Your Choice For Self-Defense Ammo

I'm kinda partial to Speer Gold Dots.
Click to expand...
Me too :D

My rationale is similar, BUT not exactly the same.

My research, which basically consists of viewing others' research (FBI, Manufacturers, etc.) have lead me to believe that Gold Dot is good stuff in all 3 calibers we carry. It has functioned 100% in every pistol I've tested it in.

Another big reason for it is, it's EASY TO FIND! Around here, there's only one place that carries CorBon, nobody carries Black Hills or Triton, and I'm quite confident that any the top brands will serve me well, so why complicate things?

There are exceptions... I carried NyClad in my .38 when fishing, but it too had Golden Sabre +P's other times.

So for Golden Sabres in my carry calibers, it's
9mm - 124gr +P
.40 S&W - 165gr
and
.45acp - 230gr
 
22lr - Don't know, don't carry
380 - Winchester Silvertip (85gr?)
38 Special - Winchester 158gr LSWCHP +P
9mm - Federal 147gr Hydrashok (don't carry)
10mm - Winchester Silvertip (175gr?)
357mag - Federal 158gr Hydrashok
40 - Federal 180gr Hydrashok
45ACP - Federal 230gr Hydrashok (for full size pistol)

I used to be light and fast, but now I am heavy and slow.*


* In more ways than one! :)
 
40 cal, Speer Gold Dot 165 gr. But will be trying out Pro Load when I get back

9MM, Cor-bon 115 +P. Will also give Pro Load a run thru the Glock when I return.

For some reason Pro-Load has sparked my curiosity. Thanks to people here on TFL and the good reviews its getting.

What made me choose the ammo I use? Several things.

1. Feed and function. Not a big problem with revolvers but I
have semi's as of now for primary carry. The ammo I chose
needs to feed without fear of jams. Hollow points are wicked
feeders in some semi's.

2. Performance. How good the ammo groups out of my weapon.
Also, follow up shots fall into this category. Want to be able
to make quick follow up shots. Hot loaded ammo that
takes longer to gain control of point of aim after each shot
takes away from your accuracy. Muzzle flash falls in this
category too. Too much flash makes it hard on the eyes
should you get into a scrap at night.

3. Quality. I dont want a bullet design thats known to fail as far
as expansion goes. Thats why I stick with premium designed
bullets that have a known reputation for performance.

Im sure everyone here has their ways of picking ammo thats right for them. Some have had first hand experience and others havent. I am one of those who havent and hopefully never will.
 
.45ACP 5" barrel:Federal 230gr. Hydra-Shok.
Anything shorter:Remington 185gr. Golden Saber.

10mm:G20, Cor-Bon 150gr. JHP.
G29, Cor-Bon 135gr. JHP.

.44 Spl:S&W 29 or 629, Winchester 200gr. Silvertip.
Rossi 720, PMC 180gr. JHP.

.357 Mag:Federal or Remington 125gr. JHP.

.38 Spl:Remington 125gr. Golden Saber +P.

.45 Colt:Federal 225gr. LHP.
 
9mm - Favorite: Winchester 124gr. NATO "Law Enforcement Ammunition"

Close second: Winchester 127gr. SXT +P+ "Law Enforcement Ammunition"

.357 - Favorite: Any good Remington, Corbon, or Fiochi full power loads 115-130gr. will do. Corbon also makes a really nice 180gr. load.

.40 (short&weak) - Favorite: Dunno, I hate .40

10mm - Corbon 180gr. SP

.45 - Favorite: Corbon 165gr. +P
 
My ammo selections for my various carry guns is as follows:

Kimber Compact Stainless .45 ACP (Primary carry): Remington 230gr. Golden Saber or Federal 230gr. Hydra-shok

Detonics Pocket 9 9mm (Extreme compact carry): Winchester 147gr. SXT

Dan Wesson 7460 Revolver (Hunting Defense carry): Georgia Arms 230gr. FMJ .45WinMag or Georgia Arms 300gr. SP .45WinMag.
 
Interesting question ... It sounds like you're asking for ammunition preferences aside from L/E ammunition selections, so I'll pretend for the moment I don't have the Ranger T Series in 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP, and the Remington 115gr +P+ in the safe ...

My personal preferences, and I try to have all of them available, are generally:

.38 Spl - Win/Fed/Rem 158gr LHP +P, Win 147gr JHP +P

9mm - Rem GS 124gr +P & 147gr, Speer GD 124gr +P, Win/Rem/Fed Hydra-Shok 147gr

.357 Mag - Rem 125gr SJHP & GS, Rem 140gr SJHP, Speer 158gr GD

.40 S&W - Win SXT/Rem GS 165gr & 180gr

.44 Spl - Win Silver Tip 200gr, Blazer 200gr GD

.44 Mag - Fed/Rem 180gr JHP, Win/Fed/Rem 240gr JHP

.45 Colt - Win 225gr Silver Tip

.45 ACP - Win SXT 230gr, Rem GS 230gr, Speer GD 230gr & 200gr +P, PMC/El Dorado 230gr Star Fire, Fed 230gr Hydra-Shok
 
.45acp
Federal 230gr. HydraShok's
Winchester 230gr. "Subsonic" JHP's
Triton's 200gr. +P JHP's
Remington's standard 185gr. High Velocity JHP's

10mm
Winchester 175gr. Silvertip's
Corbon 150gr. JHP's
Triton 135gr. Hi-Vel JHP's

.40S&W
Triton 165gr. Hi-Vel JHP's
Winchester 165gr. SXT's

.357Mag
Federal Classic 125gr. SJHP's

.357Sig
Federal Classic 125gr. JHP's

.38 Special
Federal 158gr. +P Nyclad's
Federal 129gr. +P HydraShok's

9mm
Triton 125gr. +P Hi-Vel JHP's
Gold Dot 124gr. +P JHP's
Corbon 115gr. +P JHP's

.380acp
Corbon 90gr. +P JHP's
Hornady 90gr. XTP's

2xTap
 
I used to prefer Federal Personal Defense HydraShocks but I've mostly switched over to Speer Gold Dots. No major reason for it, and I do sometimes switch back and forth between the two.

I don't go with some of the more exotic options. I like to be sure that it is a brand that is pretty easy to find. I also like to know that I use a common, but effective, brand so that should I move to another part of the country I can still get what I'm used to.

In the stronger calibers (.357mag and .45acp) I am considering going with the Winchester USA (White Box) Personal Defense JHPs. These calibers are strong enough themselves that just about any HP will work, plus the Win USA HPs have a decent reputation for expansion anyway. I'm thinking that these 50rnd boxes aren't much more $ in these calibers than practice ammo and it would be great to be able to practice that much more with my defensive ammo. It never hurts to be as familiar as possible.

Now for more details:

.380acp: 90gr HPs, Speer Gold Dots (I've never loaded up my Bersa with any other personal defense ammo)

9mm (as in 9x19 or 9mm Para): usually 115gr, never more than 124gr. I believe in emphasizing the advantage of a particular caliber and the advantage of the 9mm is velocity and the lighter bullets better take advantage of that. Right now all the 9mm defensive ammo I have is Fed HydraShock, but I'll be buying more Speer soon.

.40s&w: I haven't gotten around to choosing HD/SD ammo for my CZ 40B as the .357s, 1911 and CZ 75 usually take HD duties. When I move to a CCW state it will be more pressing. I am leaning to 165-180gr. Again, I'll probably stick with the Speer GD.

.45acp: either 180gr or 230 gr HPs (see explaination for my weight choices for 9mm, except the advantage for .45 is a slow but BIG and HEAVY bullet, so I prefer the heavier choices). My 1911 doesn't like HydraShocks much so this is the gun that started my switch to Gold Dots.

.38/.38+P: I prefer SWC or SWCHPs but they aren't easy to find around here in defensive loadings (most are lighter target reloads) so I mostly use JHPs. I prefer heavier loadings with .38 as I want maximum penetration with plain .38s. With +Ps I'm more willing to go with the entire group of choices as the increased pressure and velocity make it more capable of taking better advantage of the lighter weight bullets. Right now what I have in defensive ammo is 158gr Speer Gold Dots (+P) and 110gr Fed HydraShocks (not +P, yes I know what I just said, I have never loaded these up and just haven't gotten around to shooting it yet).
 
.32ACP Speer Gold Dots
(wish winchester made ranger sxt for .32)

9x19: Winchester Ranger SXT 127+p+
or
Winchester Ranger SXT 147gr


.40 Winchester Ranger SXT 180gr or 165gr



Ranger SXT = Consistant expansion, penetration, and some extra edged talons that aren't on other bullets ;-)
 
I recently tested 2 brands of 9mm defense ammo in my Ruger KP-89. 124gr. Speer Gold Dot and 124gr Federal HydraShok. Just from an accuracy standpoint, in my gun the HydraShok won out by a narrow margin. Both brands were tight groupings at various distances, but the HS barely edged out the GD.
 
hey Gomez.
i'm gavitating toward the 45LC of late. favorites would be the Speer 200"flying ashtray"load,the similar more powerfull Cor-Bon load,and 225 grain Silvertip.
my reasoning is that this is not a velocity/barrel length dependent load,or a reliablity question in a revolver. though i like the 1911,the 45ACP doesn't have the best feed characteristics. it's big,controlable,and available in some quality guns.
additionally,this allows me to have the trigger feel i like:large DA revolver with heavy cylinder,no trigger play.
i can choose my grips.i like Spegel boot grips,or full size with single or no finger groove.
i like shorter barrels for:
-feel.i like butt heavy revolvers.
-sight radius.i'm near sighted.faster sight aquisition.
-retention.less to grab.
-clearing leather.
-possibly for concealment.
speedloading is very positive;they just jumble in.
gun life is enhanced by lower pressure load.
reloading sweetheart.
dare i be politically correct? no magnum stigma,and generally obsolete in the eyes of most. y'know,the Buick of smokeless rounds.- :D
 
Choices.

H&K compact - 357sig - Speer 125grain JHP or Pro Load 125grain JHP.

Para P-14ltd - Triton 450smc 165 grain JHP or Pro load 230 grain JHP.

12-34hom.
 
Currently:
Long barrelled 9mm's - Winchester 115 grn JHP
Short barrelled 9mm - Speer 124 grn +P JHP
All .40's - Remington 155 grn JHP
Long barrelled .45 - Winchester 230 grn JHP
Short barrelled .45 - Federal 185 grn JHP
.357 revolver - Federal 125 grn JHP
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top