Do you research you CCW rounds or is any round as good as the next.

Do you Research your CCW rounds?

  • I do real world testing with suitable materials

    Votes: 17 13.4%

  • I try to use search engines and videos and compare stats

    Votes: 70 55.1%

  • I grab any box with a reasonable price and a decent brand name

    Votes: 33 26.0%

  • I don't do any research

    Votes: 7 5.5%
  • Total voters
    127
  • Poll closed .
I haven't been able to actually test any self defense rounds in bad guys so I couldn't tell you if one brand works better than another. Therefore, my criteria is: does it feed well and am I accurate. Sometimes different SD round work better for me out of different guns.
 
I am no scientist or ballistic expert. I am just someone who likes to shoot for fun at the range and have a gun for defense. I do a lot of research online to help narrow down my search to a couple of brands. While online, i look for pics and videos of the expansion characteristics since that is something i cannot test. I buy the top two or three brands that i saw, then i take them to the range to check for reliability, and feel of recoil. If the bullet doesn't fail at the range or have any sort of problems, then i will put it to use as my defense rounds. I will never keep bullets in my gun that i have not personally verified reliability of ignition on.
 
XD GUNNER, about summed it up for me.

I did not vote, as the option first hand, or the experience of a co- worker was not given. With the exception of my night-stand gun I carry 158Gr. JHP's, or SWC's in my .357 Magnum revolvers. As I now live in a town home with a common wall my night stand revolver is loaded with the 38 special +P FBI rounds.
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I think it's worth the mention that currently, all of my carry weapons are loaded with Speer Gold Dots, 135gr +P's in my 442, 230gr in my XD45, and 147gr in my Sig P226. They go boom every time and make big holes in stuff, plus they are usually cheaper than everything else.
 
I carry what the Police Dept. Carries.

If, God forbid, I ever have to use my pistol to protect myself or others, I don't want to leave any wiggle room for the perp or the family of the perp to even try to claim, "He used ammunition that would cause un-due suffering."

They can only claim that, "He used the same ammo the Police Department uses."

Provided it cycles in my firearm, I carry what the good guys carry. Yes, I live in a LibTard community. :barf:
 
I always do research, but I'm more picky about some calibers than others. My loadings of choice are as follows:

.22 Long Rifle: CCI velocitors or 40grn Solids
.32 ACP: S&B or Fiocchi 73grn FMJ
7.62x25 Tokarev: S&B 85grn FMJ
.38 Special: Speer 135grn Gold Dot +P or Federal 158grn LSWCHP +P
9x19 Luger: Winchester 127grn Ranger-T +P+ or Speer 124grn Gold Dot +P
.357 Magnum: Remington 158grn JHP, Winchester 145grn Silvertips, or Cor-Bon 140grn JHP
10mm Auto: Buffalo Bore 180grn JHP, Double Tap 180grn XTP, or Winchester 175grn Silvertip
.45 ACP: Federal 230grn HST +P
.44 Special: Federal 200grn LSWCHP, Winchester 200grn Silvertip, or Speer/CCI Blazer 200grn Gold Dot
.44 Magnum: Speer 240grn Gold Dot or Remington 240grn JHP

I've never really formulated a preference in any other caliber because the above-mentioned cartridges are the only ones I've ever owned handguns chambered for.
 
I am really suprised how many people just grab a box! Not a critism but astonishing.
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Same here. YouTube isn't going to be around to help me when my gun jams with a loading I haven't tested.

In the old days, we were taught to chose a load, then ran at least 100 rounds of it through the gun. Preferably from different lots. If it functioned without fail, then it was safe to carry. If it failed, it was time to choose a different load.

I really don't care if some blog says Load X expands slightly better than Load Y in wet phone books. If Load X doesn't work in my gun, it's a liability. If it's not accurate, it's a liability.

I guess we just took the whole "this might be the only thing standing between me and an early demise" thing more seriously back then.
 
I grab a couple hundred rounds of the stuff I plan on using for defensive purposes. I use HP's at home, and just need to verify that they feed reliably in my autoloader. No, I dont use ballistic gel to validate their performance... I let the bullet manufacturer do that and I choose a reputable brand.

Speaking of which, I need to take my new 12 gauge barrel to the range and run some 00 Buck through it to verify there are no sticky hull problems. I had to hone out my 26" barrel as shells would get stuck in there frequently.
 
I do a lot of reading and online research, but I would never carry a round that I hadn't tested with the gun in question, to make sure it functions and is accurate from that gun ... I currently am carrying Hornady Critical Defense in both my carry guns, a 9mm and .45 ACP ... it feeds perfectly and is as accurate as any round I've ever used ...
 
I like the gold dots and the dpx, both take out hogs like they were hit by a ton of lead.

The end results were a couple of hundred lbs of smoked pork and confirmed effectivness. My buddies Winchester Silver Tips did not put the animals down as effectively.

Our hogs stopped quivering in under 20 seconds (residual nerves)

My friend didnt have a hog that quit quivering in under a minute and a half.

We like to ensure no animal suffers before going on the dinner plate but we could not be entirely certain that movement this long was all residual. The bullets we pulled from the bodies told the story as both of our smaller caliber rounds expanded very impressively. (40 cal vs 45 LC in a Judge)

The Silver Tips in the Judge hardly expanded at all even though they were HP's.

The lesson to me was buying from the lower end gets you lower end performance in some cases.
 
I usually shop around for a good buy on ammo with a good reputation. i usually end up with Golddots, Golden sabers or Silvertips.I put more of a premium on reliablity and accuracy (including POA=POI) IE I have a Detective special that shoots high with my two prefered 38 loads 135 SBGDs and the FBI 158s so it gets standard pressure 110 Silvertips.it may not be the best stopper or have the most energy but they shoot POA.
 
There is too much inflated marketing claims and too little comparative real life data. I see claims here about this and that ammo and read other reports where it says that the same ammo is has unreliable expansion. Who knows what the real world truth is?

I do test carry ammo in a new gun for reliability. But it is expensive to shoot several hundred rounds (or more) of premium ammo when I run into problems (That's why the Kimber TLE is a safe queen.) OTOH, I've never had feed problems in a revolver and I have faith in most factory JHP ammo in .357.

Ken
 
I have a bunch of those. But my Kimber doesn't like them and they are not on Kimber's recommended (very short) list.

Ken
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I have not had a chance to test them fully yet. I could see how some guns would have trouble with them though... the hollow point cavity is WIDE.
 
I have not had a chance to test them fully yet. I could see how some guns would have trouble with them though... the hollow point cavity is WIDE.
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Yes, the nose of the bullet would push up the slide lock in mid stream. Kimber sent me a replacement (modified) slide lock but it turned me off that they only recommend three specific rounds for their guns. :(

Ken
 
Yes, the nose of the bullet would push up the slide lock in mid stream. Kimber sent me a replacement (modified) slide lock but it turned me off that they only recommend three specific rounds for their guns.
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What rounds do they recommend? Fortunately, HSTs work in my Kimber. Though it doesn't like Gold Dots.
 
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