blackwaterstout
New member
Not sure how good it is but I have Hornady critical defense rounds in my 9mm right now. I've never had to use it but I've fired off a mag full of it to see how it shot. Seemed okay to me
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Best Personal Defense Rounds
- Thread starter The Rattler
- Start date
Andy Blozinski
New member
For snub nose pistols, you should get the heaviest weight bullet in the style of bullet that you feel is the best.
Some time back a person on this list posted a site that had some test data. The tester had fired a bunch of different bullets and calibers through various pistols. The most interesting thing I noticed was that heavier bullets suffered less relative velocity degradation than lighter bullets when used in shorter barrels. I'll pull some numbers out of the air to clarify what I mean. When going from a 4" barrel to a 2" barrel, a 125 grain bullet might have suffered a 30% degradation in muzzle velocity, while a 158 grain bullet maybe only suffered 20%. The end result was that the heavier bullets ended up having favorable muzzle energies. Heavier bullets will tend to plough through bone better due to momentum. So, if you get muzzle energies from a heavier bullet that a similar to the lighter bullet, you get the best of both worlds. You will always lose something when going to a shorter barrel but you lose less with a heavier bullet.
Some time back a person on this list posted a site that had some test data. The tester had fired a bunch of different bullets and calibers through various pistols. The most interesting thing I noticed was that heavier bullets suffered less relative velocity degradation than lighter bullets when used in shorter barrels. I'll pull some numbers out of the air to clarify what I mean. When going from a 4" barrel to a 2" barrel, a 125 grain bullet might have suffered a 30% degradation in muzzle velocity, while a 158 grain bullet maybe only suffered 20%. The end result was that the heavier bullets ended up having favorable muzzle energies. Heavier bullets will tend to plough through bone better due to momentum. So, if you get muzzle energies from a heavier bullet that a similar to the lighter bullet, you get the best of both worlds. You will always lose something when going to a shorter barrel but you lose less with a heavier bullet.
Post #17, recent "high profile trial"...
To answer post #17:
I advise not to use hand loads for general defense because you may need to explain or demonstrate the firearm's ballistics in court.
A civil lawyer or a prosecutor may make a issue of it too.
Just like the recent "high profile trial" in central Florida, you & your statements/actions will be under intense scrutiny after a critical incident.
A criminalist or crime lab tech could testify that your handloads couldn't be tested or be compared to any other ammunition the same way factory rounds could.
Some shark fin lawyer or some asst DA looking for media attention will make a big issue of using handloads.
I often suggest to forum members that they use LE grade factory rounds that can be shown to work properly & be authorized by public safety agencies.
To answer post #17:
I advise not to use hand loads for general defense because you may need to explain or demonstrate the firearm's ballistics in court.
A civil lawyer or a prosecutor may make a issue of it too.
Just like the recent "high profile trial" in central Florida, you & your statements/actions will be under intense scrutiny after a critical incident.
A criminalist or crime lab tech could testify that your handloads couldn't be tested or be compared to any other ammunition the same way factory rounds could.
Some shark fin lawyer or some asst DA looking for media attention will make a big issue of using handloads.
I often suggest to forum members that they use LE grade factory rounds that can be shown to work properly & be authorized by public safety agencies.
I'll second tnoutdoors9's videos on youtube because he's done alot of testing with both the .38 and .357 defensive loads, including several out of short barreled revolvers. Brassfetcher.com also has some ballistics gel test with both calibers, just be sure to check the barrel lengths in the test. Compared to a service length barrel (say 4 to 6 inches), a snub nose produces much less velocity and bullets may not expand (and non-expanding bullets go through lots of stuff before stopping).
Loads that seem to get good penetration and expansion in both snub nose and full-size guns are the +P all lead 158 hollowpoint semiwadcutter, the 125 +P Golden Sabre and the 135 +P Short Barrel Gold Dot. All these loads will work in both the 642 and 686. After you get comfortable with hot .38 specials in the 686, you might want to try the 125 gr jacketed hollowpoints in the .357 mag. Most consider them as some of best defensive loads ever produced. They will be loud and have some recoil, so double up on your hearing protection and go back to .38s if you start flinching.
Loads that seem to get good penetration and expansion in both snub nose and full-size guns are the +P all lead 158 hollowpoint semiwadcutter, the 125 +P Golden Sabre and the 135 +P Short Barrel Gold Dot. All these loads will work in both the 642 and 686. After you get comfortable with hot .38 specials in the 686, you might want to try the 125 gr jacketed hollowpoints in the .357 mag. Most consider them as some of best defensive loads ever produced. They will be loud and have some recoil, so double up on your hearing protection and go back to .38s if you start flinching.
The Rattler – you’re going to have to read these opinions and then get a bunch different rounds and try them out in your guns for yourself. (This is a FUN thing to do.) This is the only way you’ll ever know what you can handle and what you can’t and if YOUR guns have any problems with any of the recommended cartridges.
Example: For myself I found out I will not shoot 158 grain .357 magnum rounds from a Ruger LCR. Undoubtedly it’s worse on the receiving end then the sending end but I’ll admit it’s too much for me to shoot if I have a choice.
Example: For myself I found out I will not shoot 158 grain .357 magnum rounds from a Ruger LCR. Undoubtedly it’s worse on the receiving end then the sending end but I’ll admit it’s too much for me to shoot if I have a choice.