Does anyone NOT use expensive hollowpoint ammo in their defensive handguns?

[1911NM]

.45acp in a 1911 230g round nose. WWB from Sprawlmart. Handloads are for competition.

 

[SeanSw]

For my home defense firearm I have 2 magazines loaded with wwb 147gr jhp 9mm and 2 mags holding 124gr fmj. The wwb 147gr aren't screamers but they perform well in the usual tests, and at their worst they still appear to be as good as .38 +p. I would feel alright with just the FMJ if that's all my gun would feed. It's quite accurate from my pistol and can be counted on to make holes in people if necessary. I also keep 158gr semi-wadcutters in my revolver.

 

[MICHAEL T]

All 45's loaded with Corbon 185+P DPX . Again DPX in 9mm and 380
32 JHP Corbon . 38 spl the old 158 SWCHP's and 44 spl gold dot or silvertips
25auto Ball

 

[Sport45]

Remington 158gr LSWCHP for me in .38+P for me. Not expensive at all when I bought them.

 

[.45FMJoe]

In my S&W Model 36 (1962 manufacture) I carry the old "FBI load" 158gr LSWCHP rounds, but in my Series 80 Colt I carry Speer Gold Dots. Go figure.

 

[cp1969]

I do not use JHP's in pistols for defense (or for any reason, for that matter)

.45 Long Colt - 255 LSWC or 255 RNFP

.45ACP--230 FMJ or 225 lead SWC

.44 Mag - 240 LSWC

.357 - 170 LSWC

.38 Spl - 158 LSWC

 

[Wire]

Truncated cone FMJs in my P3-AT, Gold Dots in my .45s.

 

[Pumpkinheaver]

I carry hardball in my .45 from time to time.

 

[toopercentmlk]

I understand the notion of "carrying what I practice with," but isn't over penetration of some concern when it comes to smaller, higher velocity cartridges? 9mm and .38 special would be my biggest concern.

With a Sig p230[2], PPK, or Bersa in .380auto, hardball ammo seems to be acceptable since power is limited, but for a carry/defense weapon, that is the only round I would trust without going with hollow points. I do not want to deal with collateral damage.

 

[Bboomer]

My own un-politically correct casted LSWC target loads. As for factory bullets or ammo I put my $$ elsewhere

 

[aaronrkelly]

Boolits are boolits, some are fancier and make bigger holes.....but they all make holes.

In my carry guns I buy the Winchester white box "Personal Defense" ammunition - its JHP but fairly cheap. It feeds great in all my guns.

In my "not often carried" guns I just toss some FMJ in and go. I have enough guns I aint about to take them all to the range and run box after box of JHP thru them to insure function.

 

[docmagnum357]

44 mag with wide metplat bullets at 1200 feet per second or so. They work on everything else I have tried them on, so why not bad guys? Weight doesn't seem to matter, except ultimate penetration, accuracy seems to be better with 300-310 grain.

 

[VegasOPM]

I tend to carry ball ammo in my .45's, but that is for feeding purposes. I do know that Front Sight Training Facility recommends carrying FMJ in .40. The wide meplat allows for a good permanent wound channel, while still giving very good penetration.

 

[Orange_Magnum]

Any reliably-feeding, straight-shooting ammo is fine with me. The price differance out there on ammo is huge. The manufactorers are playing on our insecurity about handling a situation of being attacked well. Since when was a hardball to the head not good enough? WW II was a joke?

 

[kcshooter]

I carry what performs the best yet proves itself reliable.
I carry Federal HST. Works for law enforcement agencies throughout the country, proven expansion, proven in my guns.
While I wouldn't be afraid to use hardball, why would I not use something that will perform better? At $25/50, I don't consider it too expensive to defend my life with.
My life and the lives of my family are worth more to me than a box of Winchester White Box.

 

[LoneSniper3]

Nope, only Federal or Hornady personal defense rounds for me. I hear Extreme Shock rounds are very effective as well, but they are not cheap.

 

[kcshooter]

I hear Extreme Shock rounds are very effective as well

You hear wrong. Check out box-o-truth.

http://theboxotruth.com/docs/bot23.htm

The only thing very effective about these is the advertising.


(But the Federal and Hornady are just fine, don't mean to bash ya.)

 

[Ergosphere]

For .45 ACP, I have Federal tactical HST 230 gr. +P... expands to a full inch in diameter.

For 9mm, Speer gold dot 124 gr. +P. For .380, either truncated cone FMJ or Cor-Bon DPX.

I simply don't believe that ball will have nearly the same effect as a bullet that expands to ~4x the frontal area. I agree with those who preach shot placement, but in a real defensive situation where people are moving and you're suffering from adrenalin rush, I'm not sure how realistic that is.

So I'll take every advantage I can get... including good ammo. It's not that expensive.

 

[Old School]

Federal HST is only .50 cents per round. Unfortunately, that is not expensive for 45 ammo these days. So, that is my not expensive ammo that IS hollow point and arguably the best defense ammo out there.

 

[45Guy]

I use WWB 9mm 115gr JHP's. They perform good in my 9mm's, and it's cheap enough that testing and keeping a few mags full won't break the bank. In my Ruger SP101's I keep Federal JHP's.

The reason for the difference is capacity. If one 9mm doesn't do the job I have 16 more rounds to back it up, plus a spare 16rd mag. If one shot in my SP101 doesn't work, I have four shots and a looooonnng reload.

Just my way of thinking.

 

[wankerjake]

I don't. I reload my own hollowpoints and am comfortable with them. They are accurate and cycle well, and I practice enough that I think I can place them well enough to do the job. I would be comfortable with ball ammo as well if I knew I could shoot it well.

 

[jackstinson]

I don't. I prefer to practice a lot with what I carry.
WWB 9mm 115gr FMJ's in my S&W 6946.
Remington 100-pack 88-grain JHP's in my .380's.
Selleir & Bellot FMJ's in my Kel-Tec P-32.
Selleir & Bellot FMJ's in my Beretta 950.

Jack

 

[B.D. Turner]

I have carried .45 ACP 230gr ball for years. Until now I thought I was all alone. I like what works the best the most times and ball ammo in my Springfield 1911 thus far has been 100%.

 

[WinchesterAA]

I carry FMJ, and I shoot pretty much everything from rabbits to deer with FMJ..

 

[Aaryq]

I use ball in my PA-63. 9x18mm Makarov