Carry vs. Practice Ammo

So you don't have some heavy loads for hitting steel at 50 yards, some loads that are for pure accuracy(not always the best for SD ballistics), some super light loads just to shoot a .38 that's as quiet as a .22 and so on and so forth. And how do you ever find out what's the most accurate load and the best for different situations w/o trying all kinds of wild loads? I would get bored to death running nothing but 5 thousand rounds of Hornady 125's every year. What about a critter load......none of those? What about cheap lead cast loads that cost less than 5c a piece?

Sorry, I take my self defense seriously, but I also take the fun of the sport seriously too. My most accurate load to knock out clay pigeons from 25yds is 147gr TC loaded with a middle high dose of hs6.....that is not the best load for 15yd and under SD situations. Have some fun and put some sport into your shooting, you guys must shoot indoor only or something not to load the best, lightest pumpkin exploders just for giggles:D.

After that rant, I will say though, my little pt111 doesn't get the same amount of fun loading as say a full size cz or my revolvers, but they are all in a self protection role of some type.

It took my wife about 500 rounds of 158gr .38 WC's with the lowest charge of hp38 before I could get her to accurately shoot Hornady factory loads, now after shooting some pretty hot .38s, I have her comfortable with some lighter .357mag loads. Light loads make great training tools for new shooters as well.

Having one load to do everything doesn't make things simple, it makes it so your shooting inappropriate loads for different things you'd trying to do.

These are just my opinions, I doubt it will change any minds on the subject. As long as your shooting a lot and enjoying yourself, that's what matters
 
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Interesting conversations, but I am one of those who feel much of this is being way overblown.

If the only reason you shoot is to stay proficient with a defensive weapon, then by all means consider shooting only what you carry.

But I shoot a lot of different guns, some for defense, some for hunting, some for target, and most just for the fun of it. I have small guns and big guns, rimfires and magnums, wheel guns and semi-autos, etc. etc. etc. I have enough experience switching for different guns and reasons that I am not concerned about brain failure to function just because I am shooting something different than what I sent down range yesterday. And because of that, I would say that very little of what I practice with is what I carry for SD. I personally feel that in most cases, shooting MORE is way more valuable to proficiency than shooting SAME. Heck, dry fire practice is nothing like shooting your carry ammo, but it probably has more value for many people!
 
Sorry, I take my self defense seriously, but I also take the fun of the sport seriously too.
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I do too. I didnt say I dont load for specific things, I do in some cases, but anymore, Ive narrowed things down to as few as possible, as it just keeps things simple, and in the long run, at least for me, is more cost effective.
 
Lighter recoiling practice ammo is ok.
During an actual confrontation, it's doubtful that the increased recoil from more powerful ammo would be noticed.
That happens mostly when the shooter is focused on the gun instead of the target.
Try it for yourselves.
Imagine the target is some horrible beast about to devour you and just shoot.
Don't think, just shoot.
Do it first with a light load and then with a stronger one.
Did you even notice the recoil, what ever ammo you were using?
If your imagining is weak, try it with a target of a drooling T-Rex, a vicious, hungry zombie or something.
 
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There is some thought that a very critical miss by a Secret Service agent defending Blair House during an attack on November 1 1950 may have resulted from the Secret Service policy of practicing with low power wadcutter reloads that had a point of impact that differed from that of the service loads in their Detective Special revolvers.

In any event, it is reported that agents now practice with service ammunition as a result of analyses of the incident.
 
Kind of wonder if the folks conducting those studies are just numbers guys, without experience with what they are collecting data.
 
I also go to the range for different reasons. Somebody said before me that they go to enjoy shooting for the shear enjoyment of it and also to practice for SD.
Okay with me. I warm up with the 38's then go to what ever I'm going to carry.
Also depends on which 357 I'm carrying. I shoot different loads in my LCR than
in my GP100. Don't ever want to shoot a hot load 357 in my LCR. But in my GP
I can shoot that all day, no sweat.
Doc
 
There is some thought that a very critical miss by a Secret Service agent defending Blair House during an attack on November 1 1950 may have resulted from the Secret Service policy of practicing with low power wadcutter reloads that had a point of impact that differed from that of the service loads in their Detective Special revolvers.

In any event, it is reported that agents now practice with service ammunition as a result of analyses of the incident.
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It's a shame that 65 years later, they still never figured out that they could have eliminated problem buy using low cost practice ammo that had similar velocity to service ammo.
 
Posted by TimSr:
[Referring to Secret Service .38 Special ammunition in 1948] It's a shame that 65 years later, they still never figured out that they could have eliminated problem buy using low cost practice ammo that had similar velocity to service ammo.
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The .38 Special 158 grain LRN load was the "service" ammunition. The practice loads they used were mid-range wadcutters--standard for target shooting.

The realization of the POI problem occurred long before sixty five years had elapsed.
 
I'll chime in on the issue with support for using lighter ammunition to get the new shooter up to an appropriate skill level before switching to heavier loads. Unfortunately, while this spectrum is very wide for revolvers, it isn't for most automatics.

The dilemma diminishes somewhat, as bore diameter falls either side of .354" - .358". If the projectile is greater than .358", appropriate weight for the bore, and operates a stock slide with a stock recoil spring (or reliably exits the revolver barrel), the load is probably adequate for defense, no matter how "shootable" or "un-shootable" it may be for the shooter.
If the bore diameter of the piece is under .354", no load that won't soon wreck the pistol is really adequate for defense, despite the anecdotal spectacular results about which we sometimes read.

In the 9mm/.38Spl/.357Magnum range, the projectile's mass, velocity, and configuration may make a world of difference (excluding the .380 A.C.P. and 9x18 Makarov, which are just too anemic). If I was constrained to carry a 9mm for defense, I'd certainly feel better equipped with a 125 gr LFP at 1100 f/s or a 147 gr. of similar configuration launched at over 950 f/s, than with 115 gr. FMJs launched at 1250 f/s. Ditto the 9mm Largo and .38 Super, though finding these in anything but FMJ can be a chore.

Personally, I use 200 gr. RNFPs or SWCs pushed hard in my .45 ACP to ring a metal gong at 100 yards. I use 250gr. RNFPs pushed hard enough to reliably operate the slide, to kill bowling pins. I use a 225gr. (228gr. as I buy them) Lee TC over 6.0/Unique for everything else. I would not feel ill-equipped for a fight with ANY of them, at customary pistol ranges.

For eons, the factory .44 Spl. load launched a 246gr. LRN at just under 700 f/s. Judicious reloading, and better factory loads somewhat improved this performance. I doubt that felons shot with any of these loads could have told the difference among them, but the shooter just might shoot one load better than the other.
Since hits are what count, the load with which the shooter connects in the vital or head zone most often are probably what they should use, but if there are many, pick the one with the greatest momentum and be done with it.
 
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