Self defense round

[Sizzlechest]

For the range I use the the cheaper Brass FMJ. Now with CCW in the pipe Im doing some research on what would be preferred ammo for concealed carry. Since this is ammo that wont be shot on a regular basis I can spend a more on it. I wanted to see whats everyone's else experience/ recommendations is. Thanks

[csMaverick]

Caliber?

[Sikvenum93]

Dont bother spending more. The cheap winchester white box jhp in 9 mm goes through 3 beef roasts just as well as the Hornady critical duty stuff.

[Sizzlechest]

Caliber?

Two of my guns on the permit will be 9mm and I also have a 45. Im mostly concerned with the 9mm and looking for rounds that have the best stopping power.

[RobertMW]

[Whatisthis?]

This. If you want to do your own research on ballistics tests, ShootingTheBull on youtube has fantastic videos. The one embedded above is one of his.

TnOutdoors9 is another youtube user with great ballistics tests.

I personally carry 135gr Critical Duty +P

It performs great and has a cannelure so I don't have to worry about bullet setback, and even if by some chance, setback did happen, the cannelure makes it very noticeable.

Best performing round overall? I'm pretty sure Federal HST anything is THE BEST for consistent, major expansion with great penetration.

[iluvmycolt]

HST all the way.

[snowdog650]

As mentioned ... Fed HST 124 grain is the way to go.

[ParadigmShift]

147gr Speer Gold Dot Hollow Points powered by Underwood.
+1100+ FPS
+12.75'' penetration
+ >0.800'' diameter expansion

My #1 choice for 9mm HD ammo. #2 choice is 147 +P Speer Gold Dots or Federal HSTs.

[Michael in California]

9mm is 124gr gold dot.

Haven't decided on .45 yet as its new. I just picked up some of the only local hollow point just to check feeding. That is critical duty and only 20 rounds. I'll shoot all but a Mags worth for function and store with the last mag. Then I need to put in a little google fu to see if I continue or try something else. Pretty much all the popular stuff is likely fine though.

[EatsEverything]

What? No R. I. P.?

[mr2ndamendment]

Self Defense Ammo Selection Gospel:

1) Don't make it yourself, just buy it.
-Murphy's law will screw with you and something could go wrong, if not mechanically then legally there is a slight chance it could come up that you were making ammo to cause undue harm. Probably not a reality but why chance it? I know a dude who runs a reloading store and he still carries store-bought ammo for these reasons.

2) Carry ammo made for defense.
You'd be surprised how many people carry just FMJ. FMJ goes through people and hits stuff you don't want to shoot and it doesn't have the general capacity to wound/damage tissue that defensive ammo is designed to create. Defensive ammo also features low-flash powders, nickle-plated cases to ward off corrosion/oils/moisture (sometimes), sealed primers, and cannelured bullets to survive multiple chamberings without the bullet getting stuffed in the case.

3) Shoot it through the gun before you carry it!
Shoot it through your chosen gun(s) of choice to ensure reliable function, get used to the recoil you'll feel, check the flash quality for night shooting scenarios, and also see where the point of impact is. If it's not reliable or hits WAY off, look elsewhere.

4) Study ballistics and accredited testing data
For example, the general 9mm bullet weights are 115, 124, and 147. Knowing a little bit about ballistic performance and the usual twist rate on a 9mm barrel would show you that 147 is definitely out but you may want more mass than just 115 grains. You won't be able to make informed choices without honest homework and studying data. Learn your caliber's different grain/load offerings and study them from solid sources (and not just the FBI, they have their own arbitrary standards they work off).

5) Do your own testing.
Go out to BLM and shoot through plywood, drywall, a car door if you can, glass, and other things to see what different loads will do when it comes to penetrating concealment and sometimes cover. What happens to certain bullets when they hit certain things? How much effectiveness is still left when it has to go through different types of barriers? Find these things out for yourself so you have more practical knowledge about what your gun/ammo will do in the moment should it ever happen.

6) Cycle your ammo.
After you've made your choices, shoot your carry ammo to re-confirm point of impact no later than every 6 months (even though it'll last way longer). Continually cycle your ammo to keep it fresh. Always watch out for ammo manufacturer recalls and always keep the empty boxes to keep the lot numbers handy.

7) Keep an open mind and always watch for new products.
Defensive pistol ammo technology and conceptual ideology has changed quite a bit in just the last 10 years. Keep reading the gun rags, keep watching for new products, obtain the research, do the research, and find out what is hype and what is an advancement. Feel free to drop a good thing for a better thing whenever it's proven to be a better thing.

I'm a .45 ACP/1911 guy. It's a lot of weight to carry all day and I'm at a firepower disadvantage with just about any bad guy out there without a wheel gun but I love the platform and train often with it. My favorite .45 ACP loads (that also work best in my gun) are Hornady's Critical Duty 220 grain +P and Federal Hyrda Shok 230 grain. It just works for me, but others are great too.