What do you guys recommend for a 9mm self defense round?

[jaydubya]

I have standard pressure 124gr Speer Gold Dots in my T-series Browning High Power. I do that because the pistol has been with me for 40 years. If it were a more recently made High Power I would use the +p version. I do not feel undergunned with the standard pressure version. The New York Transit Police use it (though the NYPD uses the +p version).

Cordially, Jack

 

[BikerRN]

My two favorite 9 MM loads are the Corbon 115 Grain DPX JHP or the Federal 115 Grain +P+ JHP.

I'm a believer that if you are going to carry a 9 MM it needs to be a +P or +P+. My reasoning is simple. European 9 MM loads are "hotter" than the watered down American loads and our Euro cousins seem to have good results with the 9 MM.

BikerRN

 

[jaysouth]

Last year I was napping in a deer blind on my Brother's place. I heard something that woke me up. There were 6 0r 7 does directly under the blind. I leaned out and shot the fat little doe directly under me. The blind is 20 feet off the ground so the target area of the deer was about 17 feet directly under me. She was so close to the tree that I could not lean out far enough to use my rifle.

I hit her at the base of the neck with a Fed 9BPLE from my Glock 19. She took one step and her feet went out from under her. The bullet broke her spine and penetrated all the way to the heart. Penetration was a good 12 inches and the bullet expanded like it was modeling in a magazine ad.

Two years before, my brother killed a small buck from the same blind using a 230 gr. FMJ. Poor deer died like it has been shot with a howitzer.

 

[TheGrim86]

+1 to Coronach...However i dont feel you could ever go wrong with remington gs bonded, or federal hst (dont know if they make that in bonded though) Only have one box of 9mm and its federal hyra-shock, no HST in the corner. Its my wifes gun and she never leaves the house really unless shes with me and knows where i keep "the good stuff loaded up" incase im not home..... So after all that, I've always been a rem GS 180gr bonded kinda' guy. Could be biased though because every where ive worked has issued rem GS bonded.....after many-a-year walking around with it, never even having to use it, i just trust it. kinda odd.

 

[RichardInFlorida]

If you can find it, the Winchster Ranger 127gr +P+ is very well thought of as a fight stopper.

I personally carry Federal 115 gr +P+. It feeds 100% in all of my 9mm semi-autos and it has a very good reputation with the LE agencies that have carried it. Alternatively, I would feel ok about carrying 124 gr Gold Dots or HST.

The DPX is too expensive for my budget to buy enough to ensure reliability in my guns.

 

[CAS700850]

I've been loading 9mm with the 124 grain ammo for quite some time. Back when I lived in Dayton, Ohio, both the city PD and the Sheriff's department issued midweight 9mm (124 grain) and were getting good results. Logic was that it carried more weight than the 110 grain and 115 grain for better penetration, but not as heavy as the 147 grain for better velocity.

Right now it's the 124 grain Hydrashok, but I'll buy the less expensive of any of the top brand in that weight. All shoot reliably in my guns (Glock, Beretta, Walther).

 

[Tortuga12]

Friend of mine uses Hornady TAP and loves it! I've shot a few rounds of it out of a CZ-75, good accuracy, feeding, etc.

 

[DawgFvr]

115 grain Corbon DPX

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

Gold Dots would be my next pick