Best .45 ACP Defense Ammo?

I also agree death is not the primary goal of an armed confrontation, but it is surely my secondary goal. Obviously, the first matter of business is to stop the attacker. If the attacker dies, though, everyone is really better off.
END

I am not god not do I want his responsiblity. So my goal is not the death of my attacker. If he dies as the result of me defending myself that ok but its not my goal. I will shoot him in the head if the first 2 or 3 body shots don't work and he would die. But if he stops after getting hit then I stop shooting.
PAT
 
My favorite:

Hornady 230 XTP +P
Proload 230 +P
Texas Ammuniton 230 Tactical +P (uses Hornday bullets)
Texas Ammunition 230 Super (uses Hornady Bullets)

Regarding overpenetration, since bullets don't a straight path in living things I think that you should get all you can. A missed shot is more dangerouse anyway.
 
HydraShok said:

A heavier bullet (200 gr+) is your best bet in a short barreled gun.
Click to expand...

Actually, this may not always be true. In the March 2001 edition of SHOOTING TIMES, Layne Simpson tested 8 loads in a 3" KIMBER ULTRA CARRY in an attempt to find the best carry load:

  • HORNADY 185G HP/XTP
  • SPEER 185G GOLD DOT
  • WINCHESTER 185G SILVERTIP
  • COR-BON 230G JHP+P
  • FEDERAL 230G HYDRA-SHOK
  • REMINGTON 230G GOLDEN SABER
  • SPEER 230G GOLD DOT
  • WINCHESTER 230G SXT


The tests included functioning, accuracy, POI, downrange energy, & bullet expansion (into water).

In this particular gun, Layne felt the best choice the SPEER 185G GOLD DOT. At 20 yards, it expanded to an average of .572" from the 3" barrel as compared to .597" from a 5", maintained 100% of it's weight & penetrated 18" (the Remington Golden Saber grew to .677" :eek:, but would lose its jacket). The Speer did have more velocity at 20 yards than any other: 901fps. Four of the other loads were slower from a 5" barrel.

The energy at 20 yards (333 ft-lbs) was higher than any of the other loads - the Federal 230g Hydra-Shock (my favorite load when I carried a 4516-1) required a 5" barrel to transmit that much energy.

It also shot to POA (but he reported all loads shot close enough for close range shooting). He doesn't go into detail about how he checked for accuracy (bench, sandbags, off-hand, etc.) but did say that all of the loads he would consider accurate, & when he lists all the loads that printed an average group size of 3" or better at 20 yards, only the Winchester Silvertip & Remington Golden Saber loads are left off the list.

Again - it would depend on the particular gun, but at least in this case the 185g load seemed to perform the best within these parameters.
 
Everyone is going to voice a different opinion on what is "best", the reason being is we all have differing opinions on what is important in "stopping". Personally, I recognize that to truly "stop" someone (I don't wish to bet my life on a psychological stop, although it may go that way) you must greatly damage the CNS. The CNS consists of the spinal cord and the brain. The spinal cord is fully to the rear of any human being and is encased in bone. Penetration is a requirement in order to reach vital organs and the CNS. A body shot in a defensive shooting is likely. Obviously, and assuming good placement, penetration will be necessary to reach the spinal column and penetrate. Expansion is desirable to assist in severing the cord. I do not subscribe to the "energy dump" theory in handguns, others do. I am of the opinion that 2 large holes to bleed from are better than one. I recognize that misses happen frequently in shootings and normally no bystanders are hit, thus overpenetration is of little consideration to me. All that said, I use 230 gr Winchester USA JHP's, but am going to test out some Texas Ammo 230 gr Tacticals soon. (going around 935 fps out of a Glock 30). To each his own. There are a number of excellent loads out there that will work if need be.
 
Why over-complicate matters?

My agency issues Speer Gold Dot 230 and I am happy with them. I’d be equally satisfied with HydraShok, Ranger SXT, or the Hornady/Frontier XTP. And I have no problem with hardball, though my bosses are a little uneasy about the possibility of ricochets and over penetration. I know little of the Golden Sabre, and nothing of the FMJ Expanding Point.

The 1911 and successors were designed for full-weight bullets, and see no reason to “adapt” my sidearms to something lighter.

Given all those readily-available factory loads, at standard and mild +P pressures, I won’t go to the trouble and expense to procure something else, that might not serve me as well. I’ll not decrease controllability or increase muzzle flash and noise to possibly increase “stopping power.” I hold no particular awe for the largely discredited “One Shot Stop” guys, but, if their data base CAN be trusted, Fed H-S is in the high-90-per cent range. I won’t accept the down side of super-premium custom loads which MIGHT increase the result by a couple of per cent. Besides, I intend to shoot, and hit, more than once.

I prefer to use a load with recoil impulse and trajectory similar to the hardball-equivalent loads with which I train and compete. I also see no point in wearing out my pistols with overpressure loads.

One old shooter’s opinion.:)
Best,
Johnny
 
I have to vote for the 230-grain Federal Hydra-Shok. I heard that the 165-grain is better from a shorter barrel. I have a Glock 30, which is compact, but I haven't carried anything less than 230-grain for self-defense because all the target loads are 230-grain, and that's what I'm used to shooting.
 
I actually picked this as a IRC names several years ago and I just kept it. I actually got it out of one of Richard Marcinko's books and this was before I ever fired a handgun.
 
Pete Gunn:

Is this what you were referring to?

Interesting reading from the latest Guns & Ammo magazine - By Ed Sanow
1. Federal .40S&W 155 gr. Hydra-Shok
2. Federal .357Mag 125 gr. JHP
3. Federal .45ACP 230 gr. Hydra-Shok
4. Remington .45ACP 185 gr Golden Saber +P
5. Federal l9MM 115 gr JHP +P+ 9BPLE
6. Triton & Cor-Bon .40SW& 135 gr. JHP
7. Winchester .44Mag 210 gr. Silvertip
8. Triton .357SIG 125 gr. Rainier JHP
9. Winchester .41Mag 175 gr. Silvertip
10.Federal .40S&W 180 gr. Hydra-Shok

According to the article, these loads had a proven record (law enforcement) One-Shot Stop % of 90% to 97%.

The article also said: .45ACP FMJ "ball" ammo is one of the "least effective combat loads ever" with only 63% one-shot stops.

Johnny Quest
 
In a 5" standard land and groove bbl, it's difficult to beat the 230 grain Federal Hydra Shok or Speer Gold Dot.

In my USP compacts I carry the 200 grain +P Gold Dot loaded by Pro Load. No flash, very consistent and well-made ammo.

I used to carry the Federal HydraShok 185+P... until I took a night shooting course. The blue and purple splotches left on my retinas by the muzzle flash with that load faded, eventually...

Now I practice with the 185+p's in daylight, outdoors, as they're a bit snappier than the carry load, but same impact, very accurate loads. Just WAY too much flash for a good defense load.

The Fed 165 "Personal Defense" load is even worse.
 
Would the 230-grain Hydra Shok not be so good for a 3" barrel pistol? I imagine less velocity and more muzzle flash. Would a round with the same bullet and a faster burning powder provide similar results? Or would it be better to get a lighter bullet?
 
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