Opinions on defense ammo

[CombatArmsUSAF]

I getting ready to get rid of some of my 9mm defense ammo, I've had it a while.

I need to get some opinions.

Please no bigger caliber arguments, I am perfectly happy with the caliber that has killed more people than any other.

 

[Nate_m]

Speer Gold Dot? Always seemed good enough for me.

 

[BHPshooter]

Really, you can't go too far wrong with any brand-name JHP. I prefer loads in 124-grain.

Personally, I choose Speer Gold Dots, but those aren't in the poll. Remington Golden Saber would be next on my list, I suppose.

Wes

 

[shield20]

None of the above:

the Hyrashoks have been around a LONG time and suffer from hollow point clogging.
Standard Golden Sabers and Rangers are NOT bonded - leading to jacket separation.
The Corbon are light hyper-velocity rounds and probably suffer from lack of penetration.
Try the new Federal HSTs, those or Gold Dots should be better overall.

 

[Ken Rainey]

If the ones you have listed are the only choices, then my order of preference would be:

1) Winchester Ranger T 147
2) Remington Golden Saber 124
3) Federal HydraShok 124
4) I'd prefer a 115 grain hollowpoint or even a 124 or 147 grain FMJ over the powerball....sorry.

I personally use the Ranger T 147 load and it functions in all my 9mm pistols (Glock 26,19,17 and Browning HP) with good accuracy...however, I'd be glad to use the Remington Golden Saber 124 load too as long as function was 100% and accuracy good - which it probably would be. Remember, it's all about the shot placement with a rd that will get deep enough...extra expansion is just that....extra.

If I didn't have anything but the 147 FMJ ammo, I wouldn't feel too bad - it's what I practice and train with in my Glocks - although the G26 doesn't like to feed the Speer Lawman 147 100% ??? nose profile ??? The Winchester White box 147 and the Remington umc 147 work fine though. Any pistol will shoot one brand and/or weight bullet better than another. 100% function and point of aim impact with the ability for sufficient penetration are the main requirements..after that, is where the choices come in. Luckily, it's ususally easy to find something that'll work.

 

[Soap]

I'd go with the 124gr. Gold Dot.

 

[gunfan]

Go to www.doubletapammo.com! You'll find a 115-grain+P GDHP smoking along @ 1400 fps at the muzzle, yielding just a hint over 500 fpe! It will ruin a bad guy's afternoon!

Scott

 

[Snowshoe]

In my High Power I prefer the the 124gr Gold Dots as loaded by Georgia Arms.

But then, I work only six miles from there.

I used to carry the Hydra Shocks, But they just got to be too expensive to practice with.

 

[Major Beer]

i have heard nothing but good about Hydroshock - granted i am lucky and have not been in a situation where i have needed to fire.

any word on these "FMJ expanding rounds". a LEO buddy of mine just received some in 9mm and 40 S&W to try out. granted, i do not have any gel lying around, but we might give them a try this weekend.

 

[Fly Navy]

I'm a fan of the Winchester Ranger-T series. I use the 127gr +P+ in my P226.

 

[MachIVshooter]

In terms of sheer terminal performance, I have found the Remington Gold Sabre's to be the best performers at any velocity, followed by the Speer Gold Dot. Hornady XTP's and Sierra JHP's (what Cor-Bon uses) sometimes plugged and failed to expand. Ranger and Silvertip gave good, reliable performance but did not expand as well as GS and GD.

I use Gold Dot's in .25 ACP (35 gr.), .380 (90 gr.), 9mm (124 gr.), .357(110 gr.), .44 mag.(180 gr.), 45 Colt (250 gr.) and .50 AE (300 gr.). I use Gold Sabres in 9mm (124 gr.), .40 (155 gr.), 10mm(180 gr.) and .45 ACP (230 gr.).

 

[bakert]

My main carry gun is a .45 but I carry a 9MM occasionally and use the Federal 124 gr Hydroshock because they're accurate in my gun. I wouldn't hesitate to carry the Gold Dots or Ranger in the same or similar bullet weight. With the loads and bullets available today the 9 MM is a different animal from the one that old timers(and .45 users) run down so much. Little sucker has some big teeth.

 

[RyanM]

I'd recommend 147 gr Golden Sabers over the 124. In general, Golden Sabers do a lot better in the heavier weights (and the 124 gr ones are already excellent). If you'd rather use 124 gr, stick with the standard pressure, even if you're using a pocket pistol.

http://www.goldenloki.com/ammo/gel/9mm/gel9.htm

 

[porterdog]

+1 124gr Gold Dot.

 

[acerman]

Winchester 124gr. Silvertips

 

[AStone]

Right now, 124 gr. G-Sabers. Just something about that intermediate mass that makes intuitive sense. Enough velocity to penetrate, enough mass to keep going (inertia).

I've also got a box of the Powerballs, & have shot them (but not the 124's yet, which i purchased on the way home from the last range visit).

(Shooting the P'balls? Nothing to write home about, but similar enough in performance to fmj that i'm good with them immediately after practice.)

I've been curious about the concept in the following question since first reading of it on THR about two months ago:

Any of you load alternating rounds into a mag?

E.g., #1 = P'ball 100 gr; #2 = Golden Saber 124 gr. Repeat.
Hypothesis: this strategy covers more situations than all the same rounds.

It also speaks to the importance of a fast second shot.

 

[field70]

Speer Gold Dots..124+P. But all you mentioned would work fine.

 

[Hypnogator]

Please no bigger caliber arguments, I am perfectly happy with the caliber that has killed more people than any other.

Then I take it you carry the .22 LR?

 

[Vitamin G]

I carried the 124 (or is it 127?)gr Hydrashok +P+'s for the last couple months. I'm switching to standard pressire 147gr ranger-t's for the winter (and probably from now on, also) after next weekend (local gun show)

 

[Digex2]

Remington 124gr. Golden Sabers.

 

[rick newland]

I have read in more than one place that the old 44-40 has killed more people than any other round. I remember a USAF red hat explain how an auto has a forcing cone. So excuse me if I don't always believe what a red hat has to say. (Just giving you a hard time, retired AF Cop)

 

[PaulBk]

Hst

I voted for HydraShoks, but use HST's.

-PB