defense ammo for .45acp

J

Jack Straw

New member
I was just wondering what ammo you use for defense in .45acp. Have you found any particular loads that are unreliable as far as functioning (ie...failure to feed properly, etc..)? What are your favorites?

Jack
 
Jack, for my 5" Kimber I use Federal 230 grain Hyra-Shok, For my Colt Officer's ACP with a 3.5" barrel (my carry gun) I use Speer's 185 grain gold dot in a standard pressure loading.. It's quite accurate, should be fast enough out of the 3.5" barrel to expand, and it has a distinct lack of muzzle flash. Mark / FL
 
For my Glock-21 I use Fed. 230gr. Hydrashoks

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"middle of the road"-where a yellow streak and dead carcasses are found.
 
Triton QuikShoks, Cor-bon, and 230 gr. Federal Hydroshoks... Just depends on how I feel that day... :D



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.45 Super... Fat and FAST...

"No provision in our Constitution ought to be dearer to man than that which protects the rights of conscience against the enterprises of the civil authority" - Thomas Jefferson
 
As you can see, 230 Hydro-Shoks are the way to go. However, I use Corbon 185 JHP. The reason? My Kimber Ultra Elite shoots much better with the Corbons. So I go with what it prefers. Not what I prefer.
 
230 gr. Hydra-Shock in both 5" and 3.5" guns. I tried the 185 Gold Dot in a 24 oz. gun, and found the recoil to be extemely sharp, much more than 185 Silvertip. The Federal 165 Personal Defense ammo had an extremely bright muzzle flash in my 3.5" gun.
 
Rick, You say the recoil was brisk in the 24 oz. gun with the 185 Gold Dots? Maybe it's me but I didn't find that to be the case when shooting the GD in my Lightweight Officer's ACP. I toyed with the idea of the 165 Federal PD, but as you noted the muzzle flash was blinding. I also notice a nice blossom with the 230 grain H/S when shooting it in the Officer's thus my choice of the 185 Gold Dot. Mark / FL
 
Which ever 230 grain hollow point works best.

Currently the HydraShock, though I haven't tried them all, yet.

Erik
 
I load up the 185gr Gold Dot on top of about 6.5 grs of IMR700X. Hope to chrono them this afternoon.
Good luck, and hope you never have to use them,
Bill
 
I use the Federal 165gr PD Hydra-Shok in my Glock 21. I haven't noticed any undue flash. I used the same ammo in an AMT Backup in >45 and it worked great there too. The PD seems to be exceptionally accurate for me and the low recoil makes an easy shooting Glock even easier.
 
I like 230 grain Golden Sabers in the Norinco. I use the old Thunderzap (lousy name there) in my AMT DAO Backup. A light weight Teflon bullet loaded at umpteen FPS, The pistol likes 'em just fine.

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Ne Conjuge Nobiscum
"If there be treachery, let there be jehad!"
 
A lot of pros still use quality 230g hardball. Reliabilty is still the most important issue. The FBI has gone to the 230g Remington Golden Sabres.

All things considered,I'd take the Federal 230g military stuff.
 
While we're on the subject, anyone know where to get some of the "Law Enforcement" Hydra-shok's in the 50rd boxes? I know ammoman was selling the 40S&W version, but I haven't seen any of the 45 in a while... any dealers or distributors out there that stock it or are willing to order it? Thanks.
-Spyder
 
I use my 230g Golden Saber (780fps) load. Match accuracy from my carry 1911 (and based on feedback, other's, too).

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"All my ammo is factory ammo"
 
Me too; 230 grain .45 ACP Federal Hydra-Shock in both my Sig P-220 and my full-size Kimber 1911A1.
 
Greetings; Me three, Federal 230 grain Hydra-
Shok's in my Sig P220A. :)

Regards,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
GunWorld magazine just did a review on the RBCD platinum ammo. Good stuff. I use it in Kimber UE and my Officer ltwt. They have a website at www.rbcd.net. check it out.
 
Nice thing about a .45 ACP you are not under gunned with FMJ by any stretch. I've seen so many shootings with the FMJ I don't question how well it works. One case a merchant hit the thug in the back left shoulder blade. Slug exited left nipple and fell on the floor in almost pristine condition. Thus said, " don't shoot me again." He then tipped over DEAD.
In another a .45 ACP FMJ hit a thug in the femur and blew part of it out the side of h is leg and the guy collapsed like a ton of bricks screaming.
In an other the thug was hit in the front shoulder and when I got there there was a piece of the shoulder bone sticking out of his shirt and he couldn't raise his arm on that side above his belt line.
In one case a FMJ hit a victim in the head causing instant death as most would.
The list goes on and on. If you use a HP I'd go for some lighter weight. I use +P Remington 185 grain JHP +P that is a clone of the Corbon load at half the price. It just seems hard to find any slug that is anemic in this diameter. Yup, some cases of failure exist, but they exist with all guns. But 40+ years has shown me at least a TREND. It isn't good for the bad guys. I have an original box of Super Vel 165 grain hollowpoints. Muzzle flash from your elbow to your ankles. I carried this load in most of the 1970's and it worked in each gun I tried it in. Where is Lee Juris when you need him. He is the original grand daddy of high performance handgun ammo. I'm so old I recall the day there were no handgun hollow points available in any caliber.
 
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