber, or PDX1 load in 124+P or heavier.

I think it says something that one of Winchester's well known ammo guys keeps putting out a letter when asked about defense ammo, especially in short barreled pistols, highly recommending 147 grain bullets.

And I like to pick a good bullet design, because it's a mechanical process going on, and a well designed bullet will be more consistent through any level of clothing or tissue encountered.

If you have an unlimited budget, go for the +P. If you wouldn't carry the pistol without that designation on your ammo, go for the +P.

Otherwise, I'd recommend finding a good deal on a quality JHP round like the one Shawn Dodson pointed out above. Buy a case of it. Test it until you're sufficiently convinced that it's reliable in your new Walther, then have plenty on hand for carrying, occasional shooting, and to do ammo replacement. You won't have to spend another dime on defensive ammo for years, you'll have a gun and load that's proven reliable, and you'll have a great round from a reputable manufacturer.

The Ranger 147 grain +p killed goats and sheep for me very well at 10-20 yards for a 10 year stretch ending 2 years ago. I got it for free as a reservist with a PD. I now prefer the 127 grain Ranger +p+ for SD purposes.

I would stock up on the following:

Remington 147gr Golden Saber
Federal 147gr HST
Winchester 147gr Ranger-T
Speer 147gr Gold Dot

Bonded versions of the Golden Saber, HST and Ranger are available.

I saw recently that Hornady also has a 135gr. +p that you might want to check out.

IMO: The best heavy grain 9mm ammo is .40 S&W.

rc

Well there you go then!

Spray & Pray is always a good game plan!!
The NYC cops seem to miss a lot using it.

rc

CarlJ said:

In self defense I will unload the mag on the BG

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Ranger T 147 or Fed HST 147, flip a coin.

I prefer Gold Dots in 147 myself

Bonded versions of the Golden Saber, HST and Ranger are available.

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PDX is the same thing as the Ranger Bonded, it's not the same as the Ranger-T. The bonded bullets work well, and they are a little more resistant to influence from intermediate barriers, but it isn't that big a difference and the better current bullets don't have any history of shedding their jackets anyway.

I didn't know there was a bonded HST. There Federal Tactical Bonded, but it's an unrelated bullet.

Hornady went and released Critical Defense as a 115 grain with the same mediocre expansion as the XTP but without all the penetration, and then released the Critical Duty as a 135 grain only. I don't know what that's about, but it lends credence to my hypothesis that for serious use and contracts, ammunition companies are really ignoring lighter bullets for some reason.

Maybe it's easier to control what a heavy for caliber bullet does, maybe it's easier to get satisfactory objective results from a longer bullet with more material. Maybe they really are better for pistols with a range of barrel lengths, especially short ones.

I have used 147 gr. HST's and Winchester Ranger bonded with good results in my PM9.
Having tried +P 124 grain Gold Dots I found the snap more than I cared for in the PM9 but the standard pressure 147's are very controllable for follow up shots.
YMMV.

And to the poster who said the Winchester PDX and the Ranger bonded are the same needs to look at both side by side like I did and realize they are not the same bullet.
The hollowpoint cavities are completely different with the PDX being a much wider cavity.
There must be a reason although I dont know what it is.

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I like the Winchester Ranger T 147gr RA9T

It penetrates to about 14" and expands to about .65" with very uniform performance with either bare gel, denim or heavy clothing.

If you look at the Federal 147gr HST in standard and +P you have the idendical bullet being driven 45 fps faster, and what you get is a bout 2" less penetration and .036" more expansion, and a bigger temporary stretch cavity.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNRqrJRq4T0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i67WILeK66Y&feature=fvwrel

Federal HST 147gr. & Winchester Ranger T 147gr..

If you have an unlimited budget, go for the +P. If you wouldn't carry the pistol without that designation on your ammo, go for the +P.

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Any of the bullets that have a chance of getting contracts from people who objectively test their ammunition before signing on don't cost a different amount based on pressure.

The boutique loaders might charge more, local shops might charge more, but Speer, Federal, and Winchester don't charge a dime more for the warmer loads.

I very well could be wrong on the Ranger Bonded/PDX relationship, but I remember hearing that the PDX is the new Ranger Bonded, it's the same bullet the FBI decided on for their new duty load a couple-few years back, I thought that bullet was replacing the previous bonded Ranger.

Could be wrong, but I can't see Winchester continuing to produce the older Ranger Bonded when they've got a different bonded bullet for both contract and commercial sales.