Hello, I'm Jay and a new member to this forum. I'm new to guns being that I live in Chicago and until recently it was illegal to own a gun here so I don’t know much about them. Since the change in laws I've decided to exercise my right to own a gun for home defense purposes. I went to the range to learn to shoot but since I always rented the guns I never paid much attention to the ammo I was using. I recently purchased a cz 75 sp 01 9mm handgun. Now I'm trying to decide which ammo is best for home defense. I've pretty much decided I want to go with hollow point bullets but don't know what brand to get. I'm assuming like hand guns if I asked which was the best 9mm I would get a million different answers. But I'm hoping to at least narrow it down to a couple good brands. If you feel brave enough to put a specific one out there I'd be glad to hear it. But at least some high recommended brands will do. Thanks.
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best ammo for home defense??
- Thread starter jay0884
- Start date
Derbel McDillet
Moderator
Any of the 9mm loads listed here: http://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?4337-Service-Caliber-Handgun-Duty-and-Self-Defense-Ammo
filthy phil
New member
Speer gdhp or win rangers are in my 9s
Stay in the 124-147 range, imho
Stay in the 124-147 range, imho
Jay,
If you buy any "premium defense ammunition" in a medium weight bullet from a big name company, you're doing about as well as you can. The differences between Winchester, Hornandy, Federal, etc are going to be slight. I would stay closer to 124 grain bullets, as the 147 grains are sometimes less likely to expand properly.
Another avenue to look at are pre-fragmented ammo from Glaser or Mag Safe. These rounds are the least likely to penetrate walls, but are very lethal.
If you buy any "premium defense ammunition" in a medium weight bullet from a big name company, you're doing about as well as you can. The differences between Winchester, Hornandy, Federal, etc are going to be slight. I would stay closer to 124 grain bullets, as the 147 grains are sometimes less likely to expand properly.
Another avenue to look at are pre-fragmented ammo from Glaser or Mag Safe. These rounds are the least likely to penetrate walls, but are very lethal.
Speer Gold Dot
Yes, you're going to get a lot of opinions. Here's mine, with data . . .
I like either the Speer GDHP 124g; or the GDHP +P 124g. Both are excellent and will do their part, if you do yours.
The "standard" (non-+P) (Speer # 23618) chronographs . . .
1048 fps through a 3.7" bbl Kahr CW9
1135 fps through a 5" bbl Beretta 92FS (more similar to your gun)
The +P (Speer # 23617) chronographs . . .
1182 fps through a 3.7" bbl Kahr CW9
I did not test it through the Beretta, but it would probably be in the 1250 fps neighborhood.
As you can see, the +P is clearly more potent. It has noticeably more recoil too. But as I said before, either would do the job. I have carried both with complete confidence.
Yes, you're going to get a lot of opinions. Here's mine, with data . . .
I like either the Speer GDHP 124g; or the GDHP +P 124g. Both are excellent and will do their part, if you do yours.
The "standard" (non-+P) (Speer # 23618) chronographs . . .
1048 fps through a 3.7" bbl Kahr CW9
1135 fps through a 5" bbl Beretta 92FS (more similar to your gun)
The +P (Speer # 23617) chronographs . . .
1182 fps through a 3.7" bbl Kahr CW9
I did not test it through the Beretta, but it would probably be in the 1250 fps neighborhood.
As you can see, the +P is clearly more potent. It has noticeably more recoil too. But as I said before, either would do the job. I have carried both with complete confidence.
124's vs 147's
. . ^^I agree with this. ^^
And I'm even a heavy bullet centric guy for defense (not opening that can o' worms). But 9mm just doesn't have enough ummph to make a 147g work right. Save the 147's for 357 Sig (where they are the choice).
I would stay closer to 124 grain bullets, as the 147 grains are sometimes less likely to expand properly.
. . ^^I agree with this. ^^
And I'm even a heavy bullet centric guy for defense (not opening that can o' worms). But 9mm just doesn't have enough ummph to make a 147g work right. Save the 147's for 357 Sig (where they are the choice).
I use 6 rounds of Underwood or Buffalo Bore 147 grain +p+ hollow points. Why? Because it's pretty darn close to .40 S&W performance from a 9mm gun, and my TriStar T-120 eats them up without a hiccup. Behind those, I fill the rest of the magazine with Buffalo Bore 124 grain +p+ fn penetrators. That's in case the bad guy gets behind cover and keeps shooting. I think this combination will keep me as safe as any handgun can.
marine6680
New member
My go to is Federal HST 124gr...
They did make a +p version, but have stopped offering it as best I can tell. It isn't listed on their site... but the +p didn't give you much added velocity anyway in that load.
You can still buy Federal Hydroshoks, but that is an older design and not as good.
Speer Gold dot, either of the Hornady Critical lines, Winchester PDX1 (which is similar to the Ranger line offered to law enforcement)... they are all good to go.
Stick to 124gr+ as they work better than the 115gr, except for the Barnes bullet, which is all copper and therefore lighter but still good.
If you live in an apartment or otherwise have concerns of a missed shot going through a wall and hitting an innocent... Then there are a few frangible rounds that work ok. They tend to make nasty looking but fairly shallow wounds only a few inches deep. So they hurt like heck but the lack of penetration may not stop a determined attacker or one who is on a mind affecting chemical.
From the tests of the frangibles, the DRT offering looks promising. It fragments but retains a solid base that penetrates deeper than other frangible rounds do. Usually the 10-12 inch range in penetration, which is a little short of ideal, but better than other options I have seen if you are worried about over penetration through walls.
FBI standards for testing have 12-18 inches of penetration as being the ideal for defensive use... Most modern rounds will do that reliably, particularly from a full sized handgun like your CZ.
They did make a +p version, but have stopped offering it as best I can tell. It isn't listed on their site... but the +p didn't give you much added velocity anyway in that load.
You can still buy Federal Hydroshoks, but that is an older design and not as good.
Speer Gold dot, either of the Hornady Critical lines, Winchester PDX1 (which is similar to the Ranger line offered to law enforcement)... they are all good to go.
Stick to 124gr+ as they work better than the 115gr, except for the Barnes bullet, which is all copper and therefore lighter but still good.
If you live in an apartment or otherwise have concerns of a missed shot going through a wall and hitting an innocent... Then there are a few frangible rounds that work ok. They tend to make nasty looking but fairly shallow wounds only a few inches deep. So they hurt like heck but the lack of penetration may not stop a determined attacker or one who is on a mind affecting chemical.
From the tests of the frangibles, the DRT offering looks promising. It fragments but retains a solid base that penetrates deeper than other frangible rounds do. Usually the 10-12 inch range in penetration, which is a little short of ideal, but better than other options I have seen if you are worried about over penetration through walls.
FBI standards for testing have 12-18 inches of penetration as being the ideal for defensive use... Most modern rounds will do that reliably, particularly from a full sized handgun like your CZ.
Derbel McDillet
Moderator
But 9mm just doesn't have enough ummph to make a 147g work right.
9mm 147 is propelled at about the same velocity as .40 S&W 180gr and .45 ACP 230gr - neither of which can be described as not having enough "ummph" to make them work right.
To match the terminal performance of 147gr JHP the overwhelming majority of 124gr bullets have to be +P loads, which produces more recoil.
Fired from the OP's CZ75 SP-01, which has a 4.6" barrel, 147gr will perform superbly.
Funny, how people are content with 230 grain Hp's leaving the barrel at 830fps but they're convinced a 147 grain HP leaving the barrel at 900-1050fps wont expand reliably. I guess by that logic, a 158 grain .357 mag at ~1050fps shouldn't expand either.
If you still think 147's wont expand reliably, you're likely a few decades behind in bullet technology information. It was true, that a few DECADES ago the 147 grain HP's for SD did not always open reliably. Bullet technology has changed quite a lot since then.
If you still think 147's wont expand reliably, you're likely a few decades behind in bullet technology information. It was true, that a few DECADES ago the 147 grain HP's for SD did not always open reliably. Bullet technology has changed quite a lot since then.
The major brands listed in previous posts are all fine and you have to split hairs to find a difference between them.
I keep 124 grain Speer Gold Dots, because they are consistently available in my locale and they have proven to function well in my pistols. The part after "because" in the previous sentence is the part to focus on. You want to prove the round in your pistol by running a few magazines through it, and it can get expensive to start over if you change brands.
I keep 124 grain Speer Gold Dots, because they are consistently available in my locale and they have proven to function well in my pistols. The part after "because" in the previous sentence is the part to focus on. You want to prove the round in your pistol by running a few magazines through it, and it can get expensive to start over if you change brands.
marine6680
New member
I shy away from the 147gr bullets because they tend to have a longer overall cartridge length.
Some pistols have issues with that extra length.
Usually its the throat area of the barrel, the 147gr sit farther in the throat and may even touch the rifling, which makes for higher than spec pressures.
Granted, I have only heard of a few pistols known to have issues with this.
Another issue is that some pistols may not feed it as well due to the extra length...
And while ample testing of the rounds in your pistol can tell you if your pistol will feed them well or not... I do not have the cash to blow on a couple hundred rounds of good HP ammo to test for that.
So I stick to the 124gr to prevent either issue... Maybe I am being overly cautious, but I feel the 124gr HSTs are very effective, and I don't feel the need to go for 147gr to up performance.
Some pistols have issues with that extra length.
Usually its the throat area of the barrel, the 147gr sit farther in the throat and may even touch the rifling, which makes for higher than spec pressures.
Granted, I have only heard of a few pistols known to have issues with this.
Another issue is that some pistols may not feed it as well due to the extra length...
And while ample testing of the rounds in your pistol can tell you if your pistol will feed them well or not... I do not have the cash to blow on a couple hundred rounds of good HP ammo to test for that.
So I stick to the 124gr to prevent either issue... Maybe I am being overly cautious, but I feel the 124gr HSTs are very effective, and I don't feel the need to go for 147gr to up performance.
As others have indicated, there are several good rounds available. Like TailGator, I like the 124 gr. Gold Dots because they are usually available locally and they work well with my pistols. Winchester premium rounds also are available locally; specifically the PDX1 which I understand uses the same bullet as the Ranger-T but is more expensive because it marketed to non-law enforcement.
You can order online and it is often cheaper to do so but the option to buy locally is a plus. And you need to buy enough to test it in your specific handgun before relying on it. That means after you put a couple of hundred rounds of range ammo through your pistol, put 40 to 50 rounds of the defense ammo through it to make sure it feeds well. Testing is expensive but worth it. It is also why I usually only use one or two different types of ammo -- too expensive to test a lot of different brands in all the handguns I might carry.
You can order online and it is often cheaper to do so but the option to buy locally is a plus. And you need to buy enough to test it in your specific handgun before relying on it. That means after you put a couple of hundred rounds of range ammo through your pistol, put 40 to 50 rounds of the defense ammo through it to make sure it feeds well. Testing is expensive but worth it. It is also why I usually only use one or two different types of ammo -- too expensive to test a lot of different brands in all the handguns I might carry.
Thanks everyone
Just want to thank everyone for offering their opinions. I'm going to have to see if any of the suggestions can be found locally since I can't have ammo shipped to Chicago. I also checked the CZ website and they stated they don't recommend +p+ ammo, and also said +p ammo causes accelerated wear. So I will probably be going with non +p. Probably 124 grain since it was mostly recommended and the little bit of reduced muzzle flip will benefit my wife in case she ever needs to use it when i'm not home. But thanks again guys for all the awesome advice.
Just want to thank everyone for offering their opinions. I'm going to have to see if any of the suggestions can be found locally since I can't have ammo shipped to Chicago. I also checked the CZ website and they stated they don't recommend +p+ ammo, and also said +p ammo causes accelerated wear. So I will probably be going with non +p. Probably 124 grain since it was mostly recommended and the little bit of reduced muzzle flip will benefit my wife in case she ever needs to use it when i'm not home. But thanks again guys for all the awesome advice.
Glockstar .40
New member
While it's true that +p wears more on the gun than standard pressure does, how much +p are you planning on shooting through it? If you prefer +p for cc or HD as many do than i'd suggest you buy some +p and run a couple mags through your gun to make sure they cycle. then stop shooting them and just keep them for protection and use standard pressure fmj for practice at the range.
It actually takes quite a few rounds of +p to have any real effect on your firearm if its rated for +p
It actually takes quite a few rounds of +p to have any real effect on your firearm if its rated for +p
Unless they have made advances in their bullet designs in the recent past, Id be leery of the pre fragmented ammo. They have a reputation of nasty surface wounds, but poor penetration. Gimmicky ammo is usually just that, gimmicks, and best avoided.Another avenue to look at are pre-fragmented ammo from Glaser or Mag Safe. These rounds are the least likely to penetrate walls, but are very lethal.
Also consider that you may want the ability to shoot through things when needed. Ive never really understood the PC over penetration craze. I personally do want to be able to shoot things to get to someone behind it, if need be.
I dont find the recoil of +P or +P+ to be that much different than standard loads in the same weight.As you can see, the +P is clearly more potent. It has noticeably more recoil too.
For that matter, 125 grain 357SIG and 127 grain +P+ 9mm feel the same to me when shot through the same gun, and I doubt you could tell which was which when you did. Although Ive heard others say different.
I think they have the bugs worked out of the newer 147's with the newer bullet designs, like the HSTs.But 9mm just doesn't have enough ummph to make a 147g work right. Save the 147's for 357 Sig (where they are the choice).
Ive shot a lot of 357SIG, and unless they have made some advances in the past few years, I didnt find the 147's worked as well as the 125's, and accuracy was not all that great.
Yup. Most of what you still hear thrown around, relates to the old subsonic SMG ammo of the 90's.If you still think 147's wont expand reliably, you're likely a few decades behind in bullet technology information. It was true, that a few DECADES ago the 147 grain HP's for SD did not always open reliably. Bullet technology has changed quite a lot since then.
I keep Federal and Winchester 147's in my suppressed Glock's. They are noticeably quieter, and have proven effective on a couple of critters Ive shot with them out in the yard. Not to say a 147 that didnt expand wouldnt have either though.
Most of the makers dont recommend +P+, though most dont seem to have a problem with +P these days.I also checked the CZ website and they stated they don't recommend +p+ ammo, and also said +p ammo causes accelerated wear. So I will probably be going with non +p.
I wouldnt get to overly concerned with either, unless the gun is older, and/or you plan on shooting "a lot" through it. Most dont. A few rounds in practice each month, and carried in your gun likely wont hurt anything.
I have shot a lot of factory +P, +P level reloads, and factory +P+ 9mm through a my Glocks, and they show no real wear because of it. My one 17 is heading towards the 70000 round mark, and is just showing some minor finish wear on the underside of the slide. My 31 (357SIG), was heavily battering the slide in the same place, and barely had a couple of thousand rounds of 357SIG's through it. Both +P+ 9mm and 357SIG are loaded in 40000psi range, and I have a lot more +P+ 9mm through my 17, than I did 357SIG through the 31. Not sure why the 31 was getting so beat up, and the 17 not, but I quit shooting 357SIG through the 31, and went to a 9mm barrel with it.
I also figured out that if the +P+ 9mm and 3567SIG were basically the same, so why waste any more money on the 357SIG. 9mm is A LOT cheaper! I no longer have a 357SIG.
'Over penetration' the biggest joke to hit the internet since 'Doge'
Boston Marathon bombing. LEO's fired 200 shots. Of those, 5 hit.
Is 'over penetration' really an issue when such a huge percentage of shots completely miss the intended target?
Hmm what's more dangerous? An exiting HP bullet, or a HP bullet with all of it's muzzle energy (minus what it lost during flight) that missed the intended target and hit a bystander. It's laughable to worry about 'over penetration' with accuracy like that.
Also like someone mentioned before. Sometimes it's good to have the ability to shoot through things (like cover) if you need to.
Know what's behind your target, either way.
Boston Marathon bombing. LEO's fired 200 shots. Of those, 5 hit.
Is 'over penetration' really an issue when such a huge percentage of shots completely miss the intended target?
Hmm what's more dangerous? An exiting HP bullet, or a HP bullet with all of it's muzzle energy (minus what it lost during flight) that missed the intended target and hit a bystander. It's laughable to worry about 'over penetration' with accuracy like that.
Also like someone mentioned before. Sometimes it's good to have the ability to shoot through things (like cover) if you need to.
Know what's behind your target, either way.
I currently have Hornady 115gr Critical Defense in my PX4 SC and Hornady 135gr Critical Duty in my full size PX4. I used to use Federal 9BP, but found the Hornady was more accurate.
In my experience, you can't really go wrong with any of the good hollow points out there. Found what shoots best for you and stick with it.
In my experience, you can't really go wrong with any of the good hollow points out there. Found what shoots best for you and stick with it.