THE best 9mm home defense ammon is...?
Hey guys, just wanted your opinions on what you think the best ammo for a 9mm used for home defense is. I'm looking at getting some Federal Hydra Shoks, Gold Dot's, or Golden Sabers. Ballistics are all around the same, with minute differences. Some people LOVE the old school Federals, whereas some say they are technologically outdated. I'm definitely looking at the 147 grains. Just post up some opinions! Thanks!
Both my 9mm's are stored at the house with Gold dots in them. In my honest opinion just about all will act the same in a close in shooting scenario. Yes some will have better expansion and such but I don't honestly see it as being an issue. Most home invasions as soon as a shot is fired the person is leaving, whether on a gurney or running. All that said mine are still filled with Gold Dots.
Ryan Reynolds
"So long and thanks for all the fish"
as for right now im using the wwb 147gr. jacketed hollow points.
but i think im going to buy some remington umc 115gr. hollows.
o yea walmart gots lots of ammo as of yesterday.
when i hear "JDM" i think about 1998 and FF SQUAD. the originators
BABIES "R" US crew
Yea, that's the way I feel as well. I just don't want to take ANY chances when it comes to protecting my family. I've seen some cases where federals will get 'jammed' from time to time. I DEFINITELY do not want that happening.Originally Posted by Cool Cat Racing
Thanks for the input!
Nice, I'll have to swing by there.
I use heavy grain traget round. Still strong enough to knock someone down and dont have to worry about shooting through the wall
Most of the time I use Federals as target ammo and I have never had a single jam in any of my weapons. The only misfire I have ever had in any of my weapons was with some Winchester 9mm target ammo. That was after about 300rds in a day and continued with it the rest of the day with no issues. I have shot all kinds of ammo through my various weapons and to be honest I have yet to see any noticeable difference as far as a close in situation. I have seen a big difference though in flash at night. In the class I took in december with Danny we did some various testing with home defense ammo and the difference in flash was noticeable. Personally I'm more concerned with that than anything else. I don't care about the round as much as if I can see after I shoot the first one. Be sure you factor that into your decision because you're most likely going to be shooting them at night.
Ryan Reynolds
"So long and thanks for all the fish"
all ammo is not created equal and dont be under the impression that after shots fired, the BG is going to run.
I met someone in a course in november that survived a home invasion a few months prior. He fired .45gap rounds at the BG that had just broken down the front door, he was waiting at the end of the hall, because the knocks were suspecious, and he didnt reconize them. Soon as the BG (and his 2 accomlices) opened the door, they saw him standing 15+ feet away, the BG ran at him. The good guy drawed and fired 6 rounds, all of which got caught up in the the jean jacket and sweater that the BG was wearing. Once face to face he he put the muzzle up against the BGs side, and fired one round through the torso. BG drops to the ground, and starts reaching for a weapon, good guy fires one through the guys neck. 2 other guys left the get away car running in the driveway.
So of 8 rounds fired, 6 got stuck in clothing. Needless to say, he did some ammo research after thatRounds fired were Rangers if i recall correctly.
One of these days im going to do some of my own testing.
Story was verified by the instructor and another student in the class (both personal friends of the guy).
"The 1911 is a collection of subsystems that must work together. Each part must be prepared and fit properly not only in and of itself, but also with regard to the other parts with which it must operate for the gun to function and appear as desired."
Like danny mentioned. Not all ammo is created equally. That being said there is no one stop shop for your ammo needs. POA/POI, consistency, misfire, ftf/fte (ammo related), over penetration, under penetration, cleanliness, etc...
Anytime i build a new gun i usually end up running atleast 50rds of about 8-10 types of personal defense ammo through it to narrow down the top 3 for final testing. Of those 3 i usually shoot an additional 100-150 rds of each out of the gun. IT GETS CRAZY EXPENSIVE but i atleast know that when i draw and shoot i know where the poa/poi is, felt recoil, penetration, and that its the best possible round on the shelf for my needs.
Target ammo usually ends up being whatever the cheapest lead slingin bullet i can find is! Which will hopefully be some reloads soon.
Only two men ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. Defend your rights or lose them forever.
Ah, very good point. That deviation has yet to even enter my train of thought. Thank you for bringing that up. Even though I've got 17 rounds to make sure I hit someone, I'd still prefer not to be blinded in the process. Thank you, sir!
all ammo is not created equal and dont be under the impression that after shots fired, the BG is going to run.
I met someone in a course in november that survived a home invasion a few months prior. He fired .45gap rounds at the BG that had just broken down the front door, he was waiting at the end of the hall, because the knocks were suspecious, and he didnt reconize them. Soon as the BG (and his 2 accomlices) opened the door, they saw him standing 15+ feet away, the BG ran at him. The good guy drawed and fired 6 rounds, all of which got caught up in the the jean jacket and sweater that the BG was wearing. Once face to face he he put the muzzle up against the BGs side, and fired one round through the torso. BG drops to the ground, and starts reaching for a weapon, good guy fires one through the guys neck. 2 other guys left the get away car running in the driveway.
So of 8 rounds fired, 6 got stuck in clothing. Needless to say, he did some ammo research after that
One of these days im going to do some of my own testing.
Story was verified by the instructor and another student in the class (both personal friends of the guy).
Wow, that is a crazy story. I'm very glad the guy made it out alive. We were just broken into about two months ago and all I had at that time was a single shot .410 shotgun, which is practically useless against a home invasion. We did have an alarm system that scared the intruder off. Luckily, my Wife bought me a S&W M&P 9mm as a Valentines Day gift! So, after running some cheap rounds through it, I've been diligently researching and trying to locate home defense rounds. Eventually, I would love to acquire a reloader and begin shelling my own rounds. Thanks for the input!
That is what I would absolutely love to do! My main problem now is actually acquiring any HP's! No one has any home defense ammo, in part I'm sure because of Obama, which is another story for another time. Nonetheless, I've found site's I can order ammo from, but most are backordered, taking roughly 3 - 4 weeks to arrive. There is a gun show coming to Rome this weekend, which I will be attending bright and early Saturday morning to scour the vendors for ammo, or even possibly a reloader. Anyone make their own rounds here? What is the general cost of purchasing start up materials? Reps will be given to EVERYONE as soon as I am able. Thanks for all of the input guys! It is GREATLY appreciated.
fwiw i opted for DPX in my 9mm. Allthough i havent sufficiently tested it, really need to soon.
"The 1911 is a collection of subsystems that must work together. Each part must be prepared and fit properly not only in and of itself, but also with regard to the other parts with which it must operate for the gun to function and appear as desired."
Me and redefinedm3 just went 50/50 on a reloading setup. Allthough we are still in the test and tune phase, before producing bulk, it seems to be promising.Anyone make their own rounds here? What is the general cost of purchasing start up materials? Reps will be given to EVERYONE as soon as I am able. Thanks for all of the input guys! It is GREATLY appreciated.
Our estimated cost is about $7 per box of 50, 45acp. Sunk costs and our time are not included.
"The 1911 is a collection of subsystems that must work together. Each part must be prepared and fit properly not only in and of itself, but also with regard to the other parts with which it must operate for the gun to function and appear as desired."
Federal Hydra-shok. I keep 17 of them in my XDM-40 but I know they make them for 9mm as well.
My recommendation is anything Federal. Can't go wrong.
Thanks man!
Nice; that definitely sounds like the way to go then. I've got two other guys who want to go in with me here in Rome. Sounds like it would be worth the start up cost.
I like gold dots. But please do read my article i posted about defense rounds.
I've just read the entire thread. Definitely some good points for me to factor in my decision of what rounds should be placed in my clip, although when the time comes and someone has entered my house, premeditated or not, I'm shooting to STOP. Not necessarily kill, but EFFECTIVELY stopping any intruder in any scenario. I do not want anyone gaining access to my children or wife, so I'm trying to prepare and make the best decision for the worst time of my life.
Yeh any JHP's should do the job. People usually say Hollow points are nearly all the same. If an intruder comes in and gets hit by a round or knows you are armed, chances are he will be hurt and not pursue. I can't see anyone NOT being stopped by any 9mm round unless he is just HUGE! That's why you shoot and make it count the first time right??I've just read the entire thread. Definitely some good points for me to factor in my decision of what rounds should be placed in my clip, although when the time comes and someone has entered my house, premeditated or not, I'm shooting to STOP. Not necessarily kill, but EFFECTIVELY stopping any intruder in any scenario. I do not want anyone gaining access to my children or wife, so I'm trying to prepare and make the best decision for the worst time of my life.
Yeh any JHP's should do the job. People usually say Hollow points are nearly all the same. If an intruder comes in and gets hit by a round or knows you are armed, chances are he will be hurt and not pursue. I can't see anyone NOT being stopped by any 9mm round unless he is just HUGE! That's why you shoot and make it count the first time right??
That is correct, good sir!
I just went to a gun show here in Macon this Saturday. The reloaded ammo has gone up recently. and for a box of 500 9mm reloaded target rounds was $147.00. If you break it down thats $0.29 a piece. So now that is more expensive than target rounds bought at Wal-Mart. I think reloading will be the way to go, if you are looking to saving money and doing some heavy range shooting. My father used to do a lot of reloading back in the day, when he was a police officer, and it ended up a lot cheaper in the long run if you dont mind a little bit of work.
I really like the Cor-bon 115gr +P and +P+. Always feed, always go boom, and have incredible ballistics.
I also like Silvertips, Gold Dots, and Hydrashocks. I use all of them from time to time.
What I keep in mine all the time is Cor-bon, except for the Hydrashocks that I keep in my G26. I use +P+'s in that one.
Personally, I've read nothing but great things out of the 115gr rounds, but have read some very mixed reviews (mostly bad) from the 147gr rounds. Do the research.
That's what I was hoping to do. I have an engineering background, so love building machines and 'tinkering,' which should only heighten my reloading experience.
Yep, I've been doing vast amounts of research all weekend long. I have found a lot of information that points towards the smaller weight being used in more of a 'close combat' situation, much like I imagine a home invasion would be. The lighter the bullet, i.e., less grains, the faster it is propelled out of the chamber, making it more accurate in short to mid range distances, i.e., close combat situations, whereas the heavier grained bullet is harder to shoot accurately in short distances, but produces better accuracy toward the latter end of the spectrum. I believe the 115gr rounds would suffice for home defense vs. the heavier weight. This is concluded from reading MANY articles and stories over the past few days, so, everyone post up what you think. I think penetration at close quarters should not be that big of a difference in between the two rounds. I'm going to do a little more research before ordering the bullets I want. I'm going to order three different boxes, specified by weight (115gr, 124gr, 147gr,) to perform different tests at the local shooting range to see which bullet will work best for me.I really like the Cor-bon 115gr +P and +P+. Always feed, always go boom, and have incredible ballistics.
I also like Silvertips, Gold Dots, and Hydrashocks. I use all of them from time to time.
What I keep in mine all the time is Cor-bon, except for the Hydrashocks that I keep in my G26. I use +P+'s in that one.
Personally, I've read nothing but great things out of the 115gr rounds, but have read some very mixed reviews (mostly bad) from the 147gr rounds. Do the research.
I'm not entirely sure if my pistol will accommodate the higher pressure rating; I'll have to check into that when I get home, as well as the pro's and con's of the higher psi.
Your M&P will handle +P loads all day long and twice on Sunday.
Personally, I would just go with a good brand 115gr HP as that has been proven time and time again by LEO's on the street. It works. That's what you want it to do, so go for it. With your full size M&P, you really don't need to go too crazy trying to make up for short barrel ballistic loses like you may consider with a sub-compact for example. Trust me, if you double tap someone with 115, 124, or 147's in the middle of the sternum.....they aint gonna be happy....
Again, don't get caught up with too many details. Concentrate on practice and handling your weapon. Some of us are anal and complicate things because we may carry tiny sub-compacts or wanna be uber macho
Great weapon BTW.
Awesome comments! Made me smile a bit.Your M&P will handle +P loads all day long and twice on Sunday.
Personally, I would just go with a good brand 115gr HP as that has been proven time and time again by LEO's on the street. It works. That's what you want it to do, so go for it. With your full size M&P, you really don't need to go too crazy trying to make up for short barrel ballistic loses like you may consider with a sub-compact for example. Trust me, if you double tap someone with 115, 124, or 147's in the middle of the sternum.....they aint gonna be happy....
Again, don't get caught up with too many details. Concentrate on practice and handling your weapon. Some of us are anal and complicate things because we may carry tiny sub-compacts or wanna be uber macho
Great weapon BTW.
Thanks for all the input guys! Reps have been given to all!
extreme shock ammo check it out
:idb: 95 nissan 240sx SR20det 2002 VW passat 5spd 1.8t
Thanks man!
I haven't been able to find hardly ANY ammo in the Rome/Cartersville area. Eastman's Gun Show is Saturday in Rome. I'll be there as soon as they open, looking for some ammo...as well as a Gun Vault and Mossberg 590.
there will be alot of personal defense ammo there, however, there will always be huge price tags to go with it. Shop around for what you think you want and then order from cheaper than dirt. they are usually one of the cheapest and they price match!
Only two men ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. Defend your rights or lose them forever.
Nice! Thanks for the info man! Most places I've found that carries ammo are all backordered 3-4 weeks. It's ridiculous. I'll look into that place though.
Cheaperthandirt.com has Golden Sabers in stock. I may order a couple of boxes after I check out the gun show this Saturday.
check and see if brownells has anything. compare what you would pay for a couple of boxes online and at the range. shoot the ones you narrowed down from the range price and then make your decision and buy bulk off the net. if you create a brownells acct and say your a gunsmith you get 30% off some items. i am not sure about amo though
Only two men ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. Defend your rights or lose them forever.
Nice; I'll do that! Hopefully I'm picking up a Mossberg 590 tomorrow at the gun show. And a gun vault for my S&W.
Hydra-shoks over by me are $22 and some change for a 20ct box for .40 and I am sure they have them in 9mm if you need them.
for home defense, do not use the winchester white box 147 gr. jacketed hollow points.
they will go through alot of shit before stopping...im trying to pick up some different ammo's now, because the wwb is all i got right now.
when i hear "JDM" i think about 1998 and FF SQUAD. the originators
BABIES "R" US crew
I looked at the Golden Sabers I just bought and that website is about $5 higher than what I paid in a store locally. I paid $32 out the door and they are $37 shipped. Wild West Traders in Smyrna, GA
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