Bullet Wisdom from a LEO

[sadclownwp]

So I was talking to a LEO about what kind of 9mm Ammo was the best at defense. There are so many different 9mm personal defense ammo's out there. I had been looking at Hornady TAP, Hornady Critical Defense, and Remington HD Ultimate Home Defense, for my 9mm Keltec P11. And I love my P11, its the perfect combination of small size yet large enough to be comfortable firing. Well the LEO carries a P11 as a backup.

After asking him what out of those 3 he thought were the best. He simply told me that any round that hits the target is better than one that misses. What a wise LEO he was. There is so much truth in his words.

 

[96firephoenix]

 

[Goodcat]

Shot placement is critical. :-) Look up and read the rule of thirds in art and photography, then shot for the top right intersection of the torso.

I still carry 147 grain hydra shok for 9mm (no making fun from you 115gr guys please :-))
I carry .380 Corbon Powerball in my LCP.

"Regardless of caliber, ammo style, bullet weight, etc. It is still a piece of metal passing through you at 800-1200 FPS. It will hurt. How bad depends entirely on where it enters." That's my quote, give me some reps ;-)

 

[dbd870]

Obviously it has to be reliable, but you are going to get 2 things out of a bullet when you hit something; penetration and expansion and finding the right combination is what everyone is after. If you think the FBI requirements are a good measure of such things then here is the list of 9mm rounds that performed well:


9mm

• Barnes XPB 115gr HP (35515) loaded by Cor-Bon (DPX09115)
• Winchester Partition Gold 124gr JHP (RA91P)
• Winchester Ranger-T 124 gr +P JHP (RA9124TP)
• Winchester Ranger-T 127gr JHP +P+ (RA9TA)
• Winchester Ranger-T 147gr JHP (RA9T)
• Winchester Bonded 147gr JHP (RA9B/Q4364)
• Speer Gold Dot 124gr JHP +P (53617)
• Speer Gold Dot 147gr JHP (53619)
• Remington Golden Saber 147gr JHP (GS9MMC)
• Federal Tactical 124gr JHP (LE9T1)
• Federal Tactical 135gr JHP +P (LE9T5)
• Federal HST 147gr JHP (P9HST2)

The HS was a good choice in it's day, however the newer designs offer better performance now.

 

[The Keymaster]

I would not put anything in my firearm that I had not taken to the range and thoroughly tested in that particular firearm. Different products perform differently in different firearms. Some types of ammo perform better than others in specific firearms. Some perform VERY poorly. I have an advantage because I load my own ammo, and I have a chronograph. I will not put anything in my personal defense weapons that did not come from my press. IMO, if you haven't put at least 100 rounds of your chosen personal defense ammo through the weapon under controlled conditions, you are doing yourself a disservice. Your life may depend on what you know about how that ammo reacts in your firearm.

 

[Drail]

Never talk to an LEO.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

Personally I do not care it it's 124 grain, or a 147 grain. Rather if it's a fmj or a jhp. I do not want to get hit with any of them. Shot placement is the most important factor. I do not care if you carry a .44 mag. If you can not hit ****, what's the point then. Carry what caliber you can shoot accurately, and carry what ammo is reliable. I currently have my 9mm's loaded with 147 grain Winchester Ranger SXT's. I personally prefer the heavy grain rounds. I also have some Federal, Winchester Silver Tip, and some Black Hills if I need them. They all feed reliably, and are accurate, out of my 92FS, and my FNP 9. My

 

[451_Detonics]

There are no magic bullets...period.

Having said that I have shot and participated in the shooting of a good bit of ballistic gelatin and have found that most premium rounds perform about the same except in one small area. When it comes to bullet performance after penetrating a barrier such as a car door the Cor Bon DPX is superior. We shot it through 2 layers of 16 ga steel to mimic a car door and while it did lose a couple inches of penetration it still expanded very well and added two addition wound tracks from the discs of steel it cut out. Most other ammo tended to collapse into the cavity and not open up.

 

[Goodcat]

There are no magic bullets...period.

SORRY, I HAVE TO DO IT!

 

[Aszerigan]

SORRY, I HAVE TO DO IT!

Isn't your wife upset you posted that?

 

[Joe Williams]

So I was talking to a LEO about what kind of 9mm Ammo was the best at defense. There are so many different 9mm personal defense ammo's out there. I had been looking at Hornady TAP, Hornady Critical Defense, and Remington HD Ultimate Home Defense, for my 9mm Keltec P11. snip.

Remington Ultimate Home Defense and Remington Golden Sabers are exactly the same ammo, merely packaged and marketed differently. This info is straight from Remington. Yet, many places I've seen both together are charging more for the UHD ammo. If this is the case where you are buying yours, just save the coin and get the Golden Saber if you choose to go with the Remington.

Pretty much all the modern premium defensive ammo performs very well for home defense use. Pick the round and bullet weight that offers flawless function in your gun, and best accuracy. I'm currently carrying 147gr Gold Dots because it meets both those criteria out of my P95, and has the added advantage of there being a plentiful supply of it locally.

 

[E'villeGunner]

SORRY, I HAVE TO DO IT!

GREAT! My wife saw this and now SHE wants one too!!

 

[SSE]

I still use Win. Black Talon that I had put away.
I have heard that the Win. SXT is as good but does not have the little sharp points at the end of each segment or petal.

 

[Muzzle Flash]

YEP