Advice request: Proper grain weight for HD

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Shinken

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I used to think that the higher the grain weight the better for a "Defense" load. I then came across a Cor-Bon 90 grain that was advertised as an excellent weight for a defensive load. Now I am a bit confused... what should I be looking for (grain weight wise) when it comes to home defense cartridges.

I recognize a HP would also be a better choice.

Here is one link that has the Corbon cartridges.

http://personalsecurityzone.com/cgi-win/order/prodlist.exe/PSZ/?Template=ProdDetail.htm&ProductID=16921

I chose to ignore the description, since it is really an advertisement, but decided to post my question here :)

CC
 
The argument between the lighter and faster crowd vs. the slower and heavier crowd(given the same cartridge, fe: in .357 its 125gr vs 158gr and so on) is just heated as the argument between the followers of the various calibers(fe: 9mm vs .45 acp).


I suspect this thread will contain some good info buried beneath a pile of heated comments.
 
In a nutshell I tend to stay closer to the "standard" weight for each caliber. 45acp=200-230, 40S&W=165-180, 38/357=148-158, 9mm=115-124, 44/44mag=200-240, etc. Barrel length, temp, humidity and age can all affect speed but do nothing to weight. The hype of max speed is just that, hype. I do believe that some of the custom loads are very useful for certain tasks but overall, standards are used as measure of success for a reason. Of course this is just in general. When in doubt it never hurts to find out what your police dept issues. If you can be sure that your need will fall outside the bell curve of "normal" use what you think gives you the greatest chance of success.

If you're city folk and worry about thin walls, a lightly built, hyper speed HP/frangible round might be just the ticket. If you're a worker on a pipeline somewhere a 300gr Hammerhead might sound like a light weight. Hope this helps.
 
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Weight is less important than sectional density which is the relationship between the weight and the diameter of the bullet.
For example, if you decide that 125 grn is the minimum needed for home defense, a 125 grn bullet in .45 caliber would have such poor sectional density (resembling a wafer) that it would not penetrate deeply enough to be adequate whereas a 125 grn .355-.357 (9mm or .38 spl) would be adequate.
Longer bullets have better sectional density. Obviously, longer bullets in any particular caliber will be heavier.
 
I basically agree with 3 gun. Lightweight bullets give high velocity and if hollowpoints, impressive expansion but your better off with a standard or moderately light weight bullet.

You need to find which bullet/brand is the most reliable and accurate in your gun,
 
You need to find which bullet/brand is the most reliable and accurate in your gun,
Click to expand...
+1

With reliable being the key for SD use.
Who cares how accurate it is if it will hold "Minute of Bad Guy" at 15 feet and penetrate deeply enough to do the job?

For SD, reliability in your gun is the key factor when choosing a load.
And you can almost bet it won't be a 90 grain bullet in 9mm!

rcmodel
 
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