opinions on self-defense ammo

[s346k]

weapon is a .45 s&w 1911 sc commander. over the years i've done a lot of field testing on stuff like wood, metals, and basically anything i can find that's worthy of destruction by firearm. i've always carried federal 185 grain hydrashoks and felt confident about it. the gun will shoot anything and has NEVER given me a second's worth of trouble. just curious what you guys are using as defense ammo. i figure the faster i can get this big ass bullet to travel, the better, so i've been scoping out some speer gold dot double tap ammo, 185 grain jhp - 1225 ft/sec and 616lb ft energy. appears to have the best ratio of speed and energy i can find in a mass produced bullet..obviously not something you'd be shooting out of charter arms. should i opt for the heavier, slower round due to OVERpenetration? anyone with experience regarding these loads?

osCommerce <-- link to bullet

 

[esrice]

Really any modern, factory, hollow-point, self-defense ammo should do you just fine for carry.

I'm currently carrying 147gr. Federal HST 9mm.

In the past I've carried TAP, Gold Dots, Hydra-Shok, Silvertips-- they're all good and defensible in court.

 

[tyler34]

I second that emotion on hst's. IMO the best on the market for expansion.

 

[Lars]

I personally carry 115gr Hornady XTP (which is identical to the 115gr TAP-FPD, minus the black nickle coating on the brass.)

Buy something name brand... Federal, Speer, Winchester, Hornady, Cor-Bon, etc.
shoot at least two magazines worth of the chosen ammo through each magazine you intend to carry. (Then mark the magazines so you know which ones are "Carry Mags")

If everything runs without a hitch.... you found a good defensive ammo that will work with your gun. Guns like Glocks, HKs and Sigs generally aren't very picky about what you feed them.

Your Mileage may vary.

 

[NateIU10]

I carry HST in 9mm, and if I carried 45, it would be the same.

 

[m_deaner]

I'd avoid the Double-tap... there are posts on other forums about various double-tap offerings having inflated advertised velocities. I have personally tested DT 125gr .38-special +p Speer GD LV and found it to have about 150FPS less velocity than advertised.

HSTs are excellent... you can get them at ammunitiontogo.com at reasonable prices.

 

[Cwood]

I carry Federal 165gr EFMJ in my Kimber 1911

Federal Premium - Handgun Details

 

[45calibre]

i got a box of federal hst 230 grainers +P on the way for my 45.

 

[Flintlock]

Where do you guys get your HST's?

 

[NateIU10]

Ammo, Ammunition, Rifle Ammunition, 9mm Ammo, Military Surplus

 

[Hiram Abiff]

I carry Federal 165gr EFMJ in my Kimber 1911

Federal Premium - Handgun Details

This will by my choice--once I can find a local dealer!

 

[Flintlock]

There's no place in Indiana with them in stock?

 

[45calibre]

i got mine from ammunitiontogo.com

sometimes they're out of them though and ive only seen them carry 45. they sell pretty cheap also.

and for some reason they dont have it on the federal website,

 

[Cwood]

There's no place in Indiana with them in stock?

I bought 4 boxes of them about a 6 months ago from Midwest Gun Exchange. Every time I have gone back they have not had any in stock. I also have been unable to find anymore of them.

I have been thinking of going to Federal LE Tactical Expanding Full Metal Jacket 200gr.

 

[s346k]

I'd avoid the Double-tap... there are posts on other forums about various double-tap offerings having inflated advertised velocities.

this is what i was looking for. i thought that seemed very fast for a 185g bullet. i do have some homebrew hp and fmjs both that are noticeably faster and more destructive than the hydrashoks i've got now, i was trying to find something comparable otc that i could easily get ahold of. i can't get the homemade stuff very easily (my source is 150 miles away and refuses to mail it to me hahaha).

thanks for the responses. i'll stick with the hydrashoks for the time being. i currently have them staggered with the homemade fmjs.

 

[Joe Williams]

I'm carrying 158 grain Hornady XTPs in a handload for my .357 Magnum. They give about 940 fps out of my 3" SP101, hit exactly to point of aim, and are extremely accurate.

I've heard the arguments about using handloads for self defense. I just don't buy them, since no one can actually support them. If I need to defend using a very mid-grade .357 that provides increased safety for my family and other bystanders due to it's high accuracy, it won't take long to do so.

 

[antsi]

s346K,
You're concerned about overpenetration with a higher velocity, lower weight bullet, but I think you've got this backwards.
In the test results I have seen, the factor most related to increased penetration is sectional density - a function of mass vs. diameter. In the same caliber, a heavier bullet will have more sectional density and thus more penetration.
You are using a relatively lightweight bullet for .45, which should have relatively less penetration (all other things being equal).

 

[Rookie]

FWIW - Massad Ayoob recommends gold dots for just about any handgun. Not what I carry, but I figured I'd throw it out there...

 

[esigler]

I use Federal or Remington 125g 357s !

 

[Wabatuckian]

I use standard, old style 230gr Hydra-Shok. Yes, I know HST etc will expand over a larger range of variables. Here is my thinking:

1) The .45acp is not a penetrator. Even .45acp ball in 230gr only exits a torso hit maybe 25% - 50% of the time.

2) Hydra-Shok expands will against lightly clothed targets. Therefore, in the summer when I do not need penetration to get through clothing and expansion is preferred, the standard Hydra-Shok will work as I want it to.

3) In the winter, when people are heavily clothed, I will need more penetration to make it through the clothing barrier. Therefore, if the nose clogs and acts as a hardball (or, more precisely, a SWC or flat nose), I will get the penetration needed.

I have water tested the Hornady FPD 230gr+P, and it did not expand in water covered with denim. Because water acts more radically on bullets than other test mediums, I figure that if the 230gr pill was going to expand, it would have done so in water, esp moving at 950fps.

I dropped that as my carry ammo.

Fiocchi 230gr HP was my choice until the gunstore ran out. It was blue box, Made in the USA, and performed well in water after passing through four layers of denim. I've heard that Mas Ayoob has recommended this stuff; I cannot verify this; however, I have no reason to distrust the person who told this to me.

Josh <><