Which self defense bullets you have in your gun? (opinions needed)

[ruizhernandeztrust]

Hi guys,
As the title says what bullets you carry? A friend of mine gave me a box of Winchester 357 magnum 145 grains Silvertips saying those bullets are a P.O.S and he don't like them. I saw several videos in youtube and those bullets performed well in ballistic gel (good penetration, good weight retention, expanded well and very little fragmentation) This is the bullet I'm currently carrying in my sp-101 2.25". I think is a good stuff. So my question is... my friend is right or he's full of s**t? What's your opinion? Thanks in advance.

[Bohica793]

Opinions are like butts. Everyone has one and only yours smells like roses. If it works for you and makes you happy, who cares what anyone else thinks?

[1Shirt]

Use what ever works for you and that is accurate in your weapon, and hope you never have to use them!
1Shirt!

[rintinglen]

I've mostly Hornady Critical defense rounds in my personal defense weapons, but that is more a matter of availability than anything else. There is little difference in any of the current generation of Commercial Hollowpoints. If it functions the fire arm and is accurate, it is likely good enough.

[FlatTop45LC]

I keep Critical Defense in my Shield 40 and the wife keeps Buffalo Bore Barnes in her Hi Power

[Mtnfolk75]

It is still hunting season here in CA & I live in the Sequoia National Forest, so all my handguns have Barnes XPB's as loaded by CorBon. When it is not hunting season, my K-Frames have the FBI Load as loaded by Remington ( Old Version ), my Airweight & Agent have BB 150 Grain Standard Pressure Wadcutters. The Auto's have Federal Standard Pressure 9PB 115 grain HP's, only because I have several hundred .....

Use what shoots reliably and accurately in your handgun.

[farmerjim]

3 each 124 grain 9mm Remington golden saber followed by 5 Lee 358-125RF.

[GoodOlBoy]

My experience with silver tips has always been positive (especially when you could get them in 30-30s way back when). My guess would be your friend either can't shoot, or his gun just don't like them. Either way I would say you have a win. Carry with confidence!

GoodOlBoy

[Vulcan Bob]

As long as its not a mouse caliber and its placed between the shirt pockets it will do the job.

[str8wal]

I use whatever hollow points I can get.

[runfiverun]

I hate hollow points.
however I do use them, the house gun is loaded with federal classic [gold dots] first then a 225 rnfp then the classic again, the second/third moon clips are all rnfp's cause if I need 6+ more I'm shooting through sumthin [and looking for a rifle]

[waksupi]

I use the BD .45 in my social firearms, and a similar design in my .44 mags, and .357 .mags.

[GabbyM]

In my K frame 38 Special. Lyman #3358429 cast SWC at 177 grain weight over H-Universal at 900 FPS.

[ruizhernandeztrust]

Thanks guys,
I'll keep the silvertips in my snubby. Previously I was using Golden Sabers 125 grains.

[sixshot]

3 128 gr cast HP's followed by some 140 FN solids, very accurate at social distance, they wouldn't let me take them into the Jazz game last week!

Dick

[nagantguy]

I carry the same bullet as my local PD only in my carry guns its a .45 not a .40, 230gr gold dot, it is really the most accurate bullet out of all 3 of my 1911s and in court in this state, MI it has made a difference in court on a few occasions in civil suits when the guy who shot a hood rat said he carried the same load as his local PD. That was before we got castle doctrine and like I said it shoots real good in my social guns.

[MtGun44]

.45 230 Gold Dots in Commander, Alternate Gold Dot and Win FMJ FN in .380, wide, deep, wide, deep.

In 9mm 124 Gold Dot.

Bill

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

135 grain nosler hollowpoints in 10mm

[shooting on a shoestring]

I perfer to use the most reliable, most accurate and best suited to the task ammunition I have available to me...my hand loads. I think of it like choosing between the combo meal deal or a home cooked well balanced roast beef feast.

My 38s have Lyman 358091s cast soft loaded to 900 fps from 4 inch barrels. J frames get real close to that velocity as well.

45 Colts have NOE 454250 full meplat wad cutters cast soft running just over 1000 fps from short barrels.

357s usually get NOE 360160 HPs cast soft running 1300 to 1500 depending on snubby or 4 inch.

Thankfully I live in Texas. Our Texas law gives law abiding citizens the right to repel attackers with up to and including deadly force. It does not limit how that force is generated. It can be generated with a bat or a boolit or a pick up truck. And furthermore, our Texas law says if a citizen was justified in using force or deadly force, neither the bad guy nor his family can sue in civil court for civil damages resulting from the self defense incident.

i love Texas.

[nixpap]

As long as its not a mouse caliber and its placed between the shirt pockets it will do the job.

What he said. When i carry the Ruger SP 101 357 i use the Federal 125 gr jhp. Id be just fine with my home cast 158 gr RNFP or LSWC. Or a full wadcutter. In my 9 mm, any 124-125 bonded bullet is what I like.

I'm a firm believer that shot placement is king,penetration is queen.