Personal defense ammo suggestions...thanks

Status
Not open for further replies.
Buzznrose said:
While I have no qualms with your current ammo, is it such a big deal to train with the same load?

I carry 147 gr +P HST but train with 115 gr factory or reloads. I don’t have much variance on POI between the two out to 25 yards.
Click to expand...
I don't really know to be honest, but because I don't know, I choose to play it safe and stick with the same weight for felt recoil. The lessened muzzle flip from the featherlight Underwoods allowed faster followups but my 115gr S&Bs slowed me down a tiny bit. The inconsistency started to get frustrating.
 
SquidBubble said:
I don't really know to be honest, but because I don't know, I choose to play it safe and stick with the same weight for felt recoil. The lessened muzzle flip from the featherlight Underwoods allowed faster followups but my 115gr S&Bs slowed me down a tiny bit. The inconsistency started to get frustrating.
Click to expand...

Well, you are not going to find much range ammo lighter than 115 for 9MM.

If you were happy with the Underwood XD’s, stick with them. They are outstanding! Check out pages 32-33 on the report at the link below:

https://pistol-forum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=31110&d=1538934056

That report was discussed on a The High Road thread here:

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...stics-test-for-defensive-handgun-ammo.844285/
 
for full size 9x19 I use a +P+ federal 115 gr load. It was recommended by someone in a supervisory position that overseas the shootings for his department.
Federal Law Enforcement 9mm Luger Ammo 115 Grain +P+ ...
https://www.targetsportsusa.com › federal-law-enforce...
Federal 9mm +P+ ammo features a 115 Grain JHP bullet and it is loaded extra hot, therefore please make sure that your firearm is law enforcement grade or ...
Ammo Rating: Personal Protection & Self Defe...
Bullet Type: Jacketed Hollow Point
Muzzle Velocity: 1300 fps
Muzzle Energy: ft. lbs
_____________________________



It was 124 +P Gold that he most strongly recommended.

Gold Dot Handgun Personal Protection 9mm Luger +P
Part # 23617GD https://www.speer.com/ammunition/handgun/gold_dot_handgun_personal_protection/19-23617GD.html
  • Bullet Weight: 124
20 rounds
$35.99 out of stock.
 
Modern self defense ammo comes in a great many flavors, and it would be difficult today to go wrong with most of them.

I stay away from "fad" defense ammo, which is what I call ammo that comes across with ultra hyped up performance characteristics that boarder on scifi performance.

Personally, I recommend finding a self defense round which is designed with the same bullet mass and velocity as whatever it is you use to target shoot. For me, I chose Speer Gold Dot in 230 grain .45 ACP and 115 grain 9mm.

Why?

Because both those rounds, being the same mass and velocity, hit the same point of impact as my typical target ammo, which is Winchester White Box in 230 grain .45 ACP and 115 grain 9mm. If they shoot different, I sure can't tell on the range. And that's something I consider important.

So there's no difference in the way my self defense ammunition shoots as compared to my target ammo. I can practice all I want with cheaper target ammo and not have to worry about any differences between that and my self defense ammo, should the need ever arise.

And yes...I ran enough Gold Dot through my guns to convince myself they would function flawlessly with them.
 
Federal Hydra Shok 124gr 9mm and they are available on Federal's website. I just use any 235gr ball ammo in my 1911s.
 
barnetmill said:
for full size 9x19 I use a +P+ federal 115 gr load. It was recommended by someone in a supervisory position that overseas the shootings for his department.
Federal Law Enforcement 9mm Luger Ammo 115 Grain +P+ ...
https://www.targetsportsusa.com › federal-law-enforce...
Federal 9mm +P+ ammo features a 115 Grain JHP bullet and it is loaded extra hot, therefore please make sure that your firearm is law enforcement grade or ...
Ammo Rating: Personal Protection & Self Defe...
Bullet Type: Jacketed Hollow Point
Muzzle Velocity: 1300 fps
Muzzle Energy: ft. lbs
_____________________________



It was 124 +P Gold that he most strongly recommended.

Gold Dot Handgun Personal Protection 9mm Luger +P
Part # 23617GD https://www.speer.com/ammunition/handgun/gold_dot_handgun_personal_protection/19-23617GD.html
  • Bullet Weight: 124
20 rounds
$35.99 out of stock.
Click to expand...

Federal 9BPLE has been putting them down for decades. It isn’t the ‘best’ performing 9mmP load but it does have a long track record of dropping people.

I wouldn’t carry that one if I was worried about shooting thru cars as the bullets won’t take that abuse as well as something like a Gold Dot will.

OTOH, I got a case of 1000 when Natchez was blowing out a govt overrun years ago for $0.33 ea shipped.

If those aren’t available my backup would be 124gr Gold Dot +P and then Remington r9mm6, another 115gr +P load. You may be noticing a trend in my ammo selection.

Winchester is out. They have been disappointing me with their ammo for the past 30 years and get no more chances.

BSW
 
Winchester 147gr Ranger "T" Series RA9T is pretty good too...

Through denim: 16.10 inches average penetration, .448 inches average expansion. ShootingTheBull410 was ready to crown it champion. I think the problem is that no one can get their hands on it. I purchased over 1000 rounds a few years back. I practice with 147gr Lawman and I keep my pistols loaded with 147gr Winchester Ranger "T" Series.

 
My advice is to buy a box of each of the good recommendations on these 2 pages 9mm & .45 ACP, at least those that you can find, and try them in your guns for accuracy. Having a defense load that performs well in gel testing but doesn’t consistently hit point of aim is not an optimal defense load for your particular guns.
 
I’m good with either 9 or 45 caliber, but carry a 9mm in 124 gr HST

Lots of good HD ammo available (gold dots, hydra shok, Rangers, etc) Test in your pistol prior to use!
 
SquidBubble said:
I don't really know to be honest, but because I don't know, I choose to play it safe and stick with the same weight for felt recoil.
Click to expand...

I can't tell the difference between the 147gr Lawman and the 147gr Winchester Ranger "T" Series RA9T, that's why I practice with the 147gr Lawman.
 
Skidmarx said:
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
Click to expand...

See what your local law enforcement people are carrying. Fire at least 50-100 rounds of whatever you choose to ensure it functions. 100% reliability is key. It may be ball ammunition, especially if you're using a 1911.
 
I use underwood defenders. They are pricey. From what I’ve read and watched on boobtube. I trust my life with them. I order a few box’s a month. When this crap is gone I’ll order a case or two.
 
Thanks for a lot (more than I can digest in one reading) of good info. I've been shooting about 7 years now recreationally. Probably the first 4 years I must have had junk guns and ammo, because I couldn't hit the wall on a barn if I was standing in it. Had to be the guns and ammos fault! For about 2 years I was doing fairly decent, I could actually scare a target. Had some issues this last year, and as far as accuracy is concerned...I ain't gonna win any prizes. I want something that I'm pretty sure if I hit something it will work, and if I miss that is my fault. Thanks for all the replies, old age and infirmity creeps up too fast!
 
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.
 
Any hollowpoint, any weight, from any major manufacturer. You don't need "designer" ammo that costs $1.50-2 a round. I'm also not a fan of +P. If you look at the numbers you don't gain a lot. I will use +P 38s in a k frame or larger.
 
Well, after I had surgery on my right hand then a few months later I broke my left wrist and it required surgery with a plate and some screws my shooting went to h*** in a handbasket. So, I concentrated on hitting the body of silhouette targets. It was hard to hit 10 rounds in the “kill” zone but by golly that paper torso was perforated. That was good enough until I healed more. My goal would be to stop a bad guy. It wasn’t my best shooting by a long shot but it was adequate. At least I hit the paper. ;)
 
Skidmarx said:
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
Click to expand...
Skidmark, my first choice in both calibers would be Winchester Black Talon, but since it is no longer available to J.Q. Public it's moot. So Speer Gold Dot-Black Hills Honey Badger-Hornday XTP in 9mm, Winchester 230 grn JHP in 45acp, it is a STOPPER, tried and proven on my end.
 
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.
 
For my 1911's I use Gold Dot's 200gr ACP. That's my carry round. For target pleasure I roll my own between 180gr and 230gr.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

S
  • Locked
Ammo recommendations
2
Replies
25
Views
1K
ms6852
ms6852
F
  • Locked
Bulk Target Ammo...No Reloads
2
Replies
32
Views
2K
evan price
evan price
D
  • Locked
Preferred defense ammo?
Replies
20
Views
782
WeedWhacker
W
BlueHeelerFl
  • Locked
Soft shooting factory 9MM ammo
Replies
14
Views
4K
George S.
G
P
  • Locked
Need .38 Special personal defense ammo recommendations.
2
Replies
26
Views
1K
willypete
W
Back
Top