9mm Load Used for SD/HD

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DanThaMan

Moderator
Trying to decide on a 9mm load for my G17 to use year round for SD/HD. Brand aside.. I'm choosing between the 115 gr JHP, 124 gr, and 147 gr. All will be +p and from a good brand.

What would you arm yourself with a why?

Im inclined toward the 124 for a nice balance between speed and weight, hoping to produce the best balance between expansion and penetration but correct me if im wrong please.
 
I use 124gr +P Remington Golden Sabres and 124gr +P Winchester PDX1 Bonded with my 92FS, but primarily because that's all that's available for me around here. If you have more options, you might want to experiment a bit to see which load gives you the best balance of accuracy, recoil, and cost. Reliability with your particular gun of course, would be first priority.
 
I use Speer 124+p golddots in my guns that I consider strong enough for +p I use ranger T series 147gr in the old girls (Browning Hi power and walther P1)
 
Ammo: Federal Hi-Shok 115gr +p+ JHP. (or any 115gr +p+ JHP)

Reasons: #1 - 93% 1 shot stop rate fired from your Glock 17 barrel. #2 - More energy than any other weight of 9mm ammo, and more energy than the mighty .45 ACP. #3 - Unless you plan to be shooting bad guys through doors, windows or walls, you don't really need heavy, bonded ammo, with deep penetration, such as the Winchester PDX1. Although if you do need to shoot through doors, windows or wall, I've heard it's great.
 
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I am currently carrying the Federal Hi-Shok 115 gr +P+ (9BPLE). It is "Law Enforcement Only" ammunition, so it is not marketed to the general public. However, surplus lots come onto the market frequently. It has the dual advantages of having a good reputation for effectiveness in actual use, and being relatively inexpensive when it is available. Another nice thing about it is that it is relatively soft-shooting for a hot round. As I understand it, it is loaded right up to the +P max pressure (38,500 psi), and only bears the "+P+" moniker to cover the odd cartridge that, owing to manufacturing variances, produces 38,501 psi or thereabouts.

I have also carried, and will probably carry again, the Winchester Ranger T 127 gr +P+ (RA9TA). It is a newer round than the Hi-Shok 115gr +P+, and develops slightly more energy (441 ft-lbs. vs. 432 ft-lbs.) than the Federal. It also has what most would consider a better bullet. This cartridge seems to be the current ne plus ultra when it comes to 9mm defensive ammunition. Of course, it costs about twice as much as the 9BPLE, and is harder to come by. Every online retailer has been chronically out of stock on it for more than a year, so you'll need to find a store that wants your money more than the love of their Winchester rep (it is also a "Law Enforcement Only" product). Be aware that this load is hot! Winchester lists the pressure as 42,000 CUP, which is probably (CUP has no direct conversion into psi) around 40,000 psi or better. The extra energy is enough that I bought a heavier recoil spring from Wolff for the next time I use this ammo. Your G17 shouldn't have any problems with the higher pressures, but you, too, might want to pick up a heavier spring if you choose this load.

I have never heard particularly good things about the 147 gr loads in relation to how they work in my particular type of pistol, and so have never tried them. Intellectually, I prefer the ballistics of the fast 115 and 124-127 grain loads anyway, so I don't feel like I'm missing anything. However, there might be someone out there who has compelling data on them that I have not seen, so I will not warn you off of them.

If money, availability, and compatibility were no obstacles I would absolutely recommend the Winchester 127 gr +P+. However, the fact that I can actually get my hands on the Federal 115 gr +P+, and in enough quantity that I can shoot a fair amount of it at paper, has me going with the Federal 9BPLE for now.
 
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I had the opportunity to see some head-to-head gelatin testing a while back. Cor Bon DPX delivered the best results, closely followed by their Pow'rBall load. 115 gr. Winchester Ranger T and 124 gr. Speer Gold Dot were tied for the next slot in line.
That said, I don't think it matters much as long as you're buying quality ammo (Cor Bon, Speer, Winchester, Federal, etc.). Pick something that you can afford to buy a couple hundred rounds of to test in your gun (not only looking for POA/POI but, obviously, reliability).
 
You need to try what works 100% of the time in YOUR gun and gives acceptable accuracy and allows quick sight recovery for subsequent shots.

Speer 124gn +P works best for me with Winchester a good alternative.

Remington Golden Sabres both in 124 gn and 147 gn have been disappointing for me in three different handguns, Glock, BHP, CZ85. While they have never failed to feed or fire, accuracy is poor and lots of fireworks at the muzzle end, almost a sparkler effect with granules of burning powder bursting out with the muzzle blast. Never seen this in any other factory ammunition.

Cases are ejected all over the place rather than in a neat "pile". This suggests to me that there is inconsistent ignition and I don't know if I just got a bad batch (3 different lot numbers though) or if this is a characteristic of the brand. If so I wouldn't expect it to survive in the market place long but admitedly I have not seen this reported anywhere yet.
 
I have been hearing some good things about Hornady's new Critical Defense ammo. I am using their 115 gr. 9mm ammo in my Kahr CW9. It is made specifically for citizens who carry concealed. They claim 100 percent expansion of the HP due to a polymer insert that eliminates causes of HP failure.
 
Im inclined toward the 124 for a nice balance between speed and weight, hoping to produce the best balance between expansion and penetration but correct me if im wrong please.
Click to expand...

I think you'll do just fine with that. Just make sure it works reliably in your pistol and call it good.
 
I like the Golden Sabers and have had good accuracy out of them in two Kahrs and an Xd. Never used the critical defense 9x19 but the .380 is great.
 
I practice with 147 grain PHP and load Buffalo Bore 147 grain +P+ for SD/HD simply because it is cheaper to practice with the former and with the latter I get heavy and fast (147 grain at 1175 fps 451 ft-lbs), which translates to good energy and good momentum numbers.
 
modern premium JHP's have gotten better with heavier weight, 147 grain Federal HST's have shown consistent and very reliable expansion in the 9mm.
 
I use Federal Expanding FMJ in all of my 9's just to ensure both feeding reliability and expansion.

-Cheers
 
When I carry one of my 9mm CZ's, I load it with Winchester 147gr JHPs. The reason I use this particular load is because I bought about 20 boxes of it at Wally World several years ago for $5.00 a box. No scientific reason. It's accurate and reliable in my CZs and I've still got 10 boxes of it.
 
I'm partial to the Winchester Ranger 127grn +P+ (I too added a heavier spring to my gun and try to limit how much shooting I do with this round). To my mind, 9mm is a cartridge that relies on velocity to do its work and the 147grn loadings (other than Double Tap and Buffalo Bore) simply don't have enough velocity to give me the warm and fuzzies. The 115grn loadings, on the other hand, worry me in that when driven to the types of velocities I'd like would have a tendency to fragment, over-expand, or not penetrate deeply enough. The 124-127grn +P and +P+ loadings seem to be just right.
 
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