What is the cheapest hollow points you are willing to use?

I would not have a problem with using the regular Remington JHP or "white box" Winchester if it fed 100% in my pistol and hit with my sights.

Shot placement and feeding reliability are more important than a slight difference in performance.

Ammo packaged in 20 round boxes for $1+ a round doesn't encourage enough shooting to ensure reliability.
 
Most modern day JHP's are adequate SD bullets. For SD, I would buy the best that you can afford to shoot, though higher price doesn't necessarily mean higher performance. Personally, I don't see anything wrong with Remington Express JHPs. I've used them before (That's about all that my Walther PPK/S eats reliably. Those and Winchester Silver Tips; without spending a lot of money that is). As long as they feed well, I usually use Black Hills JHPs. I find them to be a good compromise between cost and function, and it's quality ammo.
 
It doesn't bother me one bit to carry cheap Wolf JHP or even FMJ. I have a high cap pistol and if I ever have to use it I will be sending 15 into the SOB and breaking contact.

People worry too much about looking for majic bullets. The difference between bullet performance isn't that much to stress over.

That being said, I think my carry piece back home has Ranger XXT or something like that in it.
 
I prefer Extreme Shock, Glaser Safety Slugs, RBCD, and Magsafe because they're the only handgun cartridge capable of blowing a man clean out of his sneakers in a shower of sparks
Click to expand...

Not any more. That's exactly the reason I've gone to the compact 40mm with H /E., and canister for close up.
 
Remington bullets are among my favorites not primarily because they are inexpensive(that is a bonus) but rather because they WORK. I am happy to use Rem factory loads and buy many Rem component bullets for my handloads. In handgun calibers Rem HPs tend to feed in almost any gun that will feed ball and they have a good reputation for reliable expansion. They work for me.
 
I asked the stopping power guru when I went to that exact load, non +P Remington JHP, and Mr Marshal stated they were just fine. I hit what I aim at, and they work perfectly.
 
For cheapest I'll take my hand poured (from range scrap) hollow pointed 168grain round launched at 1250 fps pictured on the right. The two on the left are factory 148 and 158 grain SJHP.

FioccivsMagtechvshomebrew.jpg
 
I'm sure that 90% of the time, the cheapest JHP will work as well as the expensive primium loads. It's that other 10% I worry about.
 
I'd rather get some practice with my actual carry ammunition once in a while. I buy the cheap Remington JHP's. I'd rather be sure of shot placement than worry about terminal performance. Overpenetration is another issue, but I'm going to try not to shoot someone with a good guy right behind them.
 
There's nothing at all wrong with your theory SuperDave. This week's marketing definition of 'premium' is not needed and never has been. Heck the cheep-cheep JHP's you find today are as good as the name-brand stuff we were being issued in the early 80's. It worked as long as we shot it well and that is the constant- placement. Shoot well, use a round with ample penetration and apply as necessary. You will then have done all you can do.

I have shot quite a bit of cheap JHP and the better examples vary by caliber. The following are plenty accurate and expand well in depths of water roughly comparable to 9-12 inches of 10% gelatin.

9mm- 124 grain WW/USA or UMC

.40- 180 grain UMC JHP or Fiocchi 165 JHP.

.45- 230 WW/USA or Fiocchi 230 JHP.

I'm sure there are others but I'm comfortable enough with these to recommend them.
 
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I'm having deja vu here, seems like we discussed this yesterday in one of the OP's threads.

Gold Dot, Golden Saber, Federal HST and Ranger T.

Carry ammo is not very expensive, I use the best in my 9mm and .45 acp sidearms. My life and my family's lives are priceless.

I think I've posted this before, but here it is again Dave. You should read this link, you'll enjoy it -- great info. and it will answer many of the questions you post.

http://ammo.ar15.com/project/Self_Defense_Ammo_FAQ/index.htm
 
That was a cool writeup. I like the HST's but can't find them. Same goes for the Ranger T's. I can find Gold Dots and Golden Sabers easily though and I like those rounds.
 
"What's it worth?"

Like asking what's the cheapest motorcycle helmet to use.

Perhaps not being into reloading is not the ideal path.
 
"What is the cheapest hollow points you are willing to use?"

I prefer "free," preferably delivered on pallets.
 
I like carrying a good hp ammo for when I carrying ,but at the range , I won't buy the cheapest.
I had used reloads to qualify for my chl & I had one that misfired. :eek:
In truth , that might happen with the best of ammo though.
 
I don't buy the "Over-penetration" hysteria. But I do recognize that an expanded bullet does create a larger wound cavity. So, I will shoot any hollow point that feeds and ejects reliably; as well as is accurate in my gun. If it expands, great. If it doesn't, it's not the end of the world. Like I said, I don't care about over penetration. But a true FMJ tends to "Slide" around inside tissue and doesn't do much damage. It tends to allow wound cavities to close behind themselves. Whereby, a hollow point that doesn't really expand, becomes more like a flat nose or semi-wadcutter. Which I'm satisfied with.

This is not to say that I don't try and get a hollow point that is "Suppose" to function a certain way. But again, accuracy and reliability in the gun is the number one priority. What good is a particular hollow point if it doesn't feed properly. For my primary guns, these work the best.

1. S&W Model 13-1 357 magnum: 158 grain Federal Hydra-Shok
2. SigSauer P220 45acp: 230 grain Remington Golden Sabers
3. AMT 380 Backup: Hornady Critical Defense 90 grain
4. CZ-82 9mm makarov: Silver Bear HP 94 grain (I have been trying out buffalo-bore FN Hard Cast. I may go away from Hollow Point on this pistol.
5. Hi-Point C-9 9mm: Corbon PowerBall 100 grain
6. Kel-Tec P11 9mm: Hornady Critical Defense 115 grain
7. Kimber Custom 45acp: 230 grain Federal Hydra-Shok

My other pistols are either not a primary use gun, or I only shoot FMJ through it. While I have shown HP ammo that isn't necessarily the cheapest, I listed what is the most accurate and reliable in THAT PARTICULAR PISTOL. That is not to say that I haven't/don't feel comfortable with cheap hollow points if that's all there is available. Matter of fact, I can honestly say that except for the 9mm makarov which doesn't have the largest selection of ammo for defense, I've had no problem shooting Blazers and winchest WB or Super X in any of my pistols. They are definitely cheaper, and not as consistent or as accurate; but for the 20-30 foot distance that self defense is done at, I would have no problem using that if needed.

But again, I don't buy the "Over-penetration" paranoia. So I have no problem shooting 158 grain bullets out of my 357 magnum. I have no problem shooting 230 lead and SWC in my 45acp. I have no problem shooting flat nose in my 9mm's. One thing is for sure, I don't practice or plink with ANY ammo that I use for self defense. That is 100% a waste of money. I MIGHT, if I feel froggy, shoot 1 magazine in a year of my defense ammo. The 115 grain FMJ 9mm and 115 hp 9mm at 20-30 feet away, are not going to shoot much differently. Why waste money shooting Hollow point. Same with my 230 grain 45's. The only one I practice with hollow points, because the price is almost identical to FMJ, is my CZ-82 9mm makarov with silver bear hp. Other than that, once you know a certain ammo works good in your gun, it's a waste of money to practice with it. And your ammo isn't going to get Old or Stale, so you don't have to "rotate" you ammo. Not unless it gets wet a lot.
 
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