115gr vs. 124 gr. FMJ Lawman

D

Doc Holliday 1950

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If you had a choice of getting 500 rounds of Speer Lawman FMJ 9mm at the same
cost $109.50 for either 115 grain or 124 grain which would you get for a Glock 19 for training? As always, all responses are welcome.
 
The 124s. A little more weight, a little more recoil impulse for just a bit more reliable feeding in most guns. 124s run great in most guns and some guns don't like 115s (not Glocks though). Plus, if it's an identical price, I'd rather have the extra lead because "why not". :)
 
I would go with the weight that matches your defensive ammo. If not for a defensive pistol then its probably not a big difference.
 
Well for me I will always go with the 124gr. But I don't have or shoot a Glock. I shoot(in 9mm anyway) the CZ,75 75compact,P01,etc. Most of my 9mm are CZ's & they like the 124gr better. That said that is what the 9mm should be 115gr is a little lite for caliber IMO. I would do it this way. What is the weight of your carry caliber? If it is 124gr then go with that or try a box of 115gr & a box of 124gr & see what your Glock/or you shoot's better & then go there. I fined that the 9mm NATO(124gr) ammo is a good range round because its hotter & more like my carry ammo as far as recoil etc. Hope this helps. :)
 
If one of my 9mm guns has problems with 115gr ammo, I start looking to see why, or to get rid of it. None of my present guns has any issues with any ammo I've put through them. I don't think I've shot any 147gr stuff in a long time. I just don't see it anywhere, except on line.

I would probably take 124gr for the same price though.
 
A little more weight, a little more recoil impulse
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Not necessarily. If the power factor is the same, i.e., the velocity is reduced, then the impulse will be less because it's spread over a longer duration. However, I don't know what the difference in powder charge is and I don't know how noticeable it would be. I shoot 147 myself.

But yes, get the 124. It's better for self defense and competition shooters use 124 usually.
 
I would go with the weight that matches your defensive ammo.
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I'm a huge believer in the practice of minding the details to address the larger overall issue.
Using the same weight for practice and "business" is a trivial thing - - in and of itself.
However - in real life, outcomes can and do depend on some trivial "edge" or lack thereof & stringing a lot of trivial things together is an oft touted way of doing things the right way.
Also - as is often the case - this is a prime example of where something trivial is "no cost".
 
115 vs 124

Whichever your pistol functions with consistently as well as the weight you use if this gun is used as your CCW.

I use 124gr as that weight functions without issue in my CCW Hi-Power.
 
I shoot both and IMO is does not matter for practice range ammo. I will say between the two the 115 GR is definitely a hotter load and really barks. The 115 is almost +P at 1200 FPS muzzle velocity.

It's nice we can start to have a discussion like this instead of just buying whatever we can find.
 
I buy that ammo from Target Sports USA by the 1000 (for free shipping). MY G26, 19 and 17 like the 124s, and that is also the weight I use for the SD ammo from Hornady, Remington, etc.
 
There are about 29,000 grains of rice in one pound of long-grain white rice.
There is 7000 grains per pound
29,000/7,000 = 4.14
124-115 = 9
9X4 = 36
36 grains of long-grain white rice!
If either functions propey in your gun do you really think it matters?
 
I shoot both, just a little more Bang with the 124.Whichever I get cheaper . Neither one effects my shooting to the better or worse.
 
The reason that I started this post was it seemed that 115 gr. ammo was being touted as the round de jour for practice.

All of my SD ammo is either 124 grain Gold Dots or Federal 124 grain HST and it just seemed that if you shoot 124 gr. for SD you should use the same for practice.

I'm satisfied that most responders are of the same opinion. Thanks everyone.
 
Rarely is there going to be a match in felt recoil between defense loads and FMJ target loads... especially between brands... And more so if you run +P ammo. (which there is pretty much no point doing, with modern loads doing as well or better in standard pressure)

If I recall correctly, the Lawman is supposed to be similar to the gold dot standard pressure of the same weight.

For now with price being equal, get 124gr... Later, if you are at a big box store, get whats on the shelf. I have not had any issues switching between 115gr and my 124gr defense loads. The difference exists, but it is not enough to cause problems.

I am not a top level shooter, honing myself to one load and one pistol for countless rounds, just to shave off a few hundredths of a second off my course times.

I shoot too many different pistols regularly, and they all feel different. Platform does more to felt recoil than the round used.
 
Like most everyone else I would go with the 124 since they are the same price. If there is a big price difference I will buy 115 gr, but at the same or similar prices I prefer the heavier bullet.
 
I have enough brass that I don't need to buy factory ammo. I use my own loads for every purpose. I started loading from the recommended starting load to the maximum listed and then worked from the starting load down. I did this with 115 and 124 grain bullets and had no failures down to about half the suggested starting loads. This was done in my CZ75B. I haven't yet settled on a final load yet but once I do I will be replacing the sights and adjusting them for that load.
 
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