What 9mm ammo to use for home defense, in apartment?

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Ward83

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Anyone have any suggestions for what ammo would be safest to keep in a clip at home, for home defense use? I live in an apartment complex, so I'm looking for something that would have a minimal chance of going through a wall, into a neighboring apartment. I'm leaning towards hyrda-shocks, but I don't really know much about them, other than that they're frangible. To be safe, I don't plan to keep the gun loaded, but just one full magazine next to it, and I rotate magazines to keep from wearing the springs out as fast.
 
The Hydra-Shok is a conventional hollowpoint (but with a little post in the cavity), not a frangible per se, and is no less penetrative in building materials than any other hollowpoint. A true frangible bullet would be something like a Glaser Safety Slug, MagSafe, etc. Because of the unconventional bullet weights (low for the caliber) and velocities (very high), some autos may not function with them, as well as shoot to a lower point of impact. At about $3 a round, reliability testing could get expensive.

Any bullet capable of inflicting a casualty (whistle) on a human target will punch a hole in or even through a wall. You can select a "field of fire" that will not go into an actual occupied living area in the neighboring apartment and not fire outside of this area, or ... don't miss your target. (I know, it sounds simplistic.) A hollowpoint bullet is less likely to shoot through a body in the first place, or if it does, will not have enough power to punch through a wall with sufficient power left to injure someone on the other side.
 
I wouldn't get the hydra-shocks, if only because there are better bullets out there that cost less or the same. Unless your gun won't fuinction with anything else, or you can't get anything else, (I buy all my defensive ammo online, it's nice being able to look around and pick out exactly what you want, usually the savings on ammo cancels out the shipping cost handily). there are quite a few great bullet designs out there, the Federal HST is my favorite, Golden Saber and Ranger-T are two more excellent designs, and also the Gold Dot, which is really nice because it is sold as a component and many smaller ammo companies load them, like Georgia Arms and Double Tap, usually quite a bit cheaper than same bullet loaded by Speer.

I wouldn't be comfortable with frangible bullets for humans, bullets made out of birdshot and glue seems like a terrible idea to me, as well as the issues Lone Hanranguer brought up.
 
The HydraShok bullet design is a good one. It is not the most recent technology, but then again the 1911 isn't the newest handgun design either. Like the 1911, the HyrdaShok will do its job if you do yours.

The most important aspect of choosing a cartridge for your gun is reliability. Running 500 rounds of whatever you want to carry through the gun (without malfunctions) is a good base to establish reliability. That may sound expensive, but what price do you put on your safety and well-being?

Don't worry about finding a bullet design that will not penetrate wallboard and go into the next apartment. Generally, all bullets will. Get the training and practice to make sure you put the rounds on target if bad things happen.

--Richard
 
Ok, I'll be the first to say it.

Whatever reliably feeds/fires in your particular gun.

It's like diagnosing a car problem. First thing you do is...check the fuses!

EDIT: Actually Richard beat me to it. But anyway.
 
White box winchester hp sold at wal-mart. If you are still worried, get a baseball bat :)
 
Brassfetcher's tests on Federal's EFMJ rounds showed that under certain circumstances that round wouldn't be as lethal if it overpenetrated. Tests assumed that the bullet overpenetrated a thin part of the target, then one interior wall. The damage to the gelatin on the other side of the wall was negligible. The downside was that in bare gelatin, the penetration of 9x19 EFMJ wasn't that great. (< 10")

In an apartment, you're kind of darned if you do and darned if you don't, IMO. I like my neighbors :p and would like to avoid harming them if at all possible. Just about any non-exotic centerfire pistol round (and some rimfire for that matter) are going to knock through a number of standard interior walls.

jm
 
Glaser silver or Magsafe 9mmNATO

For a large apartment complex I would use either Glaser safety slugs(silver) or the Magsafe SWAT load. These rounds are not cheap but will provide great protection.

For standard 9mmNATO loads, I'd buy the Speer Gold dot +P 124gr JHP(NYPD issue) or the bonded +P Remington Golden Saber 124gr JHP in 9mmNATO.

Keep your pistol clean and check the rounds often for any dust/dirt/etc that could cause problems later on, ;).

Rusty
 
Hey there.

I'd recommend something you can practice with and test reliability with, and then practice with it and test reliability.

A nice compromise between Federal HST and Federal Hydra Shok is the Federal Hi-Shok or 9BP/9BPLE. I bought 200 rounds of it from Cheaper Than Dirt for $15/50 recently, great deal and it works reliably. Dunno if they have anything other than +P+, but let me share a story I alluded to in another HD thread.

I HAD a bad habit (until last Thursday) of dropping my mag and clearing the chamber and dry firing sometimes while in the bathroom. This was my only bad safety habit, and sure enough it paid off. I forgot to clear the chamber and I shot a live one through the bathroom wall. It went through a sheetrock wall, my Hi Point carbine factory cardboard box and safety manual, a 3.5" doorframe, and apparently bounced off a metal cabinet. Needless to say, I am thankful that this happened and no one was hurt so I could learn a lesson.

If I were you, I'd go for something that you can practice with and test reliability rather than something that won't penetrate. You could probably just get your tactics down so you won't have to fire a shot into the neighbor's apartments.

Personally I am just planning, if there is a HD situation, on setting my sights on the bedroom door while my GF calls 911. Anyone comes through there and I'll empty the mag on them. If not, let them take my hand-me-down TV and DVD player.

Tactics > fancy ammo, especially $3/round fancy ammo when you should by all rights be testing 50-100+ of the rounds in your gun before relying on it!
 
Definetly NOT FMJ.

This is an example of the penetration of 9mm FMJ and HP that does not expand.

As a compareson of penetration. 45ACP Remington Golden Sabre and Aguila HP bullets only penetrated these wet phone books a little over two inches.

As you can tell, the 9mm FMJ was still moving out after penetrating ALL the wet phone books.

Phonebooks9mmback.gif
 
115 Grain Corbon DPX + P

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Corbon 9mm 115.htm

Just look how it outperformed the Gold Dots in Brassfetcher's results.

http://www.brassfetcher.com/Speer 124gr +P Gold Dot versus automobile windshield and gelatin.html

Shot 1 - Speer 124gr +P Gold Dot JHP. Impacted at 1137 ft/sec, penetrated to 12.4" and was recovered at 0.548" average diameter.

Shot 2 - Speer 124gr +P Gold Dot JHP. Impacted at 1168 ft/sec, penetrated to 13.5" and was recovered at 0.547" average diameter.

Shot 3 - Cor-Bon 115gr DPX. Impacted at 1147 ft/sec, penetrated to 15.7" and was recovered at 0.421" average diameter
 
You might look into the Corbon Pow'Rball ammo for an apartment. Good expansion and is less likely to over penetrate.

I agree. I use the stuff for 9, 40 & 45.
 
You said, "To be safe, I don't plan to keep the gun loaded, but just one full magazine next to it, and I rotate magazines to keep from wearing the springs out as fast."

I said, "To be safe, I plan to keep the gun loaded."
 
Maybe Go With Non +p+

I keep +P+ 9m.m. in my home auto. I use 124 grain FEDERAL Hydro Shok & HST, depending which I have available.

If you are really worried about over penetration, you may want to go for a standard pressure round with the lightest bullet. I use the REMINGTON and FEDERAL 115 grain JHP for practice. Both work well with the REMINGTON feeding in just about any gun that will feed ball.
The FEDERAL proved to be more accurate and has worked well according to MARSHALL & SANOW.

Jim
 
I don't have a particular recommendation except for HP's, they are less likely to penetrate through a person in the first place. Another thought and I don't have any experience with them, but what about a subsonic load... it seems to me that it would be less likely to over penetrate.

What you said about rotating the magazines, I wouldn't recommend loading and unloading your magazines too frequently. (I know this is open for discussion) but most of the people in the know seem to agree its not the compression that is bad for the springs it's the compression and expansion cycles that are bad for the springs. Sort of like with the motor in your car, its not running it thats bad for it, it's the startups when all the oil has drained in to the oil pan. Just my opinion and we all know what opinions are like :D everyone has one.

Just my 2 cents

Little John
 
Thanks for the input guys, I'll definitely look into the blasers, they seem to be the most commonly recommended. Right now I practice with cheap winchester FMJ stuff, and I can shoot pretty well at 3-15 yards, and my 25 yard shot isn't horrible, I can keep it on the paper. Still, those are under controlled conditions, with plenty of lighting, and a stationary target. I'd like to think that I could do that well in a defensive situation, but realistically, I'm just trying to cover the bases.
 
Great thread, as I ordered a CZ 75B, yesterday. I wanted a 9MM Parabellum for a more economical range gun. That said I think it will
replace the 5 shot J-frame for the bedside option.
I like the DA first shot for bedside but at other times the
COndition ONe option is nice to have as an alternative.

Anyway, I've been thinking of the 147 gr. sub sonic. I have a
source for 147 gr. Hornady XTP JHP @ 1,090 FPS but I'll have to
order it online.

In the meantime I've got a 150 rounds of 115 gr. FMJ for
break-In Saturday. I also bought the spendy Speer Gold Dot
124 gr. JHPs. There's a gun shop near the range I'll stop by
on Sat. A.M. and see what other JHPs they have for running
through the gun to see what it and I like to shoot.

I've read some reports of CorBon Powerball failing to expand.

I did do some testing on the wet phone book media last summer
with .45 ACP with a variety of JHPs and a 200 gr. SWC @ 1,000 FPS

Winchester 230 gr. SXT JHP deepest and best held together bullet
Blazer 200 gr. JHPs - hardly deforemd
CorBon 165 gr. Conventional JHPs - I read they use Sierra JHPs
they had good penentration and the bullet shredded into
a pancake of fine intermeshed wire pieces

COrBon DPX use the Barnes Solid Copper HPs and they are almost
$1.40 each.... I do have .45 AUto RIm with the 225 gr. Barnes XPB HP
bullets for my S&W 625 but it's more of an in the woods Bear load
last ditch after the rifle is empty yah know.

Anyway back to 9MM - the CZ 75B should be a nice new experience
although I had a BHP about 25 years ago, but even back then my primary
( now is a 1911 ) was a COmbat Commander in .45 ACP.



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