I soaked up as much information as I could online, at competitions, and from tinkering in my workshop. I felt like I was shooting a quite heavy .22 On the other hand I haven't tried out any of the +P, or +P+ with the extra powder as of yet. Reduced recoil in small guns is especially good and getting off a second shot is much easier. As info I use 124gr Federal HST in my 9mm and 165gr Federal HST in my 40s. Why is the test predicated on penetration; instead of " But we recommend you try a couple weights and make sure they cycle 100% in your self-defense gun." Liberty ammunition has high speed that creates a hydrostatic shock that creates a permanent wound channel. No. best .380 round for short barrels, is the Hornedy, xtp. NO respected journal would publish their work. "My personal favorite since I like the shooting impulse of 147 gr bullets." It is a bad way to learn for me, but NEVER go for a heart lung shot on a wounded or injured animal. Did you try any frangibles? What works better, Nigel, are facts and science. And what works best in 9mm seems to be: We carry handguns from top manufacturers like GLOCK, Springfield Armory, Ruger and SIG Sauer. 9mm Makarov (or 9x18) - These rounds fit Eastern Block military surplus pistols based on a design by a Russian fellow named Nikolay Fyodorovich Makarov. Cerakote Patriot Brown Tan 9mm Luger Full Size 17 Rds. But sitting by me right now where I sleep is 15 rounds of 115gr Fort Scott. I was impressed by the G3's accuracy, especially considering the austere sights that are more appropriate for close-range, personal defense shooting than punching targets at 25 yards. Brownells. Inevitably, some will love it, and some will hate it. My personal favorite since I like the shooting impulse of 147 gr bullets. The key advantage to pistols chambered in .25 ACP is obviously their size. The U.S. Border Patrol gets in more gunfights than any other American police agency. 124 Gold dots or Hat's are my favs. Shop Clearance Shop New . Try a spreadsheet comparison next time. Well the biggest problem i see is that "if" you can find it the prices are so damn high i can only order two boxes if im lucky but at least the prices are just high enough to get me free shipping. Nah, those old fools would get decimated by any young gangbanger with higher capacity semi-auto gear. My clock sf21 is my nightstand gun. Definitely stear clear of whatever the guy at the gun shop insists onmay work for him but no one else. I find .380 in most blowback snappier than 9mm in most subcompact locked breach firearms. Also, what are your thoughts on a pistol with a longer than three and a half inches but shorter than 5 in? Eric, what is the difference between a 9mm round and a 9mm Luger round? That is why now that I'm retired I carry Double Tap 124 grain 9mm +P bonded in my EDC. Testing of 200 rds through everything from billows to b.Gel. Taurus G3. Keep up the good work!!! What about underwood 9mm xtreme defender 90 gr ? The pistol is a joy to shoot, and it proved able to great precision as you may see within the accompanying desk. Pretty simple and pretty cheap to make. Hi, Eric.Thanks for the article and all the information that Pew Pew Tactical posts. Hi Joe, good questionHP stands for hollow point while JHP stands for jacketed hollow point. I am going to equally enjoy this along with my modest collection of 9mm. I would also like to reload the brass. of energy at the muzzle, making the 45-70 the most powerful cartridge in our bear-gun lineup. Youll see that the Hornady is low on the list. These are our favorites for 9mm self-defense and range ammo. Modern HPs are wider now and can get stuck in pistols with steep feed ramps. Just picked 2000 rounds These sights were well suited to a personal defense handgun. Be careful and be well. That way we'll know whether a particular round didn't make the cut. The Taurus G3X 9mm may be the best value to come out of this year's SHOT Show. Seen a lot of shootings at the biomedical lab, have ya? While a lung/heart shot is what you normally choose for a clean animal kill, such as hunting game, it probably isn't the best for putting an animal out of its pain. Have you tried the 9mm from USAC? Manufacturers such as Underwood Ammo loading cartridges with Lehigh defense projectiles consistently outperform jacketed hollow points. Pew Pew and carry on. No problems, but I wont be using it in that pistol again. I have been using this ammo for about 3 yrs, it has alway worked in all of my pistols and it seems to run cleaner than other ammo I have tried but I keep going back to S&B, I like using the Winchester 147gr Train & Defend series. I haven't used that ammo before because I flatly disagree with pistol ammo that tries to deliver damage through hydro-shock. Here are a couple of our recommendations for the common 115 and 124 gr bullet weights. However, Dillon Precision has a great online calculator that can help. https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self-defense-ammo-ballistic-tests/. Regardless of what you choose in the end, and even though it will be expensive, shoot a box of your carry ammo at the range. Hes been gathering shooting/stopping power statistics formust be 50 years now. I just read Kat's article here on frangible ammo. A lot of ranges have different guns you can try, as do many firearms instructors. I have been shooting the .40 cal since the early 90s when it first arrived on the market , my first handgun was a S&W 411 , I own 2 other .40s one Beretta Px4 Subcompact and one Smith M&P . Your Defensive Coctail is amateurish and makes you look like a clown. Generally speaking, energy isn't as important when you're looking at rounds within the same caliber when they are at similar weights. And now I hope to answer some of yours! Do you load 115, 124, or 147gr ammo? If it is pistol ammo, it is nickel coated brass. I agree it won't be long before cops go back to .40s&w. Taurus assembles the GX4 in the U.S.A., right in Georgia. When it gets more "experience" under it I think it will be One of the three best absolutely and I am the one who left you the plus review I was surprised to see you knew what Fort Scott Was I seriously doubt the writer of this post has a clue what it is lol. Lol. For us, it's more of a "style and feel" type of choice revolver. With the correct ammunition, it can be a formidable weapon. It feeds and shoots through my SIG P365 and out performs SIG's proprietary ammo for that pistol accuracy wise. Bottom Line. Unless you have a century-old Spanish pistol, you probably don't need this ammo. The Taurus G3 is a full-featured mid-size handgun, suitable for a variety of missions, including self-defense and target practice. If you want accurate explanation of what knockdown power really consists of you can disregard the above comment. Reload as in reloading the spent brass yourself and making more ammo from it. However, here are my picks of my favorite self-defense rounds. Ammoseek is a good resource. When you get a .22lr to save money on ammo, but end up spending way more. Choosing the best concealed carry ammo is important, so use this guide to narrow down your choices. Remingtons fish lips JHP, Sierras, Noslers, and whatever Cor-Bon is using these days all work well. I think 2 or 3 hits with this light load would do more to discourage an attacker than all the sound an fury of bullets whizzing past his ears. I'm a diehard .40 S&W guy, but not for the ridiculous "energy transfer", "hydrostatic shock", and "knockdown power" myths you are espousing. I have separate mags I carry when fishing or hiking in rural areas and they are a mix of 3 types of Underwood including 147gr HP, extreme penetrator, and hardcast. Lastly, and I am less knowledgeable on these, but the Lehigh Defense rounds perform well and are similar to the Fort Scott in technology. Check out the LUCKY GUNNER ! Many small pocket semi-automatic pistols . But we recommend you try a couple of weights and make sure they cycle 100% in your self-defense gun. Hornady Critical Defense Ammo 45 Long Colt 185GR FTX by GetZone. Some wanted the greater capacity of the standard G3 with the shorter barrel of the compact G3c, so Taurus created the G3X; it has a full-size frame, 15-round capacity . And it was suffering terribly. Theres a reason Federal Premium HST 124 and 147 gr loads are consistently rated 1-2. Find something you like, not what someone else tells you. Find out the best 9mm ammo for self-defense based on ballistic geltests that cover penetration depth and expansion. I have a Taurus 111 millennium G2 with Lake Line metal guide rod and a G3C and the seem to eat anything I feed them . I think not. Wow! The Taurus G2C series was created specifically as a semi-auto concealed carry option that is available in both 9mm and .40 caliber choices. It is fairly new to his defense but it's tumble Upon impact it's not just a Gimmick it actually works every single time regardless of caliber. The 9mm was designed to emulate the .38 Special, which was designed to penetrate, and kill. Otherwise, it is just a scaled-up .380. FMJ (Full-Metal Jacket) - A copper jacket encases a lead core. 16" gelatin penetration should not be taken as a guarantee of it's practical human penetration; it should be taken to indicate that with proper shot placement, it will do the job on a grown man. my favourite sigsauer hardly features these days too which is kinda weird tho. You and Conner H did just that! Find the free shipping sellers to keep costs to a minimum. Sig is always ignored here. Not remotely worth the price from what I saw, there are a number of better defensive round options at half the price. $8 for 50 rounds of 9mm? There is no borderline somewhere around 1200 to 1300 fps. However, when used with the compatible G3 17-round magazine there will be additional height, which will slightly affect overall concealment. Range ammo is more about reliability and cost-effectiveness. When high-capacity wonder nines became popular in the 1980s, Border Patrol agents wanted to carry them. First, thanks for weighing in. UPC 7-25327-93655-8. The Sig V Crown and ball ammo run perfectly through all my handguns an pcc's. Noob here and I'm looking to practice with what I plan to use for defense. Was surprised how easy to control 115 grain 9 mm is in the Ruger EC9s I recently purchased and have taken to the range twice. Your site is helping me a lot. You have tested and recommended what you consider the best 9mm SD round. A robust line of perfect go-to self-defense revolvers offered in a variety of calibers. Watch Paul Harrels 9mm vs .40s&w. However, a semi-auto pistol will ALWAYS be more controllable than a revolver, because the slide soaks up a significant portion of the recoil. The Taurus G3X Hybrid Compact Pistol. (NYPD and some of the French just fully jumped on board.) THX. Do they fail the 4 layers of fabric test? Other JHP ammo has done fine, so just avoid the Ammo Inc. Description. Read More: . My 9's will always be loaded with 147 grain bullets. I recently about 2yrs ago got a Beretta Px4 Storm Compact 9mm . I still enjoy the 40 but as I get older the shootability of the 9mm has its merits. Features. Fiocchi JHP. What stops an attacker is shot placement, pure and simple. Also, lightly smoothing the lips to the magazine might help as well. And I have seen victims hit in a sensitive area drop with a .22. The company has been making the best ammo for years now, so you can be sure that this one will be great. Thank you for the kind words. I've used it but very limited amounts. The cat finally expired about a minute later because it bled out. Similarly, I'd like to know the power factors of the ammo as this matters in competition (USPSA, etc.). Self Defense & Police Gear; Water Sports; Login; Locate FFL. What say you? Just dont neglect its there after you want it! I've only seen it offered for sale at Midway USA but it may be available from other outlets I don't know about. I mean you seriously overlooked Winchester Ranger RA9T? The sweet spot of penetration, expansion, and velocity. 3) +P or +P+ 124-grain loads, same criteria, same bullets except weight, doing at least 1250 f/s at the muzzle, are almost as good, and a way to get deeper penetration withotherwise--the same-performing bullets. . Federal HST or 147 gr. Prior to this I carried the Winchester Ranger T. Ammo Quest on You-Tube did a great 9mm comparison and the Ranger T outperformed the Speer, Federal HST, and all the Critical Defense/Critical Duty line. The rest is pretty much on point. Our very strong verdict on the Taurus Judge .410 Revolver is that we love it! 140-165 are by far the best choices for performance. Is that because it is now made of unobtainium, or was there another reason it did not make the short list? Thats ridiculous. Agree, I'm new to guns and ammo and felt that I didn't narrow down any best choices. I think you left off 3 brands that outperform all of the 5 you selected. Speer Gold Dots are the key. I agree, as a recently retied Deputy from South Florida and a big agency they decided to jump on the FBI train and make switch to 9mm. At less than the speed of sound, bullets have to be >.40 caliber to work well; at only 830 f/s, the .45 ACP only works because it is a .45. Unless you have the exact same gun as the tester, the results may or may not be accurate. That is incredibly low. Wrong. Nine to 12 penetration is adequate for civilian self-defense, less likely to keep going and hurt a good guy after youve (hopefully) stopped the bad guy, and you are using all of the bullets very limited energy to injure and stop your attacker, rather than wasting much of it on the landscape beyond. 3.20" 1 item; 3" 3 item; 4" 8 item; Compare Products. Wow! I have a Smith and Wesson Performance Center with a ported barrel. Also funny is how you seek to belittle folks and projectile vomit generalities, but offer zero examples of what works better and why. I would recommend the Norma Monolithic Holopoint. Bogus prices.. even 4 weeks ago the price of ammo still wrong.. c'mon maaaan. Im looking at you Federal Super Cary. Hello Eric, It works best if you're trying to aim for something from further away. Hammer, You can be sure he pulled that little bit of "wisdom" right from Marshall and Sanow; that's the sort of lingering damage those guys have done to discussions of terminal ballistics. Hand-Picked Daily GUN DEALS, and Exclusive Coupons Codes >>>, Federal HST 147gr 9mm Hollow Point for $2 cpr, Federal Punch 124gr 9mm Hollow Point for 80 cpr, Sig Sauer 124gr V-Crown 9mm Hollow Point for 85 cpr, Dillon Precision has a great online calculator, Ammo Quest 9mm: Winchester Train and Defend 147gr Ammo Test. Excellent price point. This article, however, is terribly out of date and would be a huge help if it were updated and kept current. Get proficient on YOUR time. Best 9mm Self Defense Ammo. It's what I load in my 9mm, 45ACP, and .38 Spl. I'm a few weeks away from attaining my first 9mm Glock. We'll only use the information provided according to our privacy policy. The bullet features a polymer tip that initiates expansion at low . From what Ive seen with this particular speed loader, it works properly, reloads my journal within just twenty seconds, and it is sturdy enough to become tough with it without having stressing if its likely to break or not. I may earn a small part of the sale from links to any products or services on this site. Or just stay wedded to your out-dated ideas, which are contrary to the facts? If you're still looking for a defensive ammo, I recommend Hornady Critical Duty. Take a beginner class BEFORE you buy. The Ultimate Guide To Kel tec p 17 Details, Fiction And kel tec p 17 See lucky gunner ammo test results. we are of the similar mindset with our passion for firearms. As soon as I saw the poor thing start suffering, I dumped the whole mag into him and reloaded. I love the 9mm round because it shoots clean and reliable. Hey how are you, I'm surprised not to see my favorite on your list ( hornady critical duty) 135, is it that it is not as good as the others. Wishlist; Search field mobile. The .380 ACP is one of the most popular calibers for concealed carry today. We tested our lineup of hollow point ammunition, which includes 175 different loads, covering five of the most popular calibers - 9mm, .45 ACP, .40 S&W, .380 Auto, 357 Magnum (added on 9/19/2018), 38 Special (added on 10/17/18) as well as 10mm and 22 WMR . For the range, I love firing the Federal Syntech 9mm. Always spotless and never a malfunction in 1k rounds. The best group of the day measured 2.05 inches for five shots, and four of the 20 groups fired measured under 2.5 inches. What's the cleanest subsonic ammo for target and suppression? Nine-em-em is easy to shoot, and so easy to shoot accurately; the least expensive of all centerfire cartridges, so you can afford more practice; and with the right loads JUST enough gun to stop a human attacker with a single hit to the body cavity 90% of the time. Would you ??? do you have federal critical duty pistol ammo 147 GRAIN +P ON SALE. It is a shame to see people wasting their time on junk "science". Consult a real expert, like Evan Marshall. Cats, dogs and other animals really suffer from that. Even though the newer G3 and G3c pistols are out, the Taurus G2C is still an excellent choice for concealed carry. Its a TEST do it all, and let us know which 9mm ball will cycle the most guns. 9mm Largo/9x23 - This is an old Spanish cartridge. Promag makes longer magazines for the gun that are extended that hold more ammo if you want but reliability might be dubious, as Promag does not have the best reputation. Being a short skinny guy, full size pistols like the 19/19X stick out like a sore thumb on me. Plus now I'm recently marriedthe wife can shoot the Glock 17 relatively easily while she hates the .45. Seriously? There is a # 5.B) Feder hydra shok comes in hollow point too. With the reassembled G3C the problem disappeared, it chambered the HST rounds flawlessly time after time. My glock 26 is used for concealed carry and I recommend it for any cc. If and its a big "IF" you can find single boxes of ammo for the old prices like 7.69 for 20 or even 9.99 for 20 you had better scoop them up and just make sure you buy a case less one 20rd box or you will be automatically charged for a case and end up paying more!So if their idea of a case is 200rds then buy 180 twice if u have the money.Make a purchase of 180 and do it again minutes later.You could end up with almost a full case of ammo for way less! I have, and don't like it because while all the numbers sound right, it doesn't live up to the hype. Perfect weight. I'm waiting to get my hands on a box of the Black Hills Honey Badgers to see if it's a similar experience. I own three glocks, 17,26,and sf21. Hey Ken, we do our best to update prices regularly but with the current market it's tough to keep up sometimes. Ford vs Lincoln. My father in law swears by it, but it is pricey! That's what a rifle is for. You can talk weight, expansion, and penetration all day but its the energy you put into your target thats gives you that knockout punch. I shoot them sparingly just to make sure that the brands I have cycle through without issue. The BP was skeptical; macho types have always denigrated the 9mm. I watched in horror as someone's pet cat went through every death throe imaginable, and that surely wasn't my intent. The 12 to 18 inches nonsense comes from the FBI, who blamed their weapons instead of their inept tactics for the disastrous 1986 Miami-Dade shootout. They get stuck on the feeding ramp a lot. But don't expect them not to over insert as there is no . I just bought a g3c .what do you recomend for bulk target ammo ? Your wrong with the Gold Dots. Prices are changing and all over the place right now and that won't change for a long while. But you should try to bring some current science into your thinking, and be willing to move forward. That heart/Lung shot is useless with most guns. 4 of the best 9mm ammo types (and a battery for scale) from left to right: AAA battery, Full-Metal Jacket, another FMJ, Federal HST Jacketed Hollow Point, and Hornady Critical Defense FTX Polymer Tipped Jacketed Hollow Point. One thing to be aware of is that all-copper bullets, e.g. Dillon Precision. Dont let the compact dimensions fool you. The 10mm is "superior" to the .40 S&W and the .50 caliber is "better" than that but, a rifle caliber pistol is even better so, carry a 5.56 X 45 no, make that a 7.62 X 51 FAL pistol where does the "size is better" argument get stupid? New to your site and enjoying the articles. Rate them below! The sights were properly sighted for 124-grain ammunition at 15 to 25 yards. The sig crowns are ok. Heavier rounds tend to have a longer recoil impulse since it takes more energy to push the round out of the gun than with a lighter round. you a link to reset your password. Weve shot thousands of these and they are reliable, clean shooting, and economical. I personally think you should have gotten way more range ammo. So its Federal Hydro-shok or now federal punch in 124 gr sell the Kimber and get 2 or 3 G2c or G3cs. Just purchased a S&W M&P 2.0 9mm and Im looking for range ammo, any suggestions on what to use? This ammo will work in all firearms chambered in ACP such as Glock, Smith and Wesson, Ruger, Springfield, CZ . April 13, 2022 Searching for the best . Type your new password and hit button below to confirm it. $279.49. This gives a less "snappy" recoil feel to the gun. :/. Ive shot a lot of AAC this year since its been the most affordable and probably more importantmost available. Earlier this year Taurus introduced its newest 9mm pistol, the G3c, which brings an affordable 12+1 capacity subcompact to the carry market. This ammo is designed to provide maximum stopping power while shooting in self-defense situations. Unlike many of the other choices on this list of the best 9mm self-defense ammo, Hornady designed their Critical Defense lineup of ammunition from the ground up for use in short-barreled handguns during self-defense situations. We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe. FLUTED SLUG. It works well for AIWB and strongside carry. Whats next years new thing? I would like to see a test rating control vs stopping power. Perfect for ranges or classes where you cant pick up brass. Taurus G3 9mm Luger Semi Auto Pistol 17 Rounds Black Taurus G3 9mm Luger Semi . Weve built dozens of ARs and well cover all the best AR-15 upgrades such as handguards, triggers, BCGs, gas blocks, and more.