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what is your carry load for home defense or self defense
- Thread starter 357 mag
- Start date
Straightshooter629
New member
My year-round daily carry is my Rossi 462 and it gets fed a steady diet of 158 gr. Federal Hi-shoks.
Glock 20 with night sights and 15 rounds buffalo bore 180gr hp at 1350 which also goes to work with me or wherever I go that day. In my wifes night stand is a ruger sr9c loaded with 9mm+p pdx1. And in the kitchen is a hidden beretta 92 and near the front door is a loaded yugo sks and a. 22 rifle with a dot sight for the local cat epidemic... I mean opossums.
RedBowTies88
New member
My main HD gun is loaded with 15 rounds of m193.
My secondary HD gun is laded with 14 rounds of 12ga aguila minislugs (7/8 oz@1250fps)
My HD pistol is loaded with 15 rounds of underwood 147gr 9x19 +P+
My consealed carry pistol (when I'm lucky enough to be able to carry it) is loaded with BB 115gr flat nose hardcast 9x18. However I will be shortly switching to the underwood option.
My secondary HD gun is laded with 14 rounds of 12ga aguila minislugs (7/8 oz@1250fps)
My HD pistol is loaded with 15 rounds of underwood 147gr 9x19 +P+
My consealed carry pistol (when I'm lucky enough to be able to carry it) is loaded with BB 115gr flat nose hardcast 9x18. However I will be shortly switching to the underwood option.
In my 3" SP101, my typical carry ammo is .38+P Gold Dots, but when I'm in the woods or in a more rural area (where I'm not worried about overpenetration) I carry Magtech 158gr JHP .357's. It might not make any sense to anyone else, but it does to me. That's all that matters, the way I see it.
RedBowTies88
New member
There have been several good ammo tests done by tnoutdoors9 with that very same gun.
As it turns out .357 may not penetrate as much as you think. In fact it would appear to be very similar to most standard service calibers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqS3ixj-NtQ&feature=plcp
As it turns out .357 may not penetrate as much as you think. In fact it would appear to be very similar to most standard service calibers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqS3ixj-NtQ&feature=plcp
In .38spl, .357 mag, 9mm, 45 acp I have a large supply of the original Black Talons. All applicable weapons are loaded with them. I'm impressed with these after killing several wild hogs with the .357 and .45acp loads. Would not want to be on the receiving end. To bad they are no longer available.
The night stand guns, a M36 and M637 S&W, both carry 125 gr +P Remington Golden Saber JHP's. For outdoor use on the farm, I carry whatever is loaded up...mostly a .44 Special with 240 gr LSWC's and a moderate dose of Win 231 or HP38 to move them along at ~1000 fps. On the rare occasions when I carry beyond our home, it's a .45 ACP with 230 gr JHP's by Federal...HRT's I think but not +P as I recall. Rod
12ga- Remington 3" 000BK and Winchester 3" rifled slugs out of my Mossberg 500.
9mm- 147gr Federal HST's out of my S&W Shield
.380- 90gr Hornady Critical Defense out of my Ruger LCP
.40S&W- 165gr Hornady Critical Defense out of my Glock 22
.38 Special- a mix of 158gr Hornady Custom XTP's and 110gr Hornady Critical Defense +P out of my S&W 10-6
.45 Auto- 230gr Speer Gold Dot's out of my Beretta PX4.
The Shield or G22 is a daily carry and the LCP is always carried as a backup.
Tapatalked via my highly abused iPhone
9mm- 147gr Federal HST's out of my S&W Shield
.380- 90gr Hornady Critical Defense out of my Ruger LCP
.40S&W- 165gr Hornady Critical Defense out of my Glock 22
.38 Special- a mix of 158gr Hornady Custom XTP's and 110gr Hornady Critical Defense +P out of my S&W 10-6
.45 Auto- 230gr Speer Gold Dot's out of my Beretta PX4.
The Shield or G22 is a daily carry and the LCP is always carried as a backup.
Tapatalked via my highly abused iPhone
spacecoast
New member
I go the opposite direction to most, for the home and car I handload the lightest target wadcutter rounds I can for all my revolvers (.38 spc and .45 ACP). I figure they will get the job done and may leave me with a bit of hearing if I ever have to use them.
Doc Intrepid
New member
Colt Combat Cmndr - Federal or Speer Lawman FMJ ball ammo
I'm no expert, but Clint Smith is. Clint's quote:
"...Because the 1911 is basically a defensive handgun, I’m not concerned about tight groups. I don’t bother with expanding hollowpoints that could cause feeding problems. For absolute reliability, I shoot only high-quality ball ammunition. That big .45 slug doesn’t have to expand to be effective.” From Guns and Ammo, September, 2001.
http://thefiringline.com/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=5241881
I'm no expert, but Clint Smith is. Clint's quote:
"...Because the 1911 is basically a defensive handgun, I’m not concerned about tight groups. I don’t bother with expanding hollowpoints that could cause feeding problems. For absolute reliability, I shoot only high-quality ball ammunition. That big .45 slug doesn’t have to expand to be effective.” From Guns and Ammo, September, 2001.
http://thefiringline.com/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=5241881
Since this is in the revolver section I will start there.
I have to admit those are impressive numbers out of the BB load!
I started out with all 125 gr 357 mag loads. As my stable of guns where the 125 boomers might be ill advised grew (J frame 357's, mod 66) I went to 147 gr sivertip as a secondary load and now use that as my main carry for revolvers. the reasons are many --- concerns over gun longevity, a bit better penetration, a balance between uses as most of the time I carry a wheel gun it's woods / hiking and I am thinking about various other uses other than anti-person defense.
The other big factor for me migrating away from 125 was I was using BB's 125 gr speer JHP load when they shifted away from the speer projectile I tested out what they are loading now and it seemed to shred themselves and their jacket. Others have commented likewise on this. Makes no sense to me to pay premium prices and get a round loaded with a slug that is to my informal test and evaluation anything but.
Also the fact the 147 gr sivertips can be had in economical 50 round boxes helped.
In 45 colt most all of the rounds I have tried or carried are aimed at "larger than human" problems though I did try out the 45 colt sivertips, they are accurate and mild recoil in my gun. Never really tested them besides firing but thanks to the judge / senator etc. fad are easier to find then a few years ago, only use is as a defensive load when camping if say I end up staying in a hotel on the way etc.
In semi-autos I am either a 380 hydrashock guy. or 45 hydrashock II user. Mainly because of ease of feeding in guns I own, proven reliability and being able to find 50 round LE boxes cheap / easy. Sorry but the 20 round boxes carry ammo get danged expensive esp if one id proving function in a new gun.
The 380 hydrashock due to it's profile seems to feed well and is one of 2 choices for my one pistol (seecamp). It seems to do reasonable well in testing among the 380 choices that are available and admitting that 380 is very much a compromise round.
The 45 HST II round I have seen recovered from actual use a few times and have tested myself on various improvised media and have been very impressed with both the amount it expands and it's ability to stay in one piece.
Many of the rounds I have tried out in my revolvers are "hotter than normal" or "ruger only" when it comes to the 45 colt. I have good guns that will hold up to loads within reason. I don't run or really even want to know about +p, +P+, etc in my semi-autos. Just not interested in battering the gun for a few more FPS.
Just one guy's opinion
I have to admit those are impressive numbers out of the BB load!
I started out with all 125 gr 357 mag loads. As my stable of guns where the 125 boomers might be ill advised grew (J frame 357's, mod 66) I went to 147 gr sivertip as a secondary load and now use that as my main carry for revolvers. the reasons are many --- concerns over gun longevity, a bit better penetration, a balance between uses as most of the time I carry a wheel gun it's woods / hiking and I am thinking about various other uses other than anti-person defense.
The other big factor for me migrating away from 125 was I was using BB's 125 gr speer JHP load when they shifted away from the speer projectile I tested out what they are loading now and it seemed to shred themselves and their jacket. Others have commented likewise on this. Makes no sense to me to pay premium prices and get a round loaded with a slug that is to my informal test and evaluation anything but.
Also the fact the 147 gr sivertips can be had in economical 50 round boxes helped.
In 45 colt most all of the rounds I have tried or carried are aimed at "larger than human" problems though I did try out the 45 colt sivertips, they are accurate and mild recoil in my gun. Never really tested them besides firing but thanks to the judge / senator etc. fad are easier to find then a few years ago, only use is as a defensive load when camping if say I end up staying in a hotel on the way etc.
In semi-autos I am either a 380 hydrashock guy. or 45 hydrashock II user. Mainly because of ease of feeding in guns I own, proven reliability and being able to find 50 round LE boxes cheap / easy. Sorry but the 20 round boxes carry ammo get danged expensive esp if one id proving function in a new gun.
The 380 hydrashock due to it's profile seems to feed well and is one of 2 choices for my one pistol (seecamp). It seems to do reasonable well in testing among the 380 choices that are available and admitting that 380 is very much a compromise round.
The 45 HST II round I have seen recovered from actual use a few times and have tested myself on various improvised media and have been very impressed with both the amount it expands and it's ability to stay in one piece.
Many of the rounds I have tried out in my revolvers are "hotter than normal" or "ruger only" when it comes to the 45 colt. I have good guns that will hold up to loads within reason. I don't run or really even want to know about +p, +P+, etc in my semi-autos. Just not interested in battering the gun for a few more FPS.
Just one guy's opinion
jimwill48 wrote
<<<In .38spl, .357 mag, 9mm, 45 acp I have a large supply of the original Black Talons. All applicable weapons are loaded with them. I'm impressed with these after killing several wild hogs with the .357 and .45acp loads. Would not want to be on the receiving end. To bad they are no longer available.>>>
A little off topic, but if I were you, I would sell those Black Talons for 10 times the price to people at gun shows or online auction sites. For some reason people think these things have "evil magical powers" and will pay a lot of money for them.
Then you can buy 10 times as much ammo with that money. Modern bullets are just as or even more effective than the fabled Black Talons.
<<<In .38spl, .357 mag, 9mm, 45 acp I have a large supply of the original Black Talons. All applicable weapons are loaded with them. I'm impressed with these after killing several wild hogs with the .357 and .45acp loads. Would not want to be on the receiving end. To bad they are no longer available.>>>
A little off topic, but if I were you, I would sell those Black Talons for 10 times the price to people at gun shows or online auction sites. For some reason people think these things have "evil magical powers" and will pay a lot of money for them.
Then you can buy 10 times as much ammo with that money. Modern bullets are just as or even more effective than the fabled Black Talons.
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