Are You Comfortable Carrying Ball .45 ACP?

[StrikeEagle]

Hi, Friends!

I'm not trying to start another beef on 'stopping power'... just a question here:

Are you generally comfortable carrying 230 Ball Ammo in your .45 Auto?

I find myself occasionally doing that for reasons of assured reliability. My *preferred* defense round is Hydra-Shok 230 rounds. But they are so wildly expensive it's tough to really buy enough to *really* test for function... like 500 rounds or so.

Sigh.

StrikeEagle

 

[Sean Smith]

I think the "need" to test huge amounts of JHPs for reliability is a bit silly.

Either the bullet shape will feed in your gun, or it won't. If it is borderline, you will feel the difference between it and ball quite readily.

Any currently produced autoloader should feed quality JHPs, if it doesn't it is broken.

 

[rde]

Yes.

 

[1911Tuner]

Ballin' the Jack

In agreement with Sean. If it'll feed 100 rounds without a hitch, it'll likely feed a thousand or more. For ball-like feed reliability, try some Winchester 230-grain hollowpoints and Golden Saber. Both of those will feed in my
bone-stock WW1 and WW2 era GI pistols...from the "GI Hardball Only" magazines.

To answer your question...Yep. If 2 or 3 rounds of well-shot hardball won't solve your problem, you're likely in way over your head anyway.

 

[Sean Smith]

I wouldn't feel bad with hardball in the gun or anything. But I've had 100% stock Colts feed 230gr Golden Sabers just as well.

 

[Mongo the Mutterer]

Question, since we are on the subject. I load my PP mags with what I call the "assortment".

9 Mil = Aquila IQ, Win FMJ, Hydra Shok, repeat

1911 = Taurus Copper, Magnatek Modified Wadcutter, Win FMJ.

Both of the pistols seem to feed this smorgasbord okay. I think it will cover most situations. Anymore than two rounds = trouble anyway.

Any opinions or experience with smorgasbord?

 

[Valkman]

Ball will probably do the job just fine, and it might way overpenetrate also. I buy Win. Rangers by the box of 500 not to test reliability but so they're there to practice with and to shoot the ones in the gun and mag every so often and replace them.

 

[1911Tuner]

Feed the Beast

Sean...Have you tried any Gold Dots? I haven't had a chance yet, but I hear they do as well as the Winchesters and the Sabers...

 

[P95Carry]

It's more a case of ''preference'' rather than ''must have'' re SD JHP's.

I'd not feel compromized with ball in either 45 or 9mm come to that. Indeed, downing the cal to .380 I will choose ball ammo!

 

[Longbow]

For a RN HD ammo...

Check out Pow"R"ball (by Corbon?).

 

[Sean Smith]

Any opinions or experience with smorgasbord?

Seems like it would guarantee that 2/3 of your rounds are the wrong bullet for any occasion. I'm not sure what you think you are getting in real-life capability that just choosing one good load wouldn't get you. Frankly, it smacks of Mall Ninja/Walter Mitty silliness.

Sean...Have you tried any Gold Dots? I haven't had a chance yet, but I hear they do as well as the Winchesters and the Sabers...

I've heard the 230gr Gold Dots are quite nice, but I never tried them myself. I've had good experience reliability-wise with the 230gr Golden Saber and 230gr SXTs in stock 1911s, meaning equivalent to ball ammo.

 

[gc70]

Yes, I'm comfortable with most ammo that makes something close to half-inch holes in my target.

The nice thing about ball ammo is that you know it will produce at least a .45" wound channel.

The nice thing about hollowpoint ammo is that it has good prospects of producing a larger than .45" wound channel.

 

[Velocity229]

Corbon makes a JHP called "PowRBall" with a polymer ball in the cavity to give it the FMJ look, to prevent feeding problems. Performs well and sounds good, but I heard that those bullets almost always have jacket-core separations.

I like the idea of having an assortment of cartridges in a defense mag to minimize any "reliability" issues.

An assortment of JHP's and FMJ's should work nicely.

 

[R.H. Lee]

Ball seemed to work well for Alvin York.

 

[Sean Smith]

Ball seemed to work well for Alvin York.

Ergo, we should use the exact same thing 90 years later.

 

[Ky Larry]

Yes,but 230 gr WWB JHP's have worked perfectly in my Kimber so thats what I carry. The reason hardball worked for Alvin York was because he put the rounds where they counted. Some things never change.

 

[R.H. Lee]

Ergo, we should use the exact same thing 90 years later.

Of course. Don't accept success. If it works, fix it.

 

[Kamicosmos]

Yes. Works 100% in my CZ97B. Hollowpoints run about 98%. so, ball gets the job.

 

[tc300mag1]

Yep I carry a mag of each why i dont know guess im a worry wart for winter time them heavy clothes want the extra pentration if need it btu i start off with JHP's

And as stated work for Alvin York

 

[NavajoNPaleFace]

"If it ain't broke, don't "mmmm" it up."

 

[DarkKnight01]

Ball ammo has been putting bodies in the ground alot longer than HP's...

I think that about sums it up.

 

[jonathon]

Ball ammo has been putting bodies in the ground alot longer than HP's...

Indeed.

Generally speaking, for myself, as long as it feeds in my gun and is accurate, I really don't care about expansion, penetration is usually key, but with most modern centerfire calibers, theres not a real big issue there either. Or even over penetration, 'cause if I'm that paranoid, I shouldn't be carrying a gun, I might miss the bad guy afterall

 

[Tom Servo]

The nice thing about hollowpoint ammo is that it has good prospects of producing a larger than .45" wound channel

+1 on that

Given the size and low velocity, if the SHTF and I needed to use ball, I wouldn't be too worried as opposed to (and this is the ONLY TIME I WILL EVER SAY THIS!) 9mm ball.

Still, it's nice to have the added reassurance of JHPs. 230gr Hydrashoks or Gold Dots for me. Both feed through my Kimber and Sig perfectly.

 

[jonathon]

I still wouldn't want to be shot by 9mm ball

 

[Black Majik]

"A 9mm JHP may expand, but .45 ACP will never shrink!"

I trust it, and comfortable with it.