Carry Gun Ammo "Power" Levels

What "Power" Level Do You Carry?

  • Semi-Auto "Standard" Loads

    Votes: 72 49.7%

  • Semi-Auto +P

    Votes: 60 41.4%

  • Semi-Auto +P+

    Votes: 4 2.8%

  • Revolver "Standard" Loads

    Votes: 25 17.2%

  • Revolver "Heavy"

    Votes: 31 21.4%

  • Revolver "Extra-Heavy"

    Votes: 3 2.1%
  • Total voters
    145
  • Poll closed .
B

Brian Pfleuger

Moderator Emeritus
Choose the closest option to what you carry. If you should happen to carry hand loads, choose the closest factory equivalent load.

Multiple Choices are allowed, but please leave it to most/more often choices, not the "well, once back in '93 I carried..." sort of thing.
 
I'm guessing I'll have to vote standard, but I'd prefer to carry whatever's the most accurate. No need to "beef up" the loads for SD, IMO. They'll hit plenty hard.
 
It really depends on the gun, or more to the point, cartidge.

I have 3 guns which I can pick from for my daily carry.

My newest choice, which has become my primary, is a .327 Mag revolver. I carry +P hollowpoint loads in it.

My former main choice, which still gets taken when I want something that doesn't hang far below my belt line, is a Glock 36. I load this with most anything, preferably hollow points, but seldom spring for +p rounds. I trust my .45 enough without +p loads, and being a sub-compact, prefer to lighten the recoil a bit for follow-up shots.

Lastly, a .357 snubnose, loaded with SWC or HPs, but seldom +P loads. Again, I trust the power of the .357 enough without being hot-loaded. This gun seldom gets carried, and will likely leave my collection eventually.
 
I picked all the selections except semi-auto +p+ and revolver extra heavy. I have different guns for different purposes, some of which don't need extra power and some which can't shoot extra power rounds.
 
No need to "beef up" the loads for SD, IMO. They'll hit plenty hard.
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Unless you are in the field, hunting or needing defense against 4 legged threats. That's why I included extra heavy revolver.

In my case, it all depends on which handgun I'm carrying and what the context is. I never carry +P+ autoloader or standard revolver, however.
 
Unless you are in the field, hunting or needing defense against 4 legged threats.
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Roger on'nat, GB. I had only 2-legged nuisances on my mind at the time of my last post...

As for sidearm ammo on a hunt, I'd want a blend of "power"...velocity, weight, penetration, maybe a little expansion thrown in, and fair accuracy. A ticked-off hog is alot more tough than a ticked-off BG.
 
When I carry a semi-auto I carry standard loads in an appropriate bullet weight. My personal 9mm's are loaded with 115 gr. HP, my 40 is loaded with 165 -185 gr. HP, my 45 with 185 gr. HP. When I carry a revolver I carry 125 gr. 38 Spec +P HP, or 125 - 158 gr. HP 357 Magnum. Do I feel out gunned carrying a revolver. Absolutely not. I was originally trained with revolvers and have absolute faith in my revolvers. Some times I'll carry a 5 1/2" Ruger Vaquero in 44 Mag. loaded with 185 gr. HP 44 Special or 200 gr. HP 44 Mag. for fun.
 
I carry +P+ in my 9mm, which is my primary gun, and +P in my .38 snubbie. So, I voted +P+ for the semi, and "heavy" for the revolver. However, I hesitated on the "heavy" vote, as I don't really consider +P out of a 2" barrel to be particularly heavy.
 
I carry "standard" loads in either my semi's or revolvers. I did have a bunch of +P self defense type ammo for my .45, but am shooting it up and replace it with standard stuff.
 
Mine's a tough one because I carry 10mm.
Much of the commercial 10mm ammo could loosely be classified as "10mm -p" because it's not loaded up to it's original design.

Full bore 10 can be had from Double Tap and Buffalo Bore, but I won't buy the BB because of the ridiculous price. I do fully intend to get a handful of 50 rounds boxes from DT and put my carry gun through it's paces with one of Mike's loads.

In the mean time, I've been carrying Winchester Silvertip. Moderately warm 10mm, hotter than Federal's weak load, but with an old-tech hollow point bullet.

It's decently stout, but leaves me room to go warmer. It's not cheap, but it's available. And since I have a supply of it, it's not been a problem to run it through my carry gun to make sure it works.

In the mean time, I run a stout handload through it often for practice. It's not a max load, but it's not a wimp, either. Well above Hydra-Shock and Rem-UMC's weak TMJ load.
 
My newest choice, which has become my primary, is a .327 Mag revolver. I carry +P hollowpoint loads in it.
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Are there such thing as +P loads in anything that already carries Magnum in its name?

For example: I have never seen a 357 Magnum +P.
 
Good eye, earlthegoat2! No, there is no such thing as a Magnum +P. That's why you have never seen it. SAAMI has not set +P maximums for any "Magnum" cartridges. Buffalo Bore doesn't even make them, and they make a "+P" .40 S&W load even though SAAMI doesn't recognize such a thing.

Mahoo, where is it that you are getting these "+P" loads for .327 Magnum and .357 Magnum? Do you have performance data on them? What kind of pressures do they claim?
 
Carry power level

In .45 ACP I carry standard load FMJ (GI Hardball) for reliability.

In .38 Special, I carry +P 159 gr LSWCHP.
 
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