Overwhelmed By Self Defense Ammo Options

[LabGuy]

I’mnot for or against the use of hand loads for self defense, but I have switched from Hornady Critical Defense to Speer Gold Dot. I can purchase Gold Dot bullets, andduplicate the factory load. I canpractice with these cheaper rounds. Ihave also duplicated the load with Lyman 452374. I also like the 230 gr. better than the 185.

[nagantguy]

I’mnot for or against the use of hand loads for self defense, but I have switchedfrom Hornady Critical Defense to Speer Gold Dot. I can purchase Gold Dot bullets, andduplicate the factory load. I canpractice with these cheaper rounds. Ihave also duplicated the load with Lyman 452374. I also like the 230 gr. better than the 185.

i do the same, once I settled on gold dots bought lots of loaded ammo and bullets, can 100% duplicate factory performance with out going broke!

[flint45]

I still have some old Black Talons in 9mm and 45acp. The stories of dont use handloads are just that stories " urban legend" if you will.handloads with a huge meplat in .45 make big holes

[ole 5 hole group]

Large LE agencies put out bids for their requested type ammunition and whichever manufacture meeting those specs has the lowest price - that's the ammunition they shoot for that year or however long that order was for.

For self defense/hunting ammunition - IMO, the best on the market today is the bonded version (there are several available) and my personal choice is the Gold Dot, and I reload my own.

A word of caution on the bonded bullets - Remington puts out there Golden Saber, which is an excellent bonded bullet but they don't offer their bonded bullet as a reloading component. They offer the 230 grain BHJ and to some, they could think it meant bonded hollow point, when in fact it means BRASS hollow point, still an excellent bullet but it's not bonded.

[Tackleberry41]

I really doubt when it comes down to it, you will notice much difference in the brands of stuff sold for self defense. All the companies put some research into such things. Cant see where if you put a couple 9mm in a guy and the coroner would say, you should have used x brand as it would have killed him a little deader.

I keep Hornady in my S&W shield in my car. I use their XTP for reloading, its easy to find and would imagine kills people as good as anything else.

[kenyerian]

I think that practice is more important. Just use what cycles the best in your weapon of choice and practice. I live in the country and I like to shoot so I'm probably at it almost every day. Have fun and hope that you never need to defend yourself but be ready if you do.

[Earlwb]

I think that people tend to over analyze the information available and get caught up in the details. Really just about all of the ammo and bullet types will work and work pretty good. It is mainly practice shooting and being able to hit the target. You can have the ultimate best super whiz bang bullets in your cartridges and if you miss the target the bullets won't matter.

[montana_charlie]

It is mainly practice shooting and being able to hit the target. You can have the ultimate best super whiz bang bullets in your cartridges and if you miss the target the bullets won't matter.

I bought a (used) Taurus PT92 last fall, and have only had it out to shoot a few times.
But, I installed one of those Lasermax guide rod laser sights, and it reduces the amount of practice needed for decent shooting.

I've always been a fair pistol shot, but never a pistolero.
However, with the laser, I can almost simulate a (somewhat slower than average) trained 'instinct shooter'.
If (at twenty feet) I can keep the dot on the spot long enough to accomplish a good trigger squeeze, I can stay within an inch of the dot from a variety of positions.

I also settled on the Gold Dot bullets ... after seeing some ballistics gel videos on You Tube.

[rintinglen]

Lead Wad Cutter! All you need

amazingly good choice in a 9mm

[mjwcaster]

Montana charlie, how do you activate the guide rod laser on the P92?

The only one I have played with was on a glock, much cooler than I thought it would be, but I don't think I would count on activation during a stressful draw.

As far as ammo I am a federal HST type of guy.
Great test performance, used by many law enforcement agencies, and most importantly available at a decent price in 50 round boxes.

Sent from my Z958 using Tapatalk

[kawasakifreak77]

Federal HST & done.

[Lead Fred]

My choice

http://www.lehighdefense.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-5XeqDtRao

I use the grown up 9mm

[W.R.Buchanan]

I did not read all of this thread and I'm sure there is all kinds of good advice here.

However the point I would make is that if you actually hit your intended target it will ruin his day no matter which ammo you use.

On an Auto Pistol, functionality is more important than absolute accuracy since you probably can't shoot the gun to it's mechanical accuracy potential anyway. In fact, and not to be a poop, but I am certain you can't.

Therefore finding good quality reliable ammo, most probably at Walmart, is going to do you more good than shooting $25 a box "Self Defense Ammo." I have always shot Winchester Bulk .40 S&W and .45ACP purchased from Walmart or my reloads using plated boolits and they would hurt just as bad as a screaming HP, if the guy lived to remember which was which.

I would recommend finding a decent shooting school and spending your money on that instead of endless searching for the "Best Ammo" for your gun.

Any pistol that will shoot inside of 6" at 25 yards is capable of decent defensive usage. You will need to practice a bunch to shoot better than that offhand from a holster.

The realities of pistol shooting are in the facts that trigger control and sight alignment are the two most important things as far as accuracy. However you first must develop your gun handling skills to the point of being rote. Only then will you be able to get the gun out of your holster and in action fast enough to be able to spend the necessary time to concentrate on your sight alignment and trigger control and be able to hit anything,,, before you get shot.

If you can't hit your target in around 2 seconds or less after going for your gun you probably will lose. In which case the type of ammo you were going to shoot will make little difference.

Randy

[Mica_Hiebert]

I am partial to gold dot as I work for Vista Outdoor. But it's what the fbi uses and has proven it's self to meet their expectations in penatration and expansion.

[ArrowJ]

I have been reading this (obviously) as well as posts and articles concerning the endless debate of using cast bullets for self defense. In a perfect world that would not be a debate, and I would use cast bullets because I can make them cheaper. I hear guys say that they buy "x" brand and then practice with cast rounds that have very similar POI, but I am not sure I have the skill to do that just yet. It would be great if my Lee round nose 125 grain bullets shot the same as factory, but somehow I doubt it. Also, I am not that great of shot anyway. I am definitely going for 8.5" x 11". Anyway, let us assume for the sake of avoiding the cast bullets for self defense debate that I had already decided I was willing to use cast bullets in my 9mm. How about this: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-SPECIAL-OFFER

[Ed K]

Hard to see where cast bullet handloads would land anyone in the soup more so than factory ammo labeled "Black Talon".

[6bg6ga]

Quote:Hard to see where cast bullet handloads would land anyone in the soup more so than factory ammo labeled "Black Talon". The smart prosecutors seem to think that handloads can be over loaded to the point of making something capable of taking down an elephant without blowing up the gun. Stupidity at its finest.

[montana_charlie]

Montana charlie, how do you activate the guide rod laser on the P92?

The sight kit includes a replacement for the take down pin.
The new pin has an internal sliding pin that turns the laser off when it is centered.
Pushing left or right ... by the trigger finger, or any other digit ... turns it on.

If you use a two-handed hold, it is pretty easy to activate the laser with the 'off' hand.

[izzyjoe]

Arkansas doesn't allow handloads for CCW, you must use factory ammo. Now I think this is a big load of poo, lawyers are going to find a way to put you in the wrong, and the thought of using handloads to inflict for damage to the victim is just another card in there deck. It's best to cover yourself, I use Rem golden sabers, cause I've actually seen them in action. The local SD has to put down roadkill deer sometimes, and many times the ones that know me call to come get the deer, so I'm well stocked in deer meat! But I've found several bullet perfectly mushroomed, with a lot of damage to the ribs,and lungs, so that sold me on the golden sabers. I have actually called the officers back in a few days and give the bullets back to them, and they were shocked to see how the bullet performed.

[Beerd]

............ smart prosecutors ............. Stupidity at its finest.

You're being redundant.
..