9mm Defense ammo for a sig 226 Black hills or Gold Dot what is better 115 or 124?

[phantomak47]

I have a few questions about my sig 226 9mm

What is better black hills 9mm or the Gold dot? Does anyone have any experiance with either of these brands?

Should I have 115 grain or 124 grains, I noticed that the nyc pd likes the 124 grain and uses that for standard issue although many people and pds like the 115 grain.

what is better 115 or 124?




Do I need +P or am I ok with standard ammo?


The gun is a sig 226 that I carry and use as a home defense weapon.


Thank you for all of your help, I have learned a lot about firearms from everyone out there.

 

[trey gil]

doing a search on 9mm ammo options and came across this post.
Seems to ask my questions, problem is there are no answers....

Can anybody help? Let's drop the Sig 226 and make it more general 9mm question. What is the main difference between the different weights for 9mm ammo? Any reason to pick 115 gr. over 147.....

Thanks.

 

[Lennyjoe]

Black Hills ammunition uses the Gold Dot bullet. The Gold Dot bullet is a proven bullet that will expand and not fragment.

That said, the listed performance from Black Hills ammo is as follows;

9mm Luger
115 Gr. Jacketed Hollow Point+P
Velocity 1300 FPS
Energy 431 Ft. Lbs.
124 Gr. Jacketed Hollow Point+P
Velocity 1250 FPS
Energy 430 Ft. Lbs.
115 Gr. Full Metal Jacket
Velocity 1150 FPS
Energy 336 Ft. Lbs.
147 Gr. Jacketed Hollow Point Subsonic
Velocity 975 FPS
Energy 309 Ft. Lbs.
147 Gr. Full Metal Jacket Subsonic
Velocity 975 FPS
Energy 309 Ft. Lbs.
115 Gr. EXP (Extra Power) JHP
Velocity 1250 FPS
Energy 400 Ft. Lbs.
124 Gr. Jacketed Hollow Point
Velocity 1150 FPS
Energy 363 Ft. Lbs

Speer's website is down for the performance listings but I believe the Black Hills is a bit stouter of a load.

I carried the Black Hills 124gr +P ammo in both my Glock 19 and Browning Hi Power.

 

[Zak Smith]

The 124gr Gold Dot bullet is a proven performer, judging by the FBI protocol results and the data on http://www.firearmstactical.com

The 115gr 9mm bullets as a rule do not have enough penetration through barriers and get clogged up through clothing then do not expand.

-z

 

[trey gil]

comparing velocity and energy stated as ft. per lbs, which stat is more important and why?
Not trying to start debates, but I used to be one of the guys who thought a bullet was a bullet, my head is spinning after finding out all of the variations.

 

[Lennyjoe]

In the end the foot pounds of energy is what matters to me. Fast is nice but energy puts the hurt on the target.

Someone with more medical qualifications can tell you all about shock trauma delivered by bullets than me.

 

[Zak Smith]

Neither is a direct indicator of terminal performance.

Read this:
http://www.firearmstactical.com/hwfe.htm
Handgun Wounding Factors and Effectiveness

Special Agent UREY W. PATRICK

FIREARMS TRAINING UNIT
FBI ACADEMY
QUANTICO, VIRGINIA

 

[griz]

The energy is a direct funtion of velocity and bullet weight, so if two loads have the same velocity and bullet weight they will have exactly the same energy.

As far as what's best, it's all a matter of opinion. IN GENERAL, a ligther bullet will go faster, expand more, and penetrate less. So it comes down to your choice of how much penetration you want. The good news is most current loads are very good. I would feel comfortable with any reliable load that had a 115 or 124 grain Gold Dot bullet as long as I had fired enough of it to be convinced it functioned 100 percent in my gun. My Ruger has Speer's 124 version in it right now, but I've used Georgia Arm's 115 version as well.

 

[mrapathy2000]

want to have fun and find out more bout check out the ballistic calculator at www.handloads.com

what you get at muzzle is not what you will be dishing out 15-25 yards will show what it does out to 100 yards.

 

[Zak Smith]

http://www.firearmstactical.com/hwfe.htm
Handgun Wounding Factors and Effectiveness

Special Agent UREY W. PATRICK

FIREARMS TRAINING UNIT
FBI ACADEMY
QUANTICO, VIRGINIA

Conclusions

Physiologically, no caliber or bullet is certain to incapacitate any individual unless the brain is hit. Psychologically, some individuals can be incapacitated by minor or small caliber wounds. Those individuals who are stimulated by fear, adrenaline, drugs, alcohol, and/or sheer will and survival determination may not be incapacitated even if mortally wounded.

The will to survive and to fight despite horrific damage to the body is commonplace on the battlefield, and on the street. Barring a hit to the brain, the only way to force incapacitation is to cause sufficient blood loss that the subject can no longer function, and that takes time. Even if the heart is instantly destroyed, there is sufficient oxygen in the brain to support full and complete voluntary action for 10-15 seconds.

Kinetic energy does not wound. Temporary cavity does not wound. The much discussed "shock" of bullet impact is a fable and "knock down" power is a myth. The critical element is penetration. The bullet must pass through the large, blood bearing organs and be of sufficient diameter to promote rapid bleeding. Penetration less than 12 inches is too little, and, in the words of two of the participants in the 1987 Wound Ballistics Workshop, "too little penetration will get you killed." 42,43 Given desirable and reliable penetration, the only way to increase bullet effectiveness is to increase the severity of the wound by increasing the size of hole made by the bullet. Any bullet which will not penetrate through vital organs from less than optimal angles is not acceptable. Of those that will penetrate, the edge is always with the bigger bullet.44

The information is right there...