Pistol or Revolver: What is your preferred carry load?

[OldBroad44]

Flat, ugly bullet that tears a bigger hole. Lower recoil suggests potential better shot placement, but they can be loaded faster too. And jacketed versions are available.

Right! Not only can wadcutters be pushed at full velocity, they can also be hard cast for maximum penetration. A .38sp or .357 mag jhp that expands to much more than its initial width is only fully expanded for a few inches in gel, two or three inches maybe? On first entering gel it is unexpanded. For the next few inches it is in the process of expanding but is not fully expanded. It is acting much like a round nose bullet for that distance. Then for a short distance it is fully expanded. Then the petals peel back and the bullet is acting like a round nose again. But a hard cast full wadcutter presents that wide flat nose through the entire bullet path. Furthermore, it doesnt depend on the exactly right match of velocity and target type like jhp bullets do. With jhp bullets there is always the problem that the hp may get plugged passing through a barrier, reducing the bullet to a roundnise, the bullet notorious for zipping through flesh doing very little damage as well as deflecting off bone. Nor, presumeably, is there the problem with deflection off sloped surfaces such as skulls of charging bears that round nose bullets are notorious for.

 

[gmerkt]

On the subject of 9mm revolvers . Any factory ammo more or less prone to bullet jump in cartridge case ?
I would assume handloading would address this with a decent crimp , knowledge of specific bullets that perform better in the role, etc

I've owned several Smith & Wesson Model 547's, a couple of Smith & Wesson Model 986's and one Ruger SP 101 in 9mm P. All full metal guns. I never experienced a case of bullet creep. I suspect it's because 9mm P brass is fairly thick and usually presents adequate tension on the bullet in the guns I've owned.

I speculate that the lighter the revolver, the greater issue bullet jump becomes.

Makes some sense. Such as a Ruger LCRx with partial plastic frame, short, thin bbl.

Blazer Brass consistently exhibited the same bullet jump;

Although 9mm P is thicker than, say, .38 Special, the "strength" varies. Meaning some are softer, create less tension against the bullet.

The hearing damage is a big issue for me. Even now, at age 78, I still hear as well or better than the deer. I can still hear a caterpillar chewing on a leaf from 20' away if its a big caterpillar. My vision has deteriorated a good bit recently, and I've been nearsighted since 3rd grade. But my hearing is my superpower. I want to retain it.

You are blessed to have good hearing. One of my cats is 17 years old, he can still hear every little thing. It amazes me that his hearing is so much better than mine. But he was never exposed to some of the things that damaged my hearing.

Need to get a good firm crimp on those reloads to prevent bullet creep or jump. Didn't realize this the first time out and experienced both. Now rounds destined for the revolver are sufficiently crimped and marked accordingly.

Yeah, I think a lot of people who own 9mm P revolvers aren't reloaders, especially the smaller guns. So shooting factory loads, the brass is fresh and probably has a better grip on the bullet. Once you start reusing brass, it gives up some of its original qualities with each successive use. A reloader could always use a dab of primer sealer or even ladies nail varnish when seating a bullet to seal it in place to prevent creep. Or a firm but not crushing taper crimp might do it.

I found that it was wise to keep my 9mm P revolver ammo separate from that assembled for semi-auto use. Different characteristics obtained often enough to require this.

The Model 547's didn't require moon clips, they had their own proprietary design special extractors that made such unnecessary. The Model 986's and the Ruger SP-101 both required moon clips, of course of different designs. I noted that clearance between the rear of the cylinder and the recoil plate on the frame was whatever the manufacturer decided upon. Also, as I recall the Model 986 headspaced on the moon clip, not a ledge in the cylinder like most 9mm P chambers do.

In the 1990's, Federal Cartridge came out with a rimmed 9mm P cartridge, along the line of the .45 Auto Rim. I think it was intended for a short-lived Charter Arms revolver. When I had the 986's and the SP-101, I thought to try to replicate this rimmed 9mm P. I wouldn't do for the 986, due to insufficient clearance between the cylinder and the recoil plate. But Ruger had left enough space in this area to take a cartridge case with a head. I bought some new .38 Smith & Wesson (not Special) brass, cut them back to 9mm P length, sized them in a 9mm P die, and had my own rimmed 9mm P. The only advantage to all that work was that moon clips were not needed for shooting the revolver.

 

[gmerkt]

Not only can wadcutters be pushed at full velocity, they can also be hard cast for maximum penetration.

Not long ago, in a lot of old bullet molds, I got a couple of very interesting .44 molds. One was a Lyman No. 429352, 245 gr., the other was a Lyman No. 429348, 173 gr. These were both "Square Nose" bullet profiles. They took the wadcutter idea to the nth degree, sharp leading edge like a knife. They were made for use in .44 Russian and .44 Special target guns "back in the day." I'll bet they'd cut a very neat hole.

 

[orygun]

In the 1990's, Federal Cartridge came out with a rimmed 9mm P cartridge, along the line of the .45 Auto Rim.

9mm Federal, it was called.

Here's what Wiley Clapp has to say about it, for anyone interested.

An Official Journal Of The NRA | 9 mm Federal: The Nine Millimeter Round Known to None

Going on 40 years ago, I blundered my way into my first job in the gunwriting business. It was a function of pure, dumb luck on my part and for that, I am eternally thankful. Among the many blessings of this luck were the great people I met and the range of new experiences. Such new people...

www.shootingillustrated.com

 

[gmerkt]

9mm Federal, it was called.

Yes, that's the one. It's a collectible cartridge now, I'm sure.

Another problem with it, yes, it might work fine in the original Charter Arms 9mm revolver. But because every manufacturer who made 9mm revolvers made them in different enough ways that the 9mm Federal wouldn't work in most.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Pistol :
Dad's Colt Series '70 Government model in .45ACP.
'Cause I shoot well with it...and know it well.

Load :
Self defense :
Speer Gold Dot 230 hollow point.
Plinking , practice and even self defense if needed :
Remington 230 FMJ.
'Cause it shoots to my same point of aim as the Speer load.

I know many folks don't think much of FMJ for self defense....
It worked well for Sergeant York ....
While I don't claim to shoot near as well as Alvin C. York....I shoot well enough with the above loadings in that pistol to be comfortable with either.
Andy