Good .45 Personal Defense round for 1911

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When I received my Colt 1911 (LW Commander) after my dad died, I also got a box of Semi Wad Cutter ammo (Lead, flat-topped) that fed terribly (there were only a couple rounds gone, so I suspect Dad hated them as well). One of the first things I learned about 1911's is to pay attention to how well the ammo feeds, and with this particular gun, it needs rounded top ammo or it will have consistent feed issues.

Now I'm looking for some good reliable personal defense ammunition. I want to do what I can to avoid the over-penetration issues of Full Metal Jacket rounds. I'm not looking for the most expansion possible; my main concern is, first and foremost, reliable feed, and secondarily, I want reasonable expansion, with low over-penetration issues.

Any brands / types I should consider? I'm not opposed to picking up a few experimental boxes to try out at my home range, I just need some recommendations.

Thanks in advance for your help.

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[Diamondback]

Remington Golden Saber are pretty close to GI hardball's ogive, the FBI issued them for a long time. Look for the bonded-core ones if you can find 'em, the unbonded have sometimes had problems with core-jacket separation.

You might also look at EFMJ's, they're like a hollowpoint that has a rubber or wax ball filling the cavity and a scored jacket over that. "New Jersey Hollowpoints" you might say. Cor-Bon Pow'R'Ball were the first of these, IIRC.

Personally I like HST's, but since I forgot to keep the lot-number documentation my stash of 'em's been set aside and I'm carrying the Gold Dots they were meant to replace (which I *do* still have paper on). As far as I know my old Essex Government-length has never been throated, ramped or anything else so it should be comparable to yours.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Cannot go wrong with the Golden Sabers! I have been around the block a time or two with the .45 and the 1911's and have tried pretty much every thing out there I could get my hands on. I used to be a big Fed Hydro Shok fan, but recent findings made me question that and several others. There is a sticky on here with very good defense ammo testing you should check out, may open your eyes!

 

[FordPrefect]

I use Hornady Critical Defense in both my Springfield Commander and Sig Ultra Compact. The only issue I had with them is when I fed the first round from the mag into the Sig, it would not feed correctly. After putting about 500 rounds through that gun I don't have that problem anymore with the Hornady rounds.

 

[Alexx1401]

When I received my Colt 1911 (LW Commander) after my dad died, I also got a box of Semi Wad Cutter ammo (Lead, flat-topped) that fed terribly (there were only a couple rounds gone, so I suspect Dad hated them as well). One of the first things I learned about 1911's is to pay attention to how well the ammo feeds, and with this particular gun, it needs rounded top ammo or it will have consistent feed issues.

Now I'm looking for some good reliable personal defense ammunition. I want to do what I can to avoid the over-penetration issues of Full Metal Jacket rounds. I'm not looking for the most expansion possible; my main concern is, first and foremost, reliable feed, and secondarily, I want reasonable expansion, with low over-penetration issues.

Any brands / types I should consider? I'm not opposed to picking up a few experimental boxes to try out at my home range, I just need some recommendations.

Thanks in advance for your help.

If it only likes RN stuff and you don't want ball ammo I would look at the Nosler Defense 230, Sig V-Crown 200 gr, Federal Personal Defense 230 gr and such. Anything in the 230 that is RN and a HP is moving fairly slow and still makes a nice round.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Another vote for the Remington Golden Sabers.
My Colt Series 70 likes 'em , plus I can hit with them as well.

Anything in the 230 that is RN and a HP is moving fairly slow and still makes a nice round.

This is darn good advise.

Ask questions , and try everything out to make sure it works in your gun and and for how you shoot.
Granted that takes time and is spendy to do.
I wish you the best of luck in your search.
Andy