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With all the talk lately about how a .40 or .45 is the caliber of choice, but with the right load and round, 9mm is a very viable caliber... what's your choice of 9mm round to carry and why?

Primarily I'm looking for defensive rounds - I don't want to shoot through and through and risk not knowing the backstop/background. At the same time, the more crank-head stopping power the better.

I've been carrying Hornady Critical Defense rounds lately, but averaged an FTF about every other mag with a variety of guns: Ruger, Kimber, Sig, Kahr, Glock... I'm happy with the guns, just not the ammo.

The new Kimber Solo is being touted (in some circles) as "built to handle high pressure ammo"... I can't say as I've looked too hard, but I don't see all too many 9mm +P loads at Bi-Mart.

SO.... for all you 9mm CCW folks: what brand/weight/style/load do you carry and why? If you carry something that's not your first choice, what's your "best option" and why isn't it in your mag right now? (Note: let's keep the discussion limited to factory loads for now. I'll research and bring up reloads & homebrew in the appropriate forums after I have my bench set up this summer...)

-Case
 
Speer gold dot 124gr +p.

Ditto! Lots of tests on many sites show it is best, though all big-name-brand defensive rounds are really good. Only Corbon DPX is better, but terribly expensive. Golden Saber +P 124gr is really good too. The Gold Dot is reasonably priced so that you can make sure that it functions in your gun..........................elsullo
 
I know Fiochhi goes against all the gun nazi's but in all my weapons it has been my go to fail safe also hornady TAP is amazing ammo. I have a PF 9 and a Ruger P95 both practically request by name. IMO CORBON does seem alot more comfortable to shoot but for me going from double action magnum's to auto pistols i still prefer FIOCHHI especially XTP JHP great ammo I notice that it feeds amazingly and a smoother recoil. I don't have much experience shooting gelatin but I do regularly do what i like to call the double armor test (one sheet covered in clothing material with a 4-6 inch space then another metal sheet) i've seen the best results actually from hornady CD and previously mentioned RANGER but personally ranger gives quite a kick and the occassional FTF FTE.
Thus my choosing Fiocchi and hornady. Remember in a perfect world it takes only one shot but in our world to there is a difference between "stopping" an attacker and rendering them "harmless" which usually means more than one shot.
 
Here's what I currently use

Cor Bon 115 grain +P and my handloaded copy of same

Speer Gold Dot 124 grain

Cor Bon DPX all copper bullet

For the chamber a Magsafe disintegrating round

The Rangers have been getting some bad reviews in actual shoots, I would not trust them, myself
 
Curious as to where the bad Ranger reviews are, havent seen or experienced anything but good....Something Im very happy with and most defianately would NOT want to get hit by.

They are friggen NASTY
 
Just curious, you just use one?

If you mean the magsafe yes.. I put it in there in case I am up close and get a chance for a headshot, say in a retail line and there's a stickup.. the extra velocity helps ensure it will not bounce off a skull. I do not trust a Magsafe to penetrate deep enough for general purpose use so the mags are filled with proven HPs
 
Curious as to where the bad Ranger reviews are, havent seen or experienced anything but good....Something Im very happy with and most defianately would NOT want to get hit by.

They are friggen NASTY

I don't have a link because they were in my old crashed computer but they were several cops relating dept shoots where the expansion was less than stellar after hitting intermediate barriers such as clothing, The Rangers were made to meet FBI requirements for good penetration over heavy duty expansion if I remember right
 
If you mean the magsafe yes.. I put it in there in case I am up close and get a chance for a headshot, say in a retail line and there's a stickup.. the extra velocity helps ensure it will not bounce off a skull. I do not trust a Magsafe to penetrate deep enough for general purpose use so the mags are filled with proven HPs

Ok.. I see. Thanks for explaining....
 
I don't have a link because they were in my old crashed computer but they were several cops relating dept shoots where the expansion was less than stellar after hitting intermediate barriers such as clothing, The Rangers were made to meet FBI requirements for good penetration over heavy duty expansion if I remember right

In my experience Gold Dot is a preferable round for a standard carry bullet. The jacket is bonded to the core, which makes it hold together better after penetration of barriers such as auto glass and car doors. I've seen Ranger readily comes apart in these situations.
 
Top choice would be Federal HST, speer gold dots then winchester rangers in that order.

I carry federal HST 165 gr. in my .40 xdm, my wife carries fed. HST 147 gr. in her glock 19, and the boy carries fed. HST 180 gr. in his glock 22.

Here is a link that shows the difference between most top choices.

<broken link removed>

<broken link removed>

and a link to the video if you don't want to read. Click on pistol ammunition link to the right.

<broken link removed>


Also, you can do what I have done in the past, go buy an old roast or two, then take them out to the woods and do your own ballistics test. You'll have to dig the bullet out, but the proof is in the pudding so to speak.


Stay Safe.
 
Winchester Supreme Elite Bonded PDX1, which was chosen by the FBI as their primary service round AND it's available at Wal-Mart. Is it the best, I don't know. Gold Dot and HST have great reputations. Figure if the Fed's chose it, they put it through their test and it performed well enough.

Oh, and I've had zero FTF in my G26.
 
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