best 9mm self defense round?
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BerettaNut92
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I hear good things about the Gold Dots, Ranger SXTs as well as the Hydrashoks.
Climb14er
Member
Take a serious look at the
Proload 9mm 124 gr. Gold Dot +P or the 115 gr. Both have excellent ballistics and expansion.
Proload 9mm 124 gr. Gold Dot +P or the 115 gr. Both have excellent ballistics and expansion.
Bob Locke
Member
My personal choice (currently) is Speer Gold Dots (124-gr.) in standard pressure.
But there are SO MANY good choices out there right now for the 9mm that you have a MUCH better chance of getting something really good than something not so good, even if you just closed your eyes and pointed to the shelf.
I recommend trying as many in your firearm as you can reasonably afford. If you have a buddy or two, then you guys can go in together on several different flavors and each run a magazine through your own weapon to see if it favors one over the others. That's my best advice, if possible.
But there are SO MANY good choices out there right now for the 9mm that you have a MUCH better chance of getting something really good than something not so good, even if you just closed your eyes and pointed to the shelf.
I recommend trying as many in your firearm as you can reasonably afford. If you have a buddy or two, then you guys can go in together on several different flavors and each run a magazine through your own weapon to see if it favors one over the others. That's my best advice, if possible.
ThePerfectOne
Member
question: should 9mm para +p do it for self- defence 
the bullet design is FMJ, weighs 124grain, 1250 ft/s and a rough 420 f/lbs.
I heard that only hollow-points are suitable for self-defence if you want good results for a 9mm.
the bullet design is FMJ, weighs 124grain, 1250 ft/s and a rough 420 f/lbs.
I heard that only hollow-points are suitable for self-defence if you want good results for a 9mm.
PCRCCW
Member
I agree with Bob...there are numerous "top CCW loads" in 9mm.
Personally, Ive shot just about all of the nasty nasty ones.....
I love:
Corbon 115's and 124's
Federal HS +P+ 124's
Federal Tactical (This is a smoker )
Federal +P+ 115's HyShocks..Classics
Gold Dots +P 124's
Sabers +P 124's
Ranger +P+ 127's (If you can find them)
Remingtons new JHP 115's +P+
If you get any of these....TEST THEM IN YOUR GUN! It may not like one round or another for whatever reasons.....the ghost in the machine!
Personally...the Federal Tactical loads are LEO only ammo..much like a couple more on my list...but for overall appeal..accuracy, recoil...velocity...they are up with the 124 Corbon and Winch. Rangers....a bloody fast and great round.
Theperfectone
....NO! A +P FMJ 9mm in a defensive situation is a big NO NO! Your asking for overpenetration problems...JHP's are designed for Defensive situations...I dont know what youve heard but I wouldnt recommend it. In Europe...NATO rnds are mostly FMJ rounds...due to agreements in the time of war..etc.
+P and +P+ rnds are close or a tad higher to NATO in pressure specs/velocity..depending on the round in question......
Many rounds in the USA are well over 400 FPE...and surpass 450 FPE in 9mm....a 124-127 gr JHP at around 1300 FPS....
Corbon/Fed. Tacticl/Win. Rangers..all crest this speed depending on the gun/barrel length used......nasty rounds.....
NEVER USE FMJ's for a Def. Situation.......
shoot well
Personally, Ive shot just about all of the nasty nasty ones.....
I love:
Corbon 115's and 124's
Federal HS +P+ 124's
Federal Tactical (This is a smoker
)Federal +P+ 115's HyShocks..Classics
Gold Dots +P 124's
Sabers +P 124's
Ranger +P+ 127's (If you can find them)
Remingtons new JHP 115's +P+
If you get any of these....TEST THEM IN YOUR GUN! It may not like one round or another for whatever reasons.....the ghost in the machine!
Personally...the Federal Tactical loads are LEO only ammo..much like a couple more on my list...but for overall appeal..accuracy, recoil...velocity...they are up with the 124 Corbon and Winch. Rangers....a bloody fast and great round.
Theperfectone
....NO! A +P FMJ 9mm in a defensive situation is a big NO NO! Your asking for overpenetration problems...JHP's are designed for Defensive situations...I dont know what youve heard but I wouldnt recommend it. In Europe...NATO rnds are mostly FMJ rounds...due to agreements in the time of war..etc.
+P and +P+ rnds are close or a tad higher to NATO in pressure specs/velocity..depending on the round in question......
Many rounds in the USA are well over 400 FPE...and surpass 450 FPE in 9mm....a 124-127 gr JHP at around 1300 FPS....
Corbon/Fed. Tacticl/Win. Rangers..all crest this speed depending on the gun/barrel length used......nasty rounds.....
NEVER USE FMJ's for a Def. Situation.......
shoot well
Dorrin79
Member
I use federal EFMJ 124gr +P
liked the ballistics and it's very accurate
liked the ballistics and it's very accurate
Plan-B
Member
PerfectOne,
If you take a step back and look at things objectively you'll realize that all the caliber and ammo selection arguments revolve around one thing. Putting a hole in a bad guy. Anything you choose from 9mm up (and I'm including the .380 auto) will put a pretty good size hole in someone. The hollow points will cut a larger cavity after punching the hole. If you're confident in your aim with 9mm NATO rounds then you should carry them.
I'll probably get some crap for saying this but, I've never been shot, and I dare say that many of the people who participate in these discussions probably have not been shot either. Nor do I buy into the one shot stop myth.
With all that said I generally keep Winchester 147 grain subsonic hollow point in the gun and the backup mag. I also have a spare mag loaded up with Remington Golden Sabers. My thinking is that I won't have time to grab hearing protection in the unlikely event that someone would break into my home while I was there, hence the subsonic rounds. If it puts a hole in the bad guy, then both it and I have done our jobs.
If you take a step back and look at things objectively you'll realize that all the caliber and ammo selection arguments revolve around one thing. Putting a hole in a bad guy. Anything you choose from 9mm up (and I'm including the .380 auto) will put a pretty good size hole in someone. The hollow points will cut a larger cavity after punching the hole. If you're confident in your aim with 9mm NATO rounds then you should carry them.
I'll probably get some crap for saying this but, I've never been shot, and I dare say that many of the people who participate in these discussions probably have not been shot either. Nor do I buy into the one shot stop myth.
With all that said I generally keep Winchester 147 grain subsonic hollow point in the gun and the backup mag. I also have a spare mag loaded up with Remington Golden Sabers. My thinking is that I won't have time to grab hearing protection in the unlikely event that someone would break into my home while I was there, hence the subsonic rounds. If it puts a hole in the bad guy, then both it and I have done our jobs.
my current carry 9mm is the ranger 127gr+p+ talons. it is accurate and controlable. my default round, what feeds through everything and has acceptable accuracy through everything it has been in, is the federal 9BP 115gr jhp
duncan
Member
Powermax 115 JHPs using SGDs. Made by American Eagle in Oregon.
Search GlockTalk for the phone number.
50 fps faster than Corbons but very accurate!
Search GlockTalk for the phone number.
50 fps faster than Corbons but very accurate!
WonderNine
member
This
And this
And this
Jeff OTMG
Member
I would say the RBCD and now the new 9mm Tactical is coming out. If you have a suitable pistol the load for the Bond Derringer is a good choice, though the pressures are high on that load.
Wildalaska
member
Win Ranger in any bullet weight
denfoote
Member
Cor-bon 115gr +P!!!
Scott13
Member
Iam not an expert by any means . But from everything i read over the years the Corbon 115 grn +P , Magsafe , and Glaser seem to be the most highly effective 9mm defense round .
yayarx7
Member
The best 9mm round is the one you, and your gun, can put in the center of the bad guy every time. But You knew that.
WonderNine
member
I dislike the heavy Rangers.
Personally I'm a fan of the 147 Rangers.
When you look at the end results of the "jello" test they tend to have the same results as the 127+p+, have much less recoil,muzzel blast and are often are more accurate. Another big plus is that at the right auction sites they normally not only go for MUCH less than the 127 +P+ rounds, but actually I've bought them much cheaper than Silvertips or other "Low end" defensive rounds. I'm glad they are not more popular
When you look at the end results of the "jello" test they tend to have the same results as the 127+p+, have much less recoil,muzzel blast and are often are more accurate. Another big plus is that at the right auction sites they normally not only go for MUCH less than the 127 +P+ rounds, but actually I've bought them much cheaper than Silvertips or other "Low end" defensive rounds. I'm glad they are not more popular
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WonderNine
member
There are several reasons why I dislike heavy 9mm. The first one is that I like a faster bullet. That's probably the least important reason though.
The thing about the hollowpoints is, doesn't lighter mean more speed and better expansion? What kind of expansion do you get out of 147 grain? Seems like it would have a heck of a drop too. 147 grain 9mm, wow. The luger pistol was originally designed to shoot 124 grain and that's what I tend to stick with as far as bullet weight. I don't care much for the 115 grain bullets either as they tend (IME) to be more prone to jamming and have more muzzle blast (and develop higher pressures?) than the standard 120 something weight.
Now I'm going to entirely invalidate my whole expansion arguement by admitting that I'd much rather use FMJ anyways
CHP
--Winchester 9 mm 127 gr +P+ JHP (RA9SXTP) at 1224 f/s, 12.5" penetration, 0.65" expanded diameter.
--Winchester 9mm 147 gr JHP SXT Ranger (RA9T) at 983 f/s, 13.5" penetration, 0.61" expanded diameter.
Several websites give very similar results depending on how much cloth used, gun, etc.. LAPD and LASO used the 147 load for number of years (might still, not sure) with no major complaints I've heard of.
A lot of folks place faith in "temporary cavity" and energy figures and like the 127+p+ better. I don't buy into that, and just look at how much damage the load physically does, and how much it reliably penetrates so I like the 147 better.
As for drop, I pretty much consider that a non-factor for self defense. Winchester list a mid-range trajectory of 1.1" versus .7" at 50 yards for the two loads, I can't shoot well enough to notice the difference between the two.
JMHO, YMMV, no magic bullet, no I don't want to stand downrange and catch a 45 grain copper weedwhacker bullet at 1800FPS (all that good stuff)
Best, Blueduck
--Winchester 9 mm 127 gr +P+ JHP (RA9SXTP) at 1224 f/s, 12.5" penetration, 0.65" expanded diameter.
--Winchester 9mm 147 gr JHP SXT Ranger (RA9T) at 983 f/s, 13.5" penetration, 0.61" expanded diameter.
Several websites give very similar results depending on how much cloth used, gun, etc.. LAPD and LASO used the 147 load for number of years (might still, not sure) with no major complaints I've heard of.
A lot of folks place faith in "temporary cavity" and energy figures and like the 127+p+ better. I don't buy into that, and just look at how much damage the load physically does, and how much it reliably penetrates so I like the 147 better.
As for drop, I pretty much consider that a non-factor for self defense. Winchester list a mid-range trajectory of 1.1" versus .7" at 50 yards for the two loads, I can't shoot well enough to notice the difference between the two.
JMHO, YMMV, no magic bullet, no I don't want to stand downrange and catch a 45 grain copper weedwhacker bullet at 1800FPS (all that good stuff)
Best, Blueduck
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