How often do YOU train with self defense rounds?

[MLeake]

markj, I also typically carry .45acp. Not exactly sure what that bon mot was intended to mean...

But if you had simply said you only shoot FMJ under any circumstances, it would have avoided a lot of confusion.

 

[markj]

Not exactly sure what that bon mot was intended to mean

Seems whenever I mention the fact I cary FMJ, I get a lot of "overpenetration, HP are the only thing" etc. It gets old so I put that in there to avoid a long drawn out discussion on what I need to carry in my own sd weapon.

 

[JackBurton]

500 rds with no malfunctions for HP rounds. Then I train 4-5 times a week for 1-2 hours each. The key is to make sure your gun shoots the defensive rounds without issues.

 

[Sparks1957]

Then I train 4-5 times a week for 1-2 hours each.

Wow, that's a lot of shooting. Hope you reload, or you're talking significant ammo costs over time. Even then, it'll add up.

 

[chadstrickland]

To expensive for me to 'train' with it but I always check and see how it shoots. The difference is so marginal that the slight advantages you get from shooting 'the ammunition you would use in a fight' doesn't outweigh the cost of the ammunition itself.

However I'm sure there is some hardcore pro that would disagree and he would probably be right.

 

[AirForceShooter]

When I go to the range I'll shoot 100 or 200 rounds of "range ammo" in center fire stuff.

I will always put at least one magazine or 2 cylinders of SD ammo through any CCW gun I have with me.

Point of impact can be different .

22's don't count in this routine

AFS

 

[kflo01]

I run a box to make sure it works in my gun, maybe 2 boxes thats it.

 

[ltc444]

Autos shoot about the same regardless of the type bullet you are using.

Since I use FMJ for self defense and target in my 1911 and S&W 45 ACP revolver it doesn't make any difference.

I will take a lot of heat for this, but I use 115 grain HPs in my nine. My target ammo is 115 grain fmj.

In my 357 mag, my hunting reloads are a lot heavier and have more recoil than my self defense loads. My 38 spl target loads print about the same as my Hunting loads. I shoot about 20 rounds of my hunting loads a month. That seems to be enough to keep me in shape for the heavy loads.

 

[bikerbill]

The guns I carry or keep at home for SD are always loaded with HPs ... when I go to the range I fire the ammo in the guns, then switch to FMJ ... after I get home and clean the guns, I reload with new HPs ... it's certainly true that most good factory HPs feel differently than FMJ training rounds, I like to be reminded of that fact every time I shoot ...

 

[Sky1]

I like to shoot 10-15 rounds of my defense stuff every other trip to the range so it will cycle it out every year. Shooting same grain, I don't notice much difference.

 

[WyMark]

For range ammo I shoot 115 gr FMJ Federal from Walmart, $11/box. I bought a box of Speer 147 gr Gold Dot for sd/hd, and shot ten of them in my P228 to make sure they cycled ok.

I didn't notice any difference, and the other 10 will sit in the box when I'm at the range, or in a mag when I'm at home, for 10 years unless and until I need them. Shooting them just to make sure they still work seems like a waste of money.

 

[Blair]

I only have one type of ammo. So I practice with the same ammo I carry with.

 

[Sport45]

Autos shoot about the same regardless of the type bullet you are using.

That's true once the round makes it into the chamber. All rounds are not equal when it comes to how they feed and function. That's why I (and most others) believe it is important to test enough of what you're actually going to carry in your gun to make you feel comfortable. In my case, that's a couple of 50-rnd boxes without a malfunction of any kind.

After the initial testing for function and feed reliability I don't see the need to repeat the testing.

I don't repeat the testing when a new wonder bullet is introduced. I just don't buy them.

 

[MrDontPlay]

In my revolver I shoot a cylinder of SD rounds every range trip to remind me what the recoil is like compared to my practice rounds. So every 4 range trips I have to buy a new box which isn't that bad.

With my 40 there's no way I could afford to practice with SD rounds. I know they work in my gun and that's good enough.

I carry FMJ in my 380.

 

[markj]

How often do YOU train with self defense rounds?

I really need to ask what is your def of a defensive round? Non metal like rubber? any lead round shot from a gun will do great harm so I was just wondering what the def is here.