What's your 9mm carry ammo?

Handguns are poor weapons for defense. They are portable. ALL that matters with handguns is Placement and Penetration. All.
Exactly.....Hollywood and ammo makers have done a good job of making us think different but you're exactly right......Shoot the column and shoot em all the way to the ground. One shot stops with a handgun are few and far between.
 
Hornady Custom 147 gr XTP
 
Not to start a poopoo flinging match about FMJ v HP, but the original intent of the HP round was to overcome a weakness of FMJ which was over penetration. The added diameter of the wound channel was a really nice bonus that the ammo manufacturers have jumped on.

I totally agree that penetration is a key factor in a bullet, but over penetration is a waste of energy and a hazard to others.

I wouldn’t hesitate to take FMJ into a fight if I had to, don’t get me wrong, but I do believe there is a sound reason that quality HP ammo is used by all the law enforcement agencies I know of.

Now, if you want to talk about the moronic rounds like RIP and the like, then yes, I agree. They are just marketing hype to sell an over priced product to unsuspecting and ignorant fools wanting to be cool.


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My old stock of Federal 124 gr +P+ Hydrashocks is almost gone but still have enough to carry for my G19 at home. Down range carry Federal 124 gr Hydrashocks and M882 124 gr FMJ NATO in my G17.

CD
 
I'll have to check when i get home. I forget at the moment.
It is something in the +P. Might be Winchester.

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I buy several different kinds, verify their reliability, mix them altogether and then load magazines. One of them is sure to work. Might just have to shoot a few to get to the one that does though.
 
I used to carry Liberty civil defense, my Glock43 and I really liked them. They had gotten hard for my local shop to get through their distributor, and I run a magazine of my carry ammo each trip to the range before leaving. So, now that has been replaced by Hornady Critical Defense. However, I have heard a lot of people speak highly of HST. It is my understanding that the Critical Defense is designed for subcompact barrels and no need for penetrating glass or other barrier, whereas the HST and Critical Duty are more for 4"+ duty weapons? Correct me if I am wrong on this.
 
We must all seek our own salvation. Just don't get drug into the overpenetration argument. According to the last reports 2015, 70%+ of all rounds fired by LEs was a MISS. Air balls are far more apt to be the case than overpenetration. Air balls are the enemy, FAR more important than your ammo selection. Handguns are weak sisters ALL that matters is PLACEMENT and PENETRATION. Don't get sidelined on this. Pick whatever gives YOU confidence and then don't be pulled into the nonexistent problems. just pick your OWN salvation and get good with it.
 
We must all seek our own salvation. Just don't get drug into the overpenetration argument. According to the last reports 2015, 70%+ of all rounds fired by LEs was a MISS. Air balls are far more apt to be the case than overpenetration. Air balls are the enemy, FAR more important than your ammo selection. Handguns are weak sisters ALL that matters is PLACEMENT and PENETRATION. Don't get sidelined on this. Pick whatever gives YOU confidence and then don't be pulled into the nonexistent problems. just pick your OWN salvation and get good with it.
Man.....I've got to get down your way sometime. Pretty sure we must be long lost kin.
 
147 grain HST. Seems to expand well even in shorter guns like a Shield.
 
In my opinion, all of the super duper, premium, tactical, defense rounds is a lot of hype and marketing to separate you from your money. There is no way to know how your ammo will hold up unless you actually shoot someone. Many of these rounds won't even feed and function reliably in some guns and most people are not willing to spend the money to shoot enough of them to see if they will actually work.

Find a round that you know that will work in your gun and practice with it. Those magic bullets do not compensate for poor aim.
 
I consider the three most consistent 9mm performers to be HST, Gold Dot, and Critical Defense / Critical Duty. I have tested all of these in my carry guns and load them with whichever one that gun seems to be most accurate and controllable with. At the current time, that means:

Glock 26: HST 147 std pressure
Shield 2.0: Gold Dot 124 +P
LC9s: Critical Defense 115
Kahr CM9: Gold Dot 124 +P or HST 147 Standard, it's equally jumpy with either one. I may try the CD's in it.
 
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I load my magazine with the first round as CCI shot shell round, followed by 2 rounds of DRT ammo, then I alternate FMJ and black talon JHPs for the remaining rounds.
I find this really interesting in that I've heard ad nauseum about using a shot shell being an invitation to get sued to pay for the blind perp you crippled for the rest of his life.

The other thing is make damn sure (and I assume you have) that that shot shell will cycle your action under every conceivable circumstance.

Personally I typically carry 124gr +p Gold Dot knockoffs from Georgia Arms. Same bullet but at a price I can even train with on occasion. I would feel fine with any mainstream defensive round. My limitations/performance are much more likely to affect the overall outcome than bullet design.
 
Handguns are poor weapons for defense. They are portable. ALL that matters with handguns is Placement and Penetration. All.
Generally agree, but I'm not 100% convinced there isn't something to be said for the high velocity rounds like the 125gr 357 magnum that was so effective. All the ballistics experts focus only on physical damage/wound tracks, etc and disregard temporary cavity. All I know is something is responsible for that round's effectiveness, even if it is purely psychological and based on the feel of being hit with a round like that.

Other than a CNS hit or eventually bleeding out, people shot with handguns stop because they decide to.
 
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I find this really interesting in that I've heard ad nauseum about using a shot shell being an invitation to get sued to pay for the blind perp you crippled for the rest of his life.

The other thing is make damn sure (and I assume you have) that that shot shell will cycle your action under every conceivable circumstance.

Personally I typically carry 124gr +p Gold Dot knockoffs from Georgia Arms. Same bullet but at a price I can even train with on occasion. I would feel fine with any mainstream defensive round. My limitations/performance are much more likely to affect the overall outcome than bullet design.

I was completely joking. I carry HSTs in either 124 or 147.
 
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I was completely joking. I carry HSTs in either 124 or 147.
Yes, he admitted that AFTER I went out and bought several hundred dollars of new ammo and loaded up dozens of magazines! :mad:
 
He had me doing a lot of head scratching. Lol
If you recall, after he first posted that, I asked whether he ever had feed issues with the shot shells. I bought it hook, line and sinker. :mad:
 
I feel like heavy for caliber ball ammo is just as good for SD as all the whizzbang hollow points regardless of what caliber you're carrying.

I'm starting to question spending large money for special superdooper boolits. Since according to some, 9's just bounce off the BG's, Or the hollow point fills up and acts like a ball round anyway. I am considering just carrying a decent ball ammo. Especially in the mini 9 (.380acp) that I am waiting for the return FedEx shipment today from Ruger.

The last stuff I bought was Hornady American Gunner 124 grain +P with XTP bullets. Cheaper was the reason combined with my suspicion that superdooper boolits aren't really any more effective in the end. I have a strange feeling I could possibly end up doing a mag dump anyway. That's the plan for sure if I have to deploy the BUG. That.s how I train with the BUG, empty it as fast as possible while staying on center mass. My CHP instructor told us a story about how many rounds a fellow deputy put in to a guy before he realized the dude was toast. This was during the explanation of the effects of the increased heart rate that happens.
 
If you recall, after he first posted that, I asked whether he ever had feed issues with the shot shells. I bought it hook, line and sinker. :mad:
Thank goodness he fessed up before I sent a couple dozen barrels for feed ramp polishing! :eek:
 
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