Personal defense

75% of the time it's my Commander in 45acp with 230gr. cast trunce cones or 23o gr. Winchester white box HP's. Other times I'll carry a 38spl, 44spl or 45 colt or---.
 
For years I've kept handloaded Gold Dots in my 9mm and .45 ACP. 115gr and 230gr respectively at about the highest velocity I could manage, which is likely not ideal. Great bullets though.

Current .40 S&W load is 155gr XTP running nearly 1300 fps. That is probably not the final solution but certainly not for lack of power. Gold Dot availability is not great right now and it's holding up development of my ultimate .40 load.

The Lucky Gunner ammo tests have me considering some factory loads. Some performed very consistently. Granted, it was just 5 shots into gelatin but even this showed erratic performance in other loads.
 
My preferred load is a 9 mm 124 grain Gold Dot.

When I go to a pocket pistol, I carry a .380 loaded with Critical Defense 90 grain.
 
My carry gun is a 357 Magnum with 140 grain HP, unless I am carrying my 45 Colt. With the Colt it is a 200 grain HP.
My 9mm is only for playing the three gun games.
 
225gr Winchester 45C SilverTips in my old Taurus Total Titanium snub nose model 450 I carry.
 
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Around town: 124 gr. or 135 gr. 9mm or 185 gr. or 200 gr. .45 auto

Woods in AZ, NM, CO or UT: 180 gr. .357 mag

Woods in MT or WY (grizzly states): 300 gr. .44 mag
 
9mm: 147 HST +p or normal
40: 180 HST
45: 230 HST +p or normal
357 SIG: 125 Gold Dot
10mm: 180 HST @ 1220 fps (Home brew)
45 Auto Rim in my 625: 250 Gold Dot @ 1000 fps

They all work.

:D
 
I don't really have dedicated favorites but this is what I've got on hand for "acceptable defensive rounds".

9mm: Hornady 115-grain Critical Defense
.40 S&W: Hornady 165-Grain Critical Defense
.45acp: Federal 230-grain HST
.327 Federal: 85-grain Hydra-Shoks for the LCR, heavier Gold Dots in the SP101

I actually haven't been shooting much .38 or .357 lately and mostly just have target ammo and cheap Wal-mart hollow-points. I don't have any .380 but for that or the .38 special, where adequate expansion can mean chasing higher pressures, I've been thinking about the Xtreme Pentrators from Lehigh. They seem to add a lot over jacketed solids in gel tests.
 
MINSH101 said:
What caliber and type/weight of bullet do you use for personal defense? This is just a general question to see what others are using.
Click to expand...

In general, for self defense, I stick with bullets of at least 124 grain and hollow point. And I stick with hollow point bullets that reliably expand like HST and Golden Saber.
 
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