Best Value Defensive 9mm Round

Status
Not open for further replies.
C

CmdrSlander

Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2011
Messages
1,203
Location
Disputed Western Missouri
So I'm in the process of turning my RIA M1911 FS-Tactical (in 9mm) in to my dream carry gun, from Novak-style night sights to a guide rod laser. I currently Run UMC and Winchester White Box FMJ through it without issue, but I've never shot any 'premium' or 'defensive' loads through it. For now the RIA has only been for the range, but once im done with my upgrades I'll be carrying it, what 9mm Round do you recommend that is:

a): inexpensive enough to get familiar with
b): not going to cause problems with feeding (I've heard that certain .45 ACP 1911s won't feed hollow points.
c): powerful for its size (I'm not asking for .45 ACP or 10mm performance or anything, but I want something pretty hard hitting)

Thanks
 
Personally I wouldn't trust my life to cheap ammo. I was just looking at prices and the ammo I would trust is about twice as expensive as other hollow point ammo. To get powerful 9mm you need to go with +p ammo. Good luck finding any that is less than a dollar a round.
 
Federal 115 gr +P+ 9BPLE can be found for under $20.00 a box of 50.
 
I may be nuts and probably am but I carry just plain old ball in my glock. If I ever have to use my gun then I will be pulling until I hear click, so I feel comfortable with it.
 
Every test I have seen for plain old WWB in the JHP version shows it to be a glowing success for the price. They seem to expand as often as the "premium" stuff, and although you won't find it in +p or +p+, and it might not chrono as consistently as some of the other stuff, it is a reliable stand-in if the premium ammo is out of budgetary bounds for one reason or another.

Jason
 
I agree on the Federal PBPLE 115 gr +p+ load, I bought a box of 50 from surplus ammo for 20 bucks, that's about as good as it gets. This load has been proven with the Illinois State Police.
 
Cor-bon powerball 100 grain , for HD, I carry a mag of fmj and a mag of JHP.
 
Everyone naturally will have their favorites, just as I do mine. I have a great amount of respect for Winchester's RA9124TP. This +P 124gr Ranger JHP is usually priced competitively and from my informal tests, yields wonderful performance.
 
Federal 9BP is an old one but still used by several police dept..

Including Philadelphia. This hollowpoint comes in boxes of 50 rounds and can usually be had for about $16-18 a box. I believe "Cheaper than dirt" has it now. It is highly recommended by Chuck Hawks and others because it is cheap enough to practice with and expands well for personal protection. Cheaper Than Dirt- at 1-800-421-8047
 
I've shot a lot of the WWB 147gr JHP ammo and carried it for many years. My predominant complaint against it is that it is very 'flashy' in low light shooting.

I currently carry Speer GD 147gr JHPs and feel pretty good about that choice. I have not yet found a pistol in which this ammo will not reliably operate.
 
Federal 115 gr +P+ 9BPLE can be found for under $20.00 a box of 50.
Click to expand...

Another vote for this round. It's hard to overlook the 30+ year track record of this round when you are looking to feed your 9mm on a budget.
 
Cheaper Than Dirt has the Federal 9BPLE on sale now for $17.49 box..

of 50. Excellent ammo for a very good price. Heck, I am going to get a few boxes now at that price. Massad Ayoob and many retired LEO use this ammo. This ammo has been around for a long time and has proven itself time again in actual shootings, It comes in +P+ and standard pressure and both work very well in my Glock 19 and Ruger SR9. Penetration and expansion is very good in both.
 
Personally, I believe that velocity is particularly important for effectiveness in 9mm ammo, so I always go with 115gr or 124gr bullets, preferably in +P or even +P+ loads. I think both Speer Gold Dot 9mm 115gr +P+ and Federal HST 9mm 124gr +P can be found at less than $30 for 50 rounds.
 
I prefer premium ammo for self defense, but I also understand the value of cheap "good enough" self defense ammo to stockpile for those rainey days when ammo might become scarce or too expensive.

Wal-Mart carries Remington 115g 9mm hollow-point ammo in 100 round boxes at a very affordable price.
 
If you are looking to "economize" so that you can shoot enough of your carry ammo in order to achieve and maintain proficiency with it, the WinchesterUSA 9mm 147 gr. JHP is a possible candidate in that regard.

In the limited testing that I have done with that round it has done well...

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=7517281&postcount=66

...and not quite as well.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=7518795&postcount=68

In the end, I believe that it would be easiest to simply load and carry a higher quality SD design and practice/train with inexpensive ball ammo in the weight/velocity class that duplicates your service load most closely, but the choice is yours.
 
Wal-Mart carries Remington 115g 9mm hollow-point ammo in 100 round boxes at a very affordable price.
Click to expand...

Although not in 9mm (it was in .45 ACP), the last box of UMC I bought was noticeably underpowered. Not anywhere near squib bad, but I could tell without a chrono that it was loaded a little weak. It very well could have been the one box, but I haven't bought any Remington UMC ammo since. Anecdotal, and probably isolated, I know, but even with that aside, across the board, I seem to have had a better experience with WWB than UMC in terms of consistency. It does flash a bit though, as rbernie mentioned.

Jason
 
EasyG:

Wal-Mart carries Remington 115g 9mm hollow-point ammo in 100 round boxes at a very affordable price.
Click to expand...

This is what's in my PF-9, and I feel good about it. The same maker's 88-grain .380 JHP rides (or rode, since it's not carried much anymore) in my Bersa Thunder 380.
 
I have picked up various premium and LEO load 9mm JHP's over the years when I found them on sale or at a good price. Have Gold Dots (115 and 124gr), Golden Sabers (124 and 147gr), Hydra Shocks, HST's, Federal 115gr +p+, Black Talons, Ranger SXT's, Ranger Partition Gold, Ranger 147gr SXT, Ranger 127gr +P+ SXT, PMC Starfire, Hornady XTS. They all feed and shoot well in my 9mm's though I've not put any +P's though the Walther P1's. Personally I feel comfortable with any of them for Self Defense though currently keep most loaded with Ranger Partition Golds which is a standard pressure load.
 
a): inexpensive enough to get familiar with
b): not going to cause problems with feeding (I've heard that certain .45 ACP 1911s won't feed hollow points.
c): powerful for its size (I'm not asking for .45 ACP or 10mm performance or anything, but I want something pretty hard hitting)
Click to expand...

How much will you have to shoot to be familiar with? If 40 rounds is enough you can get "familiar" with with Winchester PDX1 124 +P hollow points for about $36 or so then for an extra $36 pick up a couple boxes for defensive use. This is my current carry load.

If you want "value" hollow points I recommend remington 115 grain umc hollow points. They come in packs of 100 for $25 at walmart and have performed surprisingly well in function, accuracy and expansion/penetration. Winchester 115 grain USA hollowpoints are a good deal also. I think you should stick to premium ammo instead, but if it's not in your budget I can understand.
 
I make my own. Hornady 124gr XTP, VV N340 powder and CCI small pistol primers ... about $0.21 per round or $10 per 50. I test each pistol with at least 100 rounds of that load but practice using 124gr plated bullets (same powder/primer) from Rainier which are considerably cheaper.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

M
  • Locked
Reliable XD defense AMMO
Replies
16
Views
772
ar10
A
Crazy Horse
  • Locked
Kimber 1911 in 9mm
2 3
Replies
52
Views
3K
Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse
C
  • Locked
Best short barrel 9mm rounds
Replies
14
Views
3K
mini14jac
M
T
What causes failure to go into battery in 1911s?
2
Replies
49
Views
1K
orionengnr
O
Panzerschwein
  • Locked
Rock Island 1911, good or bad?
2
Replies
36
Views
21K
murf
murf
Back
Top