Best SD ammo for 9mm

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The grons

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I have a Bersa 9mm Thunder 9 with a 4" barrel; I have 124 gr JHP Hydra shoks and 147 gr hydra shocks JHP and also some 93 gr solid copper hollow points. What would be best for my night stand gun? Also Will the 147 gr. damage the polygonal rifling on the gun?

Thanks
 
Put Federal 147 gr +P HST in it and sleep well.

And I'd worry less about the ammo damaging the polygonal rifling and be more concerned about how well it would damage the bad guy.

:cool:
 
Gold Dot 124gr +P

HST 147gr +P would be my next choice. Hydra-Shocks are an out-dated and very ineffective bullet design compared to the newer designs out there. HST > Hydra-Shock.

None of the bullets mentioned will damage your polygonal rifling whatsoever.
 
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+1 on the HST. I use 124 +P to reduce excessive penetration but gold dot 124 +P would definitely be a very close 2nd. Agree on the Hydra-Shocks too. not really proven to expand as reliably as most more modern bullet designs.
 
I like Hornadys critical defense. I'll take damn near guaranteed expansion, low flash and quick follow-up shots over 50 extra ft lbs of energy from +p ammo any day.
 
I find opinions on which ammo to use more of a personal choice based on the looks of the ammo vice its true performance. I like the way Golden Sabers look so I carry them. I doubt many that recommend a particular bullet/cartridge type have a better reason, i.e. proof by testing. You might check out this site as he tests all types of ammo.

http://www.theboxotruth.com/index.htm
 
My xD is ready to roll with 2 mags of the Federal HST.

I'm sorry but I feel more at ease with 20 of those in my 9mm pistol over 8 rounds of .45 in my old 1911... ;)
 
Use what is most reliable and accurate

I would go with the 124 grain HYDRO-SHOK. I use the +P version of this bullet because it was ammo I was issued when I carried a 9m.m. My agency had very good luck with it.
In all of my guns it has proven accurate as well and even the standard velocity version has a very good record on the street.

I would try the ammo for at least 100 rounds without a failure to feed or jam.
Then select the most accurate. Most of the 9m.m. hollowpoints will work as long as the velocity is high enough. I stay away from the 147 grain ammo as I think the velocity is too low and the posibility that a round might overpenetrate.

Jim
 
For the 9mm velocity makes the most difference and +P+ is the most effective but hard on the pistol. The loads you have are as good as any standard velocity load and quite effective and accurate in my pistols anyway. If your gun will function and shoot accurately with +P+ ammo get some and carry it for SD however there's no reason to shoot it for practice so stick with standard velocity ammo for that.

Personally I'd stick to ammo manufactured by the major companies and ammo of the type they sell to police departments like the Hydrashoks you have now. They do more testing and have a longer successful track record than the custom loaded companies that have sprung up and do a lot of sensationalistic advertising but have little in the way of actual street shootings or standardized testing to support the claims.

The stats from this website http://handloads.com/misc/stoppingpower.asp can give you some idea of which ammo is relatively more effective than say another brand but don't get hung up on a couple percentage points as being of any significance.
 
I like the boxotruth site, but for the most part the medium they use to test isn't similar to human flesh. To their credit though I believe they acknowledge this.
 
IMO- call your local Police Department. Ask what they run and get some boxes for yourself.

God forbid you have to use it, I want to be able to say I use the same as our local PD's Finest. That way im not going to be looked at like a killer trying to find the most "Scary" looking bullet possible ie: Black Talon.

JOe
 
What about the 93 gr solid copper hollow points? I thought they would be good because of their volicity and light weight which would guarantee expansion and not over penetration?
 
9mm

*

Barnes XPB 115gr HP (35515) loaded by Cor-Bon (DPX09115)
*

Winchester Partition Gold 124gr JHP (RA91P)
*

Winchester Ranger-T 124 gr +P JHP (RA9124TP)
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Winchester Ranger-T 127gr JHP +P+ (RA9TA)
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Winchester Ranger-T 147gr JHP (RA9T)
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Winchester Bonded 147gr JHP (RA9B/Q4364)
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Speer Gold Dot 124gr JHP +P (53617)
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Speer Gold Dot 147gr JHP (53619)
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Remington Golden Saber 147gr JHP (GS9MMC)
*

Federal Tactical 124gr JHP (LE9T1)
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Federal Tactical 135gr JHP +P (LE9T5)
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Federal HST 147gr JHP (P9HST2)
Click to expand...
http://ammo.ar15.com/project/Self_Defense_Ammo_FAQ/index.htm#9mm
 
There are a lot of good choices out there. Personally I use Speer 124 gr. Gold Dots in my 9mm pistols but would feel equally as well off with a proven quality JHP from another maker i.e. Winchester, Remington, Corbon, Buffalo Bore, Federal etc...
 
I like Federal HST, Speer Gold Dot, and Remington Golden Saber. All three have good records, as I understand it. The new Hornady Critical Defense ammo may be the best so far, but I haven't read any test data on it yet. I do have some in the magazine of my P3AT, though.
 
Surprised nobody has commentedd good or bad on the 93 gr hollow points - I thought someone would say that "something that light would fragment on impact" or penetrate 3 inches and expand very well...?
 
My 9mm are loaded with either 124 +p gold dots or Winchester 147 JHP (Both are what I could find in my area).
 
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