What's your favorite 9mm defensive round?

[ray1970]

I know, I know..... whichever one comes in 45 ACP.
[Sarcasm2]

Seriously.

For years mine was the 124gr Federal Hydra-shock. Then I ended up switching to the Hornady Critical Defense and recently switched again to their Critical Duty ammo.

Just curious what what everyone else was using. Technology is always changing and new stuff is coming out all the time. Thought I'd save myself a bunch of googling and YouTube videos and see what the unwashed masses were using.

[hurley842002]

My personal favorite is the Federal HST line of ammunition. From the research I've done, the HST bullet has the most consistent expansion over a wider variety of velocities. I assume this is for your G43, therefore you want something that will expand at a lower velocity. I recently shot 100 rounds of HST 147+p and 50 rounds of HST 124+p, and both variations were super accurate and very controllable, with the 147 being the softer shooter.

Which weight to use is a whole other discussion in and of itself, but I prefer the 147 grain. Some will say the 147 grain is a failure, and was meant for sub machine guns, etc, and they'd be correct, if they are still living in the 80's. Current bullet technology (HST) allows the 147 to expand, and penetrate, to an acceptable level. Some people put way too much thought into ammo selection, and I happen to be one of those people. My priorities are as follows:

1) Is it reliable
2) accuracy
3) penetration
4) expansion

Ammunition depot has both the 124+p and 147+p HST in stock, which have both been hard to find, I'd buy a couple boxes of each and try them out.

http://www.ammunitiondepot.com/mobile/Product.aspx?ProductCode=P9HST3

http://www.ammunitiondepot.com/mobile/Product.aspx?ProductCode=P9HST4

[blacklabel]

I've always stuck with Winchester Ranger T 147gr. It's been reliable for me but I haven't put much thought into it outside of that.

[hurley842002]

Here are some good videos that give a representation of various 9mm rounds out of a short barrel. Yes I know it's just a "jello" test, but since we can't go out and test on people, it gives a good "baseline" to start at.

https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgNSGOEQko_M90AMdRCDMgd-w4Yozc27i

[Fromk]

I'm a big fan of Golden Saber for 9mm. I had the opportunity to do some ballistic gel testing a while back and other brands (really wish I still had that info and video) would fold back in on themselves. Maybe it only happens in gel. Maybe it doesn't make a difference. It stuck with me, though. It was also in the group with lower muzzle flash.

On a related note every 45 we tested gave similar results and I'll never trust those Glaser safety slugs.

There's my .02.

[zimagold]

Short Barrels (3")
1. 147gr HST (Hard to find consistently, 9 Months in on my last backorder)
2. 124gr +P Gold Dot Short Barrel (Expensive)

Service Length (4.25-5")
124gr +P Gold Dots (Readily available in 50rd packs), common round for police departments with proven history.

Edit: I would like to switch to just the new favorite (147gr HST), but its hard to find enough to have practice and complete function checks with it.

[DenverGP]

Federal HST 124gr for my M&P Shield and Ruger sr9c.

I'd like to try out some HST 147gr at some point.

[hurley842002]

Short Barrels (3")
1. 147gr HST (Hard to find consistently, 9 Months in on my last backorder)
2. 124gr +P Gold Dot Short Barrel (Expensive)

Service Length (4.25-5")
124gr +P Gold Dots (Readily available in 50rd packs), common round for police departments with proven history.

Edit: I would like to switch to just the new favorite (147gr HST), but its hard to find enough to have practice and complete function checks with it.
I can agree with this. It's hard to deny the track record of 124 grain +p in service pistols. Once you start to cut velocity, expansion reliability diminishes.

As far as training with your carry round, I'll likely never be able to afford to train with my carry round. I run enough through the pistol to where I feel comfortable with its reliability, and then try to find an fmj round that most closely duplicates it. Speer has the lawman line going for it. I've found the Federal American Eagle line closely duplicates the 147 grain HST as far as recoil impulse is concerned, so I try to shoot that when possible.

[wyome]

147gr jhp ammo from the group buys that Patrick did for us. Dead nuts reliable and clean

[ray1970]

I like the 124gr stuff. The 115 I feel is too light for my tastes and the 147's just don't have the kind of velocity I want. The 124's are kind of a happy medium. Oh, and I really don't want a +P round.

It will be for my 43 but will likely also be used in my 19 as well.

[hurley842002]

I like the 124gr stuff. The 115 I feel is too light for my tastes and the 147's just don't have the kind of velocity I want. The 124's are kind of a happy medium. Oh, and I really don't want a +P round.

It will be for my 43 but will likely also be used in my 19 as well.
The 124 grain standard pressure HST also did really good in testing. It seems to be in stock frequently, and all the big box stores sell the 20 round boxes.

[Tinelement]

I run 124 +P Speer Gold dot.

Got a smoking deal on 500 rounds or so a while back. It has all went bang every trigger pull so good enough for me to carry.

[zimagold]

Sorry, implying training was probably my poor use of the English language. I don't have that kind of money to burn.

I used to just run a mag of carry ammo every now and then to have a feel for it. A few years ago I finished a range session with no issues using practice ammo I thought duplicated the carry load well. I then proceeded to shoot the mag that I was carrying with my actual carry load. The gun had several malfunctions due to a failing main spring that was not apparent in my regular practice.

I now finish every session with a mag of my actual carry ammo just to make sure nothing has changed.

[kidicarus13]

1. HST
2. Speer Gold Dot

[Great-Kazoo]

Black Talons. Picked em up real cheap, from some, i have kids, wife says i can't have a gun looser. You throwing in any ammo with it. Um UM well ok sure. Hey she's your wife. Few boxes of that and Fed Hydrashock. I like the fed stuff as it feeds reliably across the 9's we have / carry.

[Great-Kazoo]

147gr jhp ammo from the group buys that Patrick did for us. Dead nuts reliable and clean

Hows the expansion on it through different mediums? I have a bunch of MG 125 JHP's, i loaded up. . Nice shooters, wouldn't want to depend on them as my "go to" pd round.

[buffalobo]

Whatever I happen to have in the magazine. Usually 124gr HST, I got a good deal on a "bunch" of them at garage sale last year.

I have accumulated a variety over the years and my pistols perform reliably with all of them so I have no real preference.

I put more emphasis on developing my skills than I do on finding the perfect round.

Doesn't matter what the performance of the ammo is if you can't put it on target in all circumstances.

[TFOGGER]

I ended up with several boxes of 124 gr Ranger SXT years back, right after the evil Black Talons were pulled from the (commercial) shelves. If I'm carrying something with a longer barrel, these are my go to round. Shorter barrels call for something with less muzzle flash and more efficiency. I'm not a fan of anything much lighter than 124 gr, mostly because my guns don't shoot them as accurately in most cases.

[Erni]

Black Talons. Picked em up real cheap, from some, i have kids, wife says i can't have a gun looser. You throwing in any ammo with it. Um UM well ok sure. Hey she's your wife. Few boxes of that and Fed Hydrashock. I like the fed stuff as it feeds reliably across the 9's we have / carry.
Do black talons have any collector value?

[Monky]

Check out the hornady 135g critical duty.


Sent by a free-range electronic weasel, with no sense of personal space.

[Mercula]

147 HST for me. I have some 124+p too but usually carry the 147g. I carry ranger in my .380 , and .45s , only cuz I had it already.

[hurley842002]

Scored some 124+P HST from a member here (think he still has some), and I've been carrying it in my Glock 19. The Glock 43 is most comfortable to shoot with the standard pressure 147 HST, so that's what is in all my mags.

[Ah Pook]

I've always stuck with Winchester Ranger T 147gr. It's been reliable for me but I haven't put much thought into it outside of that.
I'm a fan of Ranger T in the pistol calibers.

[Rucker61]

Hornady 124 grain Critical Defense in my Shield. Underwood 180 gr hard cast lead in my .357.

[ClangClang]

I have a couple extra boxes left of the HST 124 +P if anyone is looking. Dead reliable, excellent expansion out of short barrels, clean burning, not too snappy, and the prettiest/most symmetrical expansion of all the ammo.

[sellersm]

From the research I did a few years ago, the 147 gr loads all had issues with consistent expansion. This was with all the big names. Not sure how they work today, as I don't use them. I stick with 124 gr, usually HST or Ranger. And the best defensive round is the one that ends up in the BG, COM.

[Great-Kazoo]

Do black talons have any collector value?

Only if i am forced in to using them, then yes. They were valuable in saving my or other loved ones life.

[crays]

Do black talons have any collector value?
I heard that bad guys collect them in small batches, on occasion.
[emoji41]