Best 9mm ammo for defense
- Thread starter N.Farley
- Start date
Dave Chuppa
New member
Corbon 115 JHP+P
Rampant_Colt
New member
ChaseReynolds
New member
Hornady Critical Defense/Zombie Max.
wnycollector
New member
I carried the 9BPLE +P+ 115gr JHP in my S&W 910 for years. I found it to be very accurate and reliable in my pistol. It was also inexpensive so I could shoot a significant amount of my carry ammo on a fairly regular basis without breaking the bank. It also didn't hurt that the 9BPLE has a 30 year track record of real world shootings of bad guys by LEO's.
I recently was picking up some 7n6 from SGAmmo and spotted a very good price on 500 rounds of Winchester Ranger-T 127gr JHP +P+ (RA9TA). I have yet to chronograph or function test the ammo in my pistols, but I have high hopes that I may have found my new carry ammo.
I recently was picking up some 7n6 from SGAmmo and spotted a very good price on 500 rounds of Winchester Ranger-T 127gr JHP +P+ (RA9TA). I have yet to chronograph or function test the ammo in my pistols, but I have high hopes that I may have found my new carry ammo.
I have to laugh at the Authoritative AR15 Experts and no one else knows what theya re talking about.
Not sure how many have shot someone in a SD with a 9mm (and it makes no difference its the overall statistics that are important not a single event)
Same experts will tell you that 357 Sig, 40S&W and 45 is more lethal than a 9mm when real world shooting situations show that 9mm is as lethal.
What the real experts say is 124 gr is the best round for the 9mm. Not on paper or gel tests but in the real world. The combination of velocity and weight. 147 does work, but not overall as well as 124. 9mm was never intended to move a bullet that heavy. Wonders of technology that they can make a sub sonic round expand at all.
Also, any of the SD rounds from 115 to 130 will do just fine.
Keep in mind that we are not shooing through barriers, nor want to penetrate them in an SD situation.
I like GS in the 124 gr as it is the least expensive and it has 25 round box and it has been 100% reliable (single most important aspect, if it is not reliable then its not the best round for YOUR gun)
While I reload, I do not carry my reloads in the magazine in the gun (I do have some on and off in a spare).
My take is that I think the mfg ammo is more consistent. 9mm is hard one to reload well.
Not sure how many have shot someone in a SD with a 9mm (and it makes no difference its the overall statistics that are important not a single event)
Same experts will tell you that 357 Sig, 40S&W and 45 is more lethal than a 9mm when real world shooting situations show that 9mm is as lethal.
What the real experts say is 124 gr is the best round for the 9mm. Not on paper or gel tests but in the real world. The combination of velocity and weight. 147 does work, but not overall as well as 124. 9mm was never intended to move a bullet that heavy. Wonders of technology that they can make a sub sonic round expand at all.
Also, any of the SD rounds from 115 to 130 will do just fine.
Keep in mind that we are not shooing through barriers, nor want to penetrate them in an SD situation.
I like GS in the 124 gr as it is the least expensive and it has 25 round box and it has been 100% reliable (single most important aspect, if it is not reliable then its not the best round for YOUR gun)
While I reload, I do not carry my reloads in the magazine in the gun (I do have some on and off in a spare).
My take is that I think the mfg ammo is more consistent. 9mm is hard one to reload well.
Walklightly
Moderator
I got GDHP 124g +P, $12.50 Box 50.
armoredman
New member
I carry Remington 124 grain +P Golden Sabers right now. Any good quality hollow point moving at 1,100 feet per second should do the trick, provided you put that little high speed pill where it needs to go.
RyanAnchors
Inactive
Corbon DPX is quite good.
I also like Speer Gold Dots (124gr)
I also like Speer Gold Dots (124gr)
Rampant_Colt
New member
Sorry, but I trust Doctor Roberts' ammo recommendations over some anonymous random dude posting his favorite zombie load or the next whiz-bang, ultra-high-velocity load from some boutique ammo manufacturer.
i Just picked up some buffalo bore 147 +p+ and after shooting about 25 rounds it is WICKED. I shot water jugs and clay and saw some serious damage and it hits so hard compared to a lot of the rounds i have tested so far. I also tried some of the new hornady critical duty 135 +p and they were pretty sick too. great penetration and textbook expansion ( you literally couldn't draw up a better looking mushroom.) Im carrying the Buffalo bore in my full size pistol and the critical duty in my kel tec pm9.
Don't know much about "Dr Roberts", but a quick search on google turned up the fact that the FBI issues Winchester's PDX1 round to their agents. "Barrier" penetration success was one of the criteria in the selection process according to the Winchester site. Pretty good advice I'd say. Rod
One of the premium hollow-point rounds that is reliable in your weapon.
0. Premium HP.
1. Reliable in THAT weapon(a).
After that thins the herd, apply the following filters:
2. No bad habits (like ejecting the spent & hot case on top of the shooter's head, spent case slung to the South 40 or barely gets out of the chamber to dribble down the side of the weapon).
3. Acceptable accuracy.
As for particular loads, the Rem Golden Sabre line seems across-the-board reliable, likely in part due to its curved bullet shape vs some of the others' truncated cone shape.
(a) How reliable is up to the user. (There is Ayoob's "200 rounds, 100% reliable metric as a rule of thumb). After pistol break-in or refurb (springs, etc) I put a few boxes of blasting ammo through it to make sure it is broken in. I then buy a few single boxes of various premium "social" ammo. I shoot them up, looking for bad habits & accuracy. Any reliability issues traceable to ammo disqualifies that make/model. Any bad habits are disqualifying. Of the remainder, I compare accuracy and buy a few boxes of the most accurate and test it later, too. Any reliability problems discovered would send me to the next make/model.
0. Premium HP.
1. Reliable in THAT weapon(a).
After that thins the herd, apply the following filters:
2. No bad habits (like ejecting the spent & hot case on top of the shooter's head, spent case slung to the South 40 or barely gets out of the chamber to dribble down the side of the weapon).
3. Acceptable accuracy.
As for particular loads, the Rem Golden Sabre line seems across-the-board reliable, likely in part due to its curved bullet shape vs some of the others' truncated cone shape.
(a) How reliable is up to the user. (There is Ayoob's "200 rounds, 100% reliable metric as a rule of thumb). After pistol break-in or refurb (springs, etc) I put a few boxes of blasting ammo through it to make sure it is broken in. I then buy a few single boxes of various premium "social" ammo. I shoot them up, looking for bad habits & accuracy. Any reliability issues traceable to ammo disqualifies that make/model. Any bad habits are disqualifying. Of the remainder, I compare accuracy and buy a few boxes of the most accurate and test it later, too. Any reliability problems discovered would send me to the next make/model.
9x19mm self defense; protection ammunition....
I'd search the forum for older posts. 9mm/9x19mm selections are popular topics.
There are a few good choices in 9x19mm. Top loads include the Ranger T 127gr +P+ JHP, Ranger T 124gr JHP +P bonded, the new Hornady Critical Duty 135gr +P JHP, Golden Saber 124gr bonded JHP +P, Speer Gold Dot 124gr JHP +P, Corbon DPX, PowRball 9mm.
The Hornady Critical Duty, www.Hornady.com , has impressive specs. The DPX, Ranger T & Speer Gold Dot 9mm rounds have proven records too.
For defense or CC only use well made factory rounds, NO reloaded or hand loaded 9mm rounds.
Clyde
I'd search the forum for older posts. 9mm/9x19mm selections are popular topics.
There are a few good choices in 9x19mm. Top loads include the Ranger T 127gr +P+ JHP, Ranger T 124gr JHP +P bonded, the new Hornady Critical Duty 135gr +P JHP, Golden Saber 124gr bonded JHP +P, Speer Gold Dot 124gr JHP +P, Corbon DPX, PowRball 9mm.
The Hornady Critical Duty, www.Hornady.com , has impressive specs. The DPX, Ranger T & Speer Gold Dot 9mm rounds have proven records too.
For defense or CC only use well made factory rounds, NO reloaded or hand loaded 9mm rounds.
Clyde
I don't have links to everything but I've looked at many, many ballistic gel test results as well as less scientific tests like wetpacks and water jugs. There are several good choices, Win. Ranger Ts, Corbon DPX, and others. I like the Speer 124 gr. Gold Dots in standard pressure or +P (especially +P in short barreled pistols). Even the 115 gr. Gold Dots are good from a full size pistol.