.40S&W Which Self Defense Round??

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Just curious what you guys have heard in regaurds to the different self defense rounds out there for the .40? I have heard very good things about the Remington Golden Sabers, and mixed things about the Federal Premium hydro shok (though supposedly the lower grained bullets like 135 are better). I am just curious what bullet types you use or have used for self defense and if you know about their preformances or stopping %s.

Why do the Federal Hydro shoks have a little raised dot of lead in the middle of the hollow point? This always confused me.
 
I use golden saber ammo in my glock 40 cal, it never had a problem with them and are accurate in my M 23.
The post in hydra shock ammo stays centered when the bullet mushrooms around it peeling back like a banana. Makes a nasty looking mushroom.
 
But is 10mm superior to .45? Besides, 10mm can't hold as many rounds as .40mm, and their pistols are generally too big for concealment. .40S&W has proven itself to be a powerful round, on par with the .45 in terms of one shot stops. And since no handgun round is as powerful as a rifle (*cept maybe that insane new .50) it's nice to be able to have more shots for follow ups.
 
I use the Golden Sabres (165gr) in my sig229. They are very accurate and expand very reliably into a very effective looking buzzsaw. They certainly chew up trees nicely. I was using 155gr silvertips, but I tried the remingtons when I read some reports that indicated the silvertips did not expand reliably w/ heavy clothing. The remingtons expanded reliably in all tests, and when I tried them myself I found them to be more accurate. HTH.
 
I also recommend the 165 grain Remington Golden Sabers. This is based on a general consensus of information that I have read and that they work well in my Glock 23 and Sig 229. Fortunately, I have never had to really try them out. Best, Mike
 
The Winchester RA40T is widely acknowledged as the best performer. It's a LEO-only round and can be hard to find, however.

I carry the 180gr Speer Gold Dot round.
 
When I used a .40 for my carry gun, I used the 165 grain Speer Gold Dots. I tried them out in some old phone books, and they seem to perform reliably, and were suprisingly accurate
 
Another vote for the Remington 165gr. Golden Saber JHP. I've seen post-mortem results on several shootings with this round (LE stuff), and the results have been uniformly excellent (well, not from the point of view of the perpetrator, but you know what I mean... :D ). Second choice is the 155gr. Federal Hydra-Shok, for the same reason. However, most of the mid-range .40 rounds (155gr. to 165gr.) seem to do pretty darn well "on the street", so if I had to, I wouldn't be unhappy to use other choices in this weight range.
 
what about the light grain self defense bullets like the 135 grain Federal hydroshok? The extra velocity make for some more gruesome wounds?
 
But is 10mm superior to .45? Besides, 10mm can't hold as many rounds as .40mm, and their pistols are generally too big for concealment.
Click to expand...

Based on published ballistics, yes, 10mm is superior to .45 ACP. There are factory 10mm loads with more energy at 100 yards than 230gr .45 ACP +P has at the muzzle. Objective fact, not opinion.

And 10mm guns hold EXACTLY as many rounds as .40 S&W guns of comparable size. Same diameter, you see. That's an objective fact, not an opinion.

And 10mm guns are the same size as .45 ACP guns, since the cartridge overall length is about the same by design. So unless you are talking about a Star Megastar, that's another objective fact to chew on.

Back to your regularly scheduled topic, already in progress. :D
 
Currently I load 180 gr. Federal Hydra-Shok with a backup clip of 180 gr Winchester Ranger SXT. I'm thinking of going to something lighter like 165 though.

If you're interested I was goofing around with my new digital camera and took some pics showing the expansion on the two rounds above.

Here's the link:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=32005

Not that it really helps much. :p

BTW, I've always considered "stopping %'s" to be pretty worthless.

brad cook
 
Every single defensive handgun that I own except one is loaded with Remington GS ammo. I also like the Winchester JHPs.:D

I guess you are all wondering why? All but one of my handguns are loaded with Rem G.S. Well my P32 doesnt like HP ammo. but it does like FMJs.:D
 
The best round in what is in your gun when you need it!

The smartest choice for what to keep in your gun for that purpose is up for debate and always will be.
My choice for 40 S&W would be a full power 165 grain premium hollowpoint(Winchester Ranger, Golden Sabre, Gold Dot or Hydrashok). Be careful with Hydrashoks because there is also a low velocity load. My second choice is medium velocity 165's or full power 180's also premium JHP (same as above, plus PROload, Black Hills or CorBon). If none of those shoot well for you, there is nothing really wrong with the lighter bullets, I just have a healthy respect for murphy's law (as opposed to those that are afraid of it, they carry FMJ).


David

Don't be afraid of LEO only ammo, if you want to try some, just let me know!
 
Wow, do I need to reconsider my Cor-Bon 135's? I chose them because I didn't think I would be needing to defeat auto glass & multiple layers of clothing. It was my understanding that they worked great on thin-skinned targets. My G-27 seems to like them. Any advice?
 
The Cor-Bon 135's are excellent, and I sometimes carry them. However, they do have a (quite deliberate) design limitation. Because of their very high velocity (for caliber), they expand brutally fast, and due to this and their light weight (reducing momentum) they slow down quite fast. They typically don't penetrate as deeply in flesh or gelatin as the heavier rounds.

This can be a problem if the BG is wearing heavy winter clothing, and/or is a very heavy-set type, as the bullet may not reach vital organs. It can also hinder penetration through windshields, cover, etc. On the other hand, it's a perfect approach for the "average" civilian shooter who wants to avoid over-penetration at all costs, and is much less likely than LEO's to have to shoot through cover, windshields, etc.

I carry the Cor-Bon 135gr. when I'm planning to visit a shopping mall, or somewhere where I'm likely to encounter large numbers of bystanders. I obviously don't want the moral and legal hassle of injuring an innocent person through over-penetration if I have to use my weapon in self-defence! On the other hand, my standard "general-purpose" load is the Remington Golden Saber 165gr. JHP. It has much superior penetration for heavy clothing/body fat/muscle mass/cover/etc., and still expands very effectively and has a very good "street" stopping record. Sometimes, if I'm going to move between general and crowded situations, I carry two spare mags, one of the Cor-Bon and one with the GS. Before I go into a mall, I'll switch carry ammo. When I come out, I'll switch back.

Works for me... YMMV.
 
I prefer to carry Speer Gold Dot 165 gr JHP in my Taurus PT 100.

Have shot alot of these rounds and have had no problems with feed, accuracy and second shot recovery.
 
I use 155 grain Gold Dots in my Glock 23. I prefer the lighter bullets in the .40 (less than 165gr) and go heavier with my 10mm. The most important thing is finding a cartridge that performs well in your firearm.
 
Intune,

If you are happy with your choice, you don't need to do anything. We can talk about ammo preference for the rest of our lives and never reach any agreement on anything. Not all LE rounds do so hot on glass or clothed jello-o, the do represent the makers best effort at a round to bring down determined felon. This should be AVAILABLE to all (and is!) as a choice. I have mine, based on my own cost/benefit of the situation. Sounds like you made yours. Train accordingly and remember, as ammo continues to evolve, you can change your mind.

As important as ammo is, it is no where near the top of my list.
The more important elements (in order of MY priorities) IMHO are:

The Mindset (to resist)

The Decision (to go armed)

The Training (to be prepared)

The Weapon

The Ammo (so the Weapon works)

The Practice (to be better)



David
 
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