best 9mm round for stopping power ??

[E. Fudd]

I prefer 124+P to 147's. Ranger-T or Gold Dots.

I hear many of the CA PD's that still issue 9mm's go w/ 147's and that they have had very good results with them on the streets.

As far as overpenetration, the penetration numbers I've seen in ballistic gel testing with the above mentioned JHP's show they do not overpenetrate.

Another benefit of the 147's are that they are less snappy and are faster to recover from for subsequent shots than the hotter +p or +p+'s, especially in compacts/sub-compacts.

Since the Dade County FBI shootout, the 115 gr. JHP's haven't been as popular... (Winchester 115 gr. SilverTip failed to adequately penetrate the BG).

[1lostinspace]

I use a 60 gr going over 2000 fps, because the temporary cavity is huge and because it frags when it hits the permanent cavity is huge! Some call it snake ammo but I have put 2 deer down and both dropped dead where they stood!

All a 147 does in penetrate deeper. If heavy bullets were so great then a 230gr would have far more stopping power then a 5.56mm 55gr but does it? far from it

velocity= ferocity

[kazman]

Is there any downside or not recommended to alternate 124gr+P and 147gr in the mag?

[1lostinspace]

best 9mm for stopping power is a .45 cal pistol.

yeah right

I don't know why people think that

the cavity of a 45 is not much bigger then a 9mm

shot placement is key in stopping an attack.
I rather have more control and more rounds then a big round.
45 sometimes does not even go through some car doors

[E. Fudd]

Is there any downside or not recommended to alternate 124gr+P and 147gr in the mag?

Depending on the gun and distance to target, there may be slightly different points of impact between the loads. If we're talking close encounter ranges, then there may not be much difference in POI.

As long as both function reliably in your gun, you should be G2G. I prefer to stick with one load in each mag though...

[mif_slim]

45 sometimes does not even go through some car doorsChicks buttocks.

Fixed it for you.

[E. Fudd]

I use a 60 gr going over 2000 fps, because the temporary cavity is huge and because it frags when it hits the permanent cavity is huge! Some call it snake ammo but I have put 2 deer down and both dropped dead where they stood!

All a 147 does in penetrate deeper. If heavy bullets were so great then a 230gr would have far more stopping power then a 5.56mm 55gr but does it? far from it

velocity= ferocity

Um, but they are not going the same velocity...

If you have a 230 gr. 45 ACP and a 55 gr. .223 bullet both going 875 FPS, the .45 ACP would have more stopping power....

If you have a 230 gr. .45 going 2900 FPS, it would also have more stopping power than a .223 going the same speed...

Re the 147 9mm's, deeper penetration is exactly the whole point of of the load. The FBI post-Dade shootout report indicated that the 115 gr. SilverTip stopped just an inch or or so shy of the heart of the main BG (who after shot, killed 4 FBI agents and wounded several more).

That eventually led to the adoption of the 10mm, .40 S&W, and the heavier 9mm loads, which all penetrate deeper than your average 115 gr. JHP.

The problem with ultra light/ultra high velocity 9mm loads is that you may have to shoot through stuff to get to the torso: arms (e.g. the BG is shooting at you), barriers (e.g. doors, furniture, heavy leather coats with wallet, phones, and other stuff in the pockets). Intermediate barriers may cause the ultra light rounds to penetrate too shallow. leaving an ugly shallow wound and probably a really ticked off BG continuing to do what you were trying to stop him from doing...

[J-cat]

Look at Winchester's LE website. There's not much of a difference between the 127gr+P+ and the 147gr Talon. But the latter is much more gentle on the gun in terms of fealt recoil and pressure.

[DaveFJ80]

I'm stocked up in 147gr HST, along with a good supply of 147gr Gold Dot and Ranger-T. The tests I've seen for the 147gr JHP, and the tests I've personally done, along with how my Glock feels when shooting it (no different than 115 FMJ), that's what I trust using.

[Czechsix]

Take a look at Hornady Tap also.

[Cokebottle]

Federal Hydroshock for sure!

10 years ago, yes. Today, no.
Federal HST and Speer Gold Dot far exceed the original HS in expansion tests. A layer of denim or leather will "plug" an original HS and it won't expand.


To the OP, there's no such thing as "stopping power"
The target feels nothing more from the impact than you feel in recoil when you fire. He'll hear a "squish" and feel pain, but it's not going to knock him down or stop him unless you hit the brain or spine.
You're not going to kill him unless you hit the brain or cause him to bleed out.

A .22lr can kill just as effectively as a S&W 500.

[Cokebottle]

Is there any downside or not recommended to alternate 124gr+P and 147gr in the mag?

It f***s with forensics.

Recommended to stick with one SD load, and save at least 5 rounds from your "in use" stock to turn over to the police for ballistics testing in the event that you need to use your gun against another person.

Alternating 124 and 147 can introduce areas of doubt that you were where you claimed to be, and the perp was where you claimed he was.

If it's a good shoot, do everything you can to help the cops produce evidence that your attorney can use to clear you.
If it's not a good shoot, it won't matter.

This is the same reason I am opposed to alternating 00-buck and slugs in a SG. Have some slugs ready to go in case you happen to encounter that strung out PCP case who doesn't respond to a couple of shots of buck, but anything short of that, buck is going to get the job done.

[santacruzstefan]

I'm hearing this stuff about Ranger 124 gr. +P, but I have a box of Ranger that says 127 gr. +P+... same stuff?

[Exiledviking]

Corbon DPX 115 grain!

[M. Sage]

something lighter in 95 - 115 gr or something heavy like a 147 gr ? i assume hollow points would be best ?

147. Handguns lack the power to push a light bullet deep, so you wind up using a heavier bullet to get enough penetration out of them.

Which bullet design to use? Any modern-designed hollow point bullet is going to work just dandy - Federal's HST, Winchester PDX or SXT, Remington Golden Saber...

Don't worry about "over-penetration". Worry about under-penetration. Too-shallow wounds have got people killed. I have yet to hear about over-penetration causing a death.