[rkmcdon]

For your pistols?

I alternate Hydro-shok and Golden saber every other round in my 9mm and 45's, hydroshok with cor-bon +P in my 9mm.

I just wanted to see what everyone else is using and if you have a reason for your choice or if it's just what was easily available.

 

[MickeyC]

Winchester Ranger/Golden Saber if somewhere colder and down in Florida Glasers alternated with Winchester Ranger.

I'm working on a 135 grain .40 hollowpoint load that is currently doing around 1500 fps that appears to fragment nicely, but I need to develop it more.

 

[DSM]

TAP 124gr and Fed Hydrashok 135gr for 9mm

Fed EFMJ 165gr for 45ACP

75gr TAP T2 for 5.56

#4 buck (27 pellets) for 12ga

 

[Carl AMG]

127 gr. Winchester Ranger Talon 9mm +P+

60 gr. Hornady TAP 5.56mm

I am trying to decide on my 6.8 SPC load but it will be SSA TSX Combat Loads in either 85 gr. or 110 gr. Any opinions on the best load that would probably be needed in a relatively CQB situation?

 

[Mastiff]

In my opinion, the harder it kicks, the better.

AKA, hollow points with as much Rabid pent-up kinetic energy in em as possible.

If I have to shoot someone, they better be knocked onto the floor in the first shot.

Of course if you where in a Zombie Apocalypse and you had a good choke point(a door), use some high penetration rounds, so you can kill the Zombie you shot, the one behind it, the one behind that one, the one behind the one behind that one, and so on. :

 

[MrSmitty]

40S&W - Speer Gold Dot 165gr GDHP.
5.56 - PMC 55gr FMJ

Being in Canada there aren't a whole lot of options when it comes to ammo.

 

[stanc]

9mm -- MagSafe [email protected]

 

[comatzd]

I was thinking about working up some hand loads until I heard some people talking about how you'd probably get ripped a new one by any competent trial lawyer if you had to shoot someone. I stick with factory loaded ammo for defense: Ranger, Hydro-shok, Golden Sabre.

 

[magikbullet]

Federal HST, Winchester Ranger RAxxT, and Speer Gold dots in the heaviest bullet weight for the caliber.

 

[Croaker]

I use Remington UMC 180 grain JHP
Also Blazer FMJ as well.

 

[terrorist hunter]

I alternate glaser rounds with hydroshock in my .40, glaser for the first round. I also keep a spare clip of Hornady 155gr in my glove box, but that's just cause I'm not a fan of SoFlorida and I'm not one to let some a-hole ruin my day ;D

 

[magikbullet]

hydrashok's are old bullet technology and there are far better performing bullets available. Glaser safety slugs and the like are also poor choices.

 

[rkmcdon]

Wow, several responses I didn't expect and certainly not any consensus. Personally I think there's not a significant difference between the top brands (Corbon, Gold Dot, Golden sabre, Federal HST, Winchester Ranger, and Hornady Tap all come to mind).

Magik, that's actually what led to this post, I went out today and shot up the last of my hydro-shok and though i'll probably just go straight Golden sabre thought i'd see if anyone had any interesting suggestions.

Truth be told, i still think hydro-shoks perform well but the concerns regarding it's performance after even minor barrier penetration have always nagged at me.

 

[stanc]

Truth be told, i still think hydro-shoks perform well but the concerns regarding it's performance after even minor barrier penetration have always nagged at me.

Why are you concerned about barrier penetration? How likely is it that a civilian would have to shoot through obstacles in order to hit a perp?

 

[magikbullet]

barriers include obvious things like clothes.

the newer and better hollowpoints don't cost any more than hydroshoks, I'm surprised they're even offered any more.

 

[stanc]

barriers include obvious things like clothes.

Interesting. That's the first time I've heard of clothing being considered a barrier. Except for Kevlar vests, that is. ;D

 

[Sloan441]

9mmP: I use Cor-bon 115gr JHPs.

.45ACP: I use Cor-bon 230gr +P JHPs.

.40: I don't use the .40 for defense, but last critter I blew up with it was with the Cor-bon 135gr JHP (trend developing here).

Quite frankly, if I needed a gun right NOW, I'd use whatever is laying about to take care of business. The above loads are preferred, but I'd take what I can get if it came down to it.

 

[meckr]

With bullet technology where it is today there are a few manufacturers you can always count on. Caliber aside: Federal Hydra-Shock, Winchester Ranger, Golden Sabre, Corbon DPX, and Speer Gold-Dot are good solid rounds to use for personal defense ammo.

These all expand well (or well enough) to kill. More important than anything is shot placement. No matter what round you use, if you do not put it in a vital area, well, I'll leave it at that.

Myself, personally: I use a mix of Winchester Ranger (Black Talon) and the Corbon DPX. in a 13 round mag, I will use the first 6 rounds of Winchester Ranger and the last 7 rounds of Corbon DPX. Why? Because if I have to go beyound 6 shots at a bad guy, it is only because he is hiding behind cover and the excellent barrier penetration and wieght retention of the DPX means that I can shoot through most common barriers and hit the bad guy with as much wieght as possible.

What about velocity you ask? Well being that I use the .357 sig round that is traveling at a screaming 1,450 fps (custome load) going through barriers witht he DPX round, although the round does slow down, it still has enough velocity and energy to destroy the intended target without over penetration.

The Virginia State Police have had several documented officer-related shootings involving the .357 Sig, and in every case, not only were the felons stopped instantly with one shot (except one who was shot several times while attempting to murder an officer), the bullet either didn't exit the felon, or was stopped in the clothing upon exiting, proving that even at such high velocities, the round when used with adequate expanding hollowpoints will not over penetrate soft tissue.

There has been a documented case in Texas where a police officer's .45 round did not penetrate a tractor-trailer's shell, but a .357 SIG round from a backup officer's gun did, killing the suspect inside.

Sorry to get on a rant, but I love this round and as more and more LE orgs are using this round, the more we will see the real benefits.

125gr .357 sig - 1450 ft/s. 580 ft/lbs

I just wish they would make a revolver with this round. Although, I am looking at the Federal .327 for the wife.

 

[DakPara]

My current carry ammo favs:

357 SIG - Speer Gold Dot 125gr (This is my normal Carry in a Glock 32c)

9mm - Speer Gold Dot 124 +P LE (Glock 17, 26), (Wife - Kahr PM9, S&W 3913LS)

10mm - Double Tap - w/Speer Gold Dot 165gr - (Dan Wesson CBOB)

Looking at this, I guess I am a Gold Dot kinda guy.

 

[magikbullet]

here's some good reading:

http://ammo.ar15.com/project/Self_Defense_Ammo_FAQ/index.htm