Personal defense ammo suggestions...thanks

[rkittine]

In 51 years of having a carry permit, I have never had to discharge my weapon. I carry what ever I have around and don't worry about it too much. If it won't stop something at 10 -21 feet, I am headed the other way anyway.

Bob

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Federal HSTs

 

[Otto]

I like Speer Gold Dot 124gr +P
But all ammo is potentially lethal. Sirhan Sirhan took out RFK with a 22LR. revolver in 1968.
By the way, he was granted parole last week.

 

[DR505]

I simply carry the same ammo type that I was issued when still active LE: 230 grain Remington Golden Saber Bonded .45 ACP and 135 grain Hornady Critical Duty 9mm +P JHPs. They both work well in my firearms and are accurate with dependable ignition.

 

[crstrode]

Hard cast 148 full charge wadcutters. Loaded flush over 4.2 grains of Unique yield about 800 FPS from a 1-7/8 snubby. Penetration is awesome. Accuracy is even awesomer.

If these were good enough for Jim Cirillo, they'll do just fine for me.

 

[Jackalope 1]

I've always been a pleasure shooter....I shoot for fun, I'm old, I can afford it. I've been reloading, ammo is cheap.
I trust my reloads, they've been good to me.
Times being what they are, I'm having misgivings. Range targets don't shoot back. If you were buying personal defense ammo in 9mm, or 45 acp, what would you buy????
Thanks

9mm-357-10mm-44 Speer Gold Dot or Hornady XTP, 45ACP Winchester 230 grn JHP, warm load will pass from tailgate ( trunk ) to radiator, just be careful about background, my loads will pass COMPLETELY thru both shoulders of big animals..

 

[Flatbush Harry]

When I moved to CO nearly two decades ago, I called my local PD and Sheriff's Department and asked what ammo they issued to their officers. In both cases, they were using Federal HydraShok or HST. That remains true today. Consequently, I decided that I would use that for my self-defense guns then and I still do. YMMV but if ever questioned, I chose what local law enforcement authorities use to protect their officers and citizenry.

Harry

 

[briansmithwins]

When I moved to CO nearly two decades ago, I called my local PD and Sheriff's Department and asked what ammo they issued to their officers. In both cases, they were using Federal HydraShok or HST. That remains true today. Consequently, I decided that I would use that for my self-defense guns then and I still do. YMMV but if ever questioned, I chose what local law enforcement authorities use to protect their officers and citizenry.

Harry

Department purchasing decisions can be determined more by cost and not necessarily by what works best. Big difference between me buying a box of 50 JHPs each year and a agency purchasing 100k rounds/year.

BSW

 

[Flatbush Harry]

Department purchasing decisions can be determined more by cost and not necessarily by what works best. Big difference between me buying a box of 50 JHPs each year and a agency purchasing 100k rounds/year.

BSW

As may be.

Two things:

1. Fed HST is first-rate SD ammo as surveys and tests have shown
2. Relying on LEO purchase decisions will tell well during an investigation as noted above

Good luck with your choices and decisions.

Cheers,

Harry

 

[Flintknapper]

Either 185 gr. Speer Gold Dot or 230 gr. Golden Sabre (my hand-loads) for .45acp

 

[Jackalope 1]

I've always been a pleasure shooter....I shoot for fun, I'm old, I can afford it. I've been reloading, ammo is cheap.
I trust my reloads, they've been good to me.
Times being what they are, I'm having misgivings. Range targets don't shoot back. If you were buying personal defense ammo in 9mm, or 45 acp, what would you buy????
Thanks

Winchester Black TALON, not available?? Winchester 230 JHP in 45 ACP or Speer 230grn Gold Dot, lastly Federal Hydra Shock 230 JHP OR Sierra ( flying trash cans ) 230 grn JHP, used many many times in order given.

 

[DDDWho]

.45 ACP I go with what J.M. Browning intended 230 grain ball, designed to shoot through a horse. For 9 I have some 147 grain hollow point I swapped my Bro-N-Law out of. I think most anything will work. Shot placement is key.

 

[Kleanbore]

But all ammo is potentially lethal.

Has nothing to do with SD.

Sirhan Sirhan took out RFK with a 22LR. revolver in 1968.
By the way, he was granted parole last week.

Irrelevant.

 

[Jackalope 1]

"Times being what they are," there's not much to choose from - at least not around here.
That said, I like the idea of that new Winchester "Train & Defend" 9mm ammo. The FMJ bullets in the "Train" ammo are almost the same shape as the HP bullets in the "Defend" ammo, they weigh the same (147grs) and it says on the boxes that they're kicked out at the same MVs (950 fps). The difference is, the "Defend" ammo costs twice as much as the "Train" ammo.
BTW, my wife and I completed Idaho's "Enhanced" Concealed Carry Class a couple of years ago, and the Instructor said it wasn't a "good idea" to carry handloads in the gun you're carrying for personal protection. However, I'm not about to argue about it - I'm just repeating what our CCW Instructor said.

I always make sure my handloads are the same as can be purchased over the counter, case, primer, bullet, then I run both factory and handloads across my Oehler 35 P Chronograph, keeping my HL 100 fps lower or as accurately shooting will allow, I always believe IMHO it would be extremely difficult for some shyster lawyer to prove anyway possible you used handloads so as to be more deadly.

 

[Jackalope 1]

I use golden sabers in .45, and both Sig defense rounds and HST in my 9's...

The only worry I have is since Remington no longer exists will there Golden Sabers still be on the market, made the same way but by another manufacturer????

 

[Jackalope 1]

They make Gold Dots and then theirs a long list of inferior stuff.

Rolling on the floor laughing funny, but just a nanobit egotistical funny??

 

[Jackalope 1]

The bullseye target for game animals like deer is an 18" circle. Surprisingly, so is the human target. Accuracy is important, hitting the target is more important.

I pretty much buy what I can consistently get over the years from stocking retail and so far I - depending on the state of panic we are in - I can find Hornady and the newer Sierra composite stainless. As one sig line points out, we often debate minutia. And with defense ammo, almost nobody posts some middle of the road ok defensive load, it's always the top tier brag ammo.

Right you are but since I reload the ammo carried is 45 ACP 215 grn H&G #68 swc for knocking around plinking not serious stuff, HOWEVER, I also carry five mags containing rounds for HIGH PUCKER ENCOUNTERS. 2 Colt 45 ACP'S in Safariland Suede-Lined shoulder holsters, one is always loaded for " bear ", ( HPE as above ).

 

[Jackalope 1]

Our County issues Win Ranger SXT: 230 gr .45 ACP, 180 gr .40 S&W, 124 gr +P 9mm, 125 gr .357 SIG for duty guns. Many LE agencies in the County go with the same. Of the non-Winchester users, I do know Federal HST and Speer Gold Dots are used by those agencies. I can’t say with certainty Hornady is used in the county for duty use, but they may be and were just not involved in a shooting report I’ve read.

Our office oversaw 32 OIS incidents in our county last year, about 27 were handgun incidents. (This year looks like it’ll outpace 2020.) From what the reports have said so far, the bullets from Win, Speer and Federal worked to stop a lot of crooks.

You can’t go wrong with any of those three and Hornady’s Critical lines.

(Now let’s all hope we never have to use them because no one really wants to go through all the trauma and stress of such an incident… and the potentially years-long legal and civil aftermath.)

Stay safe.

Like I absolutely believe, the laws are not to protect the VICTIMS but the social predators and in doing so our country needs ( ???? ) Lots of LEO'S even tho IMO said Leo's are as effective as usiñg a GELDING for breeding purposes, as the saying goes " in split seconds to save life, cops are only 10-30 minutes away ". Simple solution?? Return to J.Q.Public Citizens the rightful use of deady force under any circumstances. Let all the bleeding hearts, do gooders, whining sniveling crybabies go take a looong walk off a short peir, preferably with lots of Great White Sharks in the water. Why should we be refused the right of saving lives????

 

[rust collector]

The only worry I have is since Remington no longer exists will there Golden Sabers still be on the market, made the same way but by another manufacturer????

Remington ammunition is being made at a furious pace in the same facilities in Lonoke, AR but the shop is now owned and managed by Vista Outdoors, a spinoff of ATK, a large defense contractor.

 

[Riomouse911]

Like I absolutely believe, the laws are not to protect the VICTIMS but the social predators and in doing so our country needs ( ???? ) Lots of LEO'S even tho IMO said Leo's are as effective as usiñg a GELDING for breeding purposes, as the saying goes " in split seconds to save life, cops are only 10-30 minutes away ". Simple solution?? Return to J.Q.Public Citizens the rightful use of deady force under any circumstances. Let all the bleeding hearts, do gooders, whining sniveling crybabies go take a looong walk off a short peir, preferably with lots of Great White Sharks in the water. Why should we be refused the right of saving lives????

I will assume this is in response to the end of my post.
Yes, laws are there to protect people from an overreach by government when accused of a crime. Those are often predators and violent criminals, but the founders intent to protect the rights of the accused has always forgotten the victim.
Even those who use deadly force while 100% in the right can be forever vilified by peers, sued by those shot or even prosecuted repeatedly (Shot a person in a Protected class? This may also be a Federal hate crime!) based upon the situation after such an event.
That is what I was referring to. No matter how good the shooting is, nobody wants that.

Use deadly force under any circumstances? Sounds just a bit too Road Warrior-esque for me.

Stay safe.

 

[Kleanbore]

I always make sure my handloads are the same as can be purchased over the counter, case, primer, bullet, then I run both factory and handloads across my Oehler 35 P Chronograph,

That will not help you a bit with the real issue--the admissibility of evidence.

Like I absolutely believe, the laws are not to protect the VICTIMS

Your basis for that?

Simple solution?? Return to J.Q.Public Citizens the rightful use of deady force under any circumstances

That is absurd. That "right" never existed.

 

[P5 Guy]

Buy Gold Dot Short Barrel Personal Protection for USD 35.99 | Speer

My Glock 26 shoots these well

 

[dawei]

I have two 9mm semi-autos, and two 38 Special snub nose revolvers, dedicated to being my and my wife's self-defense guns. We DO NOT choose our self-defense ammunition based upon advertising, marketing hype, or the latest jello test video. We choose our ammunition as to what shoots the best and is the most reliable in our guns. ONLY HITS COUNT! For the following four handguns, the ammunition listed shoots to POA. That is POA & POI are identical. This is what works for us, YMMV...

Ruger® LC9 (Both loads are standard pressure)...
• Remingron® High Terminal Performance 9mm Luger 147gr JHP #RTP9MMS, & # 28295
• Winchester® Defender® 9mm 147gr BJHP #S9MMPDB1

Taurus® G3C (Both loads are standard pressure)...
• Federal® Premium® Personal Defense® Punch 9mm Luger 124gr JHP #PD9P1
• Federal® Premium® Personal Defense® Hydra-Shok® 9mm Luger 124gr JHP #P9HS1

S&W® M&P® BODYGUARD® 38 INTEGRATED CRIMSON TRACE® LASER...
• Hornady® Critical Defense® 38 Special 110gr FTX® #90310 (standard pressure)

Charter Arms® Undercover®...
• Hornady® Critical Defense® Lite 38 Special 90gr FTX® #90300 (standard pressure)

 

[Mistertex]

I carry Hornady Critical Duty in all my carry Guns. 9mm and 40 s/w.