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Springfield XD-9. Recently started keeping it loaded (in a handgun safe) by the bed. Currently just using the same ammo that I practice with at the range (115gr).

I know that there are better recommendations for a home defense situation. I have been considering the Hornady Critical Defense for at home.

Any suggestions or recommendations??
 
a 115 gr JHP is good place to start.

JHP for home: less likelihood for collateral damage from say a FMJ bullet passing through body/walls and hitting an innocent person. JHP is supposed to mushroom out and more likely to stay in the body that you shoot.
 
Hollowpoints are important for stopping power and to prevent overpenetration. Full metal jacket 9mm is quite likely to shoot through the target and do damage further on, sinch it has not delivered all of its energy.

It's all a juggling match of velocity versus weight regarding impact, barrier penetration, penetration and expansion in flesh and bone, and foot-pounds of delivered energy into the target. You can go nuts studying ballistics tables and performance charts in various test media! A more reliable but controversial method is actual documentation of street shootings and the results of various loads.

From all the messageboards and test sites that I have studied, the very best 9mm ammo is the pure copper Corbon DPX at about two dollars per pop, followed by Corbon 124 grain +P+ jhp at around one-fifty each. This is the highest performing ammo in velocity, expansion, barrier penetration, and snoot-factor. If you can afford it, you are worth it!

The next best tested cartridge is usually the Speer Gold Dot +P 124grain jacketed hollowpoint. Great stuff, costs about a dollah each. Speer in particular has designed lines of specific bullets and loads for better performance in short-barrel guns, in addition to their regular professional lines.

Closely following in lawman popularity is the Winchester Ranger Bonded 124 grain +P+ jhp, usually only sold to law enforcement. Another favorite is the less expensive Federal 9BPL 115 grain +P+ hollowpoint, which is an old design but updated in recent years.

After these, pretty much all of the premium jhp "major" American brands perform about the same, which is to say, really well. You can be pretty confident in all of them, as their scientists and engineers have been working constantly to improve performance.

I have read several quotes from coroners saying that all of these jhps perform very nearly the same, and that they often cannot even tell what major caliber the victim was shot with! This is all my opinion, based upon LOTS of other people's opinions that I have read and respect. Now, LET THE GRIPING BEGIN!........................elsullo :p
 
The FBI tested and selected Winchester Bonded PDX1
<broken link removed>

Winchester Ranger Talon and Federal HST are also very popular choices among law enforcement
 
The FBI tested and selected Winchester Bonded PDX1
<broken link removed>

Winchester Ranger Talon and Federal HST are also very popular choices among law enforcement

I think that Winchester chart is misleading. Let's not forget that the .40 S&W was developed at the request of the FBI, and I know of no reliable source which claims that the FBI uses 9mm. Just because the bullet brand and model tested well in .40 doesn't necessarily translate to the same in 9mm. I think it's disingenuous of Winchester to extrapolate the FBI .40 tests across its entire line of calibers and bullet weights.

I also know of no reliable source which claims that any of the better brand names make a "poor" self-defense bullet in any caliber. They all have engineers who constantly work to improve their products. Not having the knowledge or ability to test any of them properly, I have to go with what I read and I'd use any of the top brands.

FWIW I use Speer Gold Dot when I can find them in bulk (which means almost all of the time) because I find them to be the most accurate at distance - to somehow have the best flight characteristics - something which somehow never seems to get mentioned in ballistics tests.

$.02
 
Does anyone know anything about this ammo? It looks interesting and they claim that the SEALS, other elite forces etc. are using it. I don't know about that.

From their web site:

"from Navy SEALS to the Royal Hong Kong Police anti-gang units, from big-city undercover narcs to guards at some of America's meanest prisons."

I'm not ready to bet my life on something new, but I thought it was interesting.

Link
 
Whatever you choose, put at least 100 rounds of it thru your chosen gun, to make sure it cycles reliably.

The best round is useless if it won't cycle thru your gun.
 
My favorite home defense tool is a pistol made by taurus called the judge.A 5 shot revolver which shoots 410 shotgun and 45 long colt.I load 2 410's up front then a 45,a 410 and another 45.The Judge will sentence any intruder to a long stay in H--LL.
 
I read this review,
http://www.chuckhawks.com/ammo_by_anonymous.htm
Which broke it down into types of handguns into 3 classes of reliability and then what type of ammo would be best suited in those types.
-First Class pistols are ultra-reliable and high-quality new guns than can feed any hollowpoint and tolerate +P loads with no problems
-Second Class pistols are high quality guns that may not feed all hollowpoints reliably
-Third Class pistols should generally be loaded with ball for best reliability

I liked this approach, because a lot of people say to load magsafes, hydrashocks, gold dots, etc. But the truth is not all ammo works in all guns the same.

Personally I bought my self defense ammo before reading any reviews, just knowing that I should buy hollowpoints. I have my glock and extra mag loaded with Remington 115gr JHPs, Model# R9MM1

I was pleasantly surprised when I read, "For guns that may jam with the Cor-Bon or Federal 115 grain hollow-points, the Remington 115 grain +P JHP is a good choice (R9MM6). For older guns I would use the Remington standard pressure 115 gr. JHP (R9MM1)."

Even though my glock is able to run +p without incident.

It also lists a bunch of ammo you should avoid in your gun without thorough personal testing.
 
I like the remington jhp I get at Bi-Mart.Good looking hollow points and at under $30 for a box of 50 I can afford to shoot them. I have 40sw and 45 acp I've bought there.
 

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