Concealed Carry Ammunition (Info/Poll/Discussion)

[Charlies.Contingency]

Hey Ya'll, I wanted to do my own poll today, to see where everybody is at on their preferred ammunition for concealed carry. I have a lot of people who come to me and ask for my opinion on the difference between choices, and to increase my own knowledge of what others think I am doing a poll today. I'm not asking for arguments or asking anybody to prove what is better. I solely want everybody to cast their vote, and comment by saying what their preferred ammunition is, and why. Any pros or cons would be appreciated as well.

Experiences and opinions on this topic change daily, so to keep up with the most common consensus, you've got to keep asking. Quality, reliability, penetration, and expansion can make us sway in our choices. I have observed that everybody here is generally very sensible and educated on firearms, and have made their choice for more than one reason.

Informational Links: (Provided by Forum Members)
http://www.ar15.com/ammo/project/Self_Defense_Ammo_FAQ/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.firearmstactical.com/pdf/fbi-hwfe.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2014/0 ... phase-one/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.youtube.com/user/ShootingTheBull410" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.everydaynodaysoff.com/wp-con ... arison.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.ar15.com/ammo/project/Self_Defense_Ammo_FAQ/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.handguncombatives.com/resour ... g_6_13.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ammunition Overview: (Comments and suggestions from our very own here on TEXASCHLFORUM.COM)

1)Speer Gold Dot


2) Federal HST


3) Hornady Critical Duty

"My second-favorite carry is a full-sized Springfield XD(M) in .40 S&W. Usually an OWB winter carry. I also used to use a 180-grain Ranger T-Series, but recently switched to the Hornady Critical Duty 175-grain. The specs seem impressive; it generates about 20 fps greater muzzle velocity than the Winchester in a bullet that stays close to 180 grains; and I like the extra attention to dealing with setback with the cannelured bullet and crimping. The Springer has eaten every type of ammo I've ever given it, and the Hornady is no exception.

For my primary pocket pistol, a Kahr PM9, I similarly switched to Hornady Critical Duty, the 135-grain +P round. It has the same features of the other Critical Duty ammo types, but boasts a 135-grain bullet in +P. The muzzle velocity is 1,100 fps--so fractionally slower than comparable 124-grain +P ammo--but I like the extra bullet weight, especially when combined with the Critical Duty penetration specs. It's a tiny gun, and I don't use mag extensions (kinda defeats the purpose of a tiny gun, IMHO), so once again I'm sacrificing some control on follow-ups shots."

"With the Hornady Critical Defense/Critical Duty ammunition, the primary use difference (besides being +P loadings in .45 with a heavier bullet) is that Hornady has published barrier testing data for the Duty ammo. The bullet design differs in that the Duty bullet uses a high-antimony lead, making it harder, and it has a reinforcing band that keeps it from shedding its jacket. Both bullets are crimped, both bullets have the same basic polymer insert, and both cartridges are crimped and use nickel plating to ward off tarnishing and aid extraction. The 220 grain +P produces 975/464 fps/lbs ft —in a 5" barrel— compared to the 900/333 of the 185 grain standard pressure load —in a 3" barrel. Will my pocket sized .45 handle the heavier +P load? Yes. Do I want to shoot it in that gun? No. And, note that the Duty load's velocity/energy figures are derived with a duty length barrel, not in a pocket gun. There is nothing wrong with that ammo choice, but it is not engineered to perform in pocket guns, but rather in full-sized duty weapons."

4) Hornady Critical Defense

"XDS45 gets 180 grain Critical Defense (not +P). That is a load engineered for short barrels and delivers impressive numbers without the higher pressures. XDS45 gets 180 grain Critical Defense (not +P). That is a load engineered for short barrels and delivers impressive numbers without the higher pressures. My .357 scandium snubby gets 125 grain Critical Defense .357 loads (not .38 Special)."

5) Hornady Zombie Max

"I just don't think I want to try to explain to a judge and jury of my peers (actually not so peer) after I used my gun to defend myself, why I felt the need to purchase special zombie killing ammunition with extra killing power when "regular" self defense ammo should have been sufficient. I can see an attorney for the one I shot arguing I was some kind of nut job looking out for someone or zombies to shoot since a rational person would not purchase such ammo. "

"Zombie Max ammo, coffee, toilet paper. If you have these, you are prepared for the Zombie Apocalypse!"

"Carry it if you want. I think it adds an unnecessary layer of complexity in a defensive shooting. Yes, you can prove that the Zombie Max bullet is a Critical Defense bullet with a green insert, but you might still get asked why you bought that instead of the Critical Defense. "Did you think that it would be funny to shoot someone with this bullet, instead of the other?" This line of thought may seem excessively paranoid, but we carry guns to defend ourselves."

"If I did use Zombie Max and anyone questioned it, I would merely say it was because green is my favorite color."

6) Winchester Ranger

"My preferred carry is a 1911, and the round I settled on several years ago is the Winchester Ranger T-Series, RA45T. I like staying with 230-grains for the .45 ACP. When dress makes the full-size less practical, I'll generally go with a small form-factor 1911-style pistol with a 3-inch barrel. For that one, to help compensate for the short barrel, I use the Ranger T-Series RA45TP, the +P version. The downside is that the higher pressure in a much lighter gun makes follow-up shots more difficult. I feel I shoot it well enough to get the job done, and at five yards I'm just about equally fast. Move it to 15 yards with equal accuracy, and the full-sized 1911 is definitely faster."

7) Winchester PD-1 Defender


8) Federal Hydra-Shock


9) Corbon DPX

"I use Corbon DPX 110 grain in my PM9. Corbon makes some of the very best SD ammunition you can buy, and the solid copper DPX HP bullet holds together very well with good penetration."

10) Barnes Tax-XP


11) Remington Golden Saber


12) R.I.P. (Yes, that ammo)

"Wise as serpents, quiet as doves, and all that. If this "revolutionary" bullet design was all that and a bag of chips, professionals would be carrying it. They're not. Why? Unproven performance, and questions of liability. If they're not carrying it, you shouldn't either."

13) Glaser PowR'Ball


14) Hornady Custom


15) DRT (Dynamic Research Technologies, aka: Dead Right There)

"The only factory defensive ammo I use is DRT - selected by the very scientific method of finding a ton of it for an outstanding price, testing a box for function and finding it grouped well, then buying all I could get at under 15 dollars a box.
Its a bit gimmicky but it functions well in both my almost never carried .380 and my wifes p238. Some informal testing on a hanging coyote (already leaking from under its ears thanks to a propper 10mm hunting round) showed a nice ragged exit wound with plenty of damage to both sternum and internals."

16) Winchester Train & Defend (Defend)


17) Winchester White Box


18) Ball Ammunition (Non-Specific)

"I carry fmj in my Colt Mustang. I carry it as a backup at times in my pocket and when it is inconvenient to put my crossbreed and hi-power on. I believe fmj offers better more consistent penetration for that caliber. I may be wrong but that's my story and I'm sticking to it until I come up with a better one."

"in larger more powerful calibers, I still maintain that ball is a safety issue.....not because it won't feed or wound, but because of the fairly significant risk of over penetration and wounding/killing an innocent. As CHLs, our justification for carrying is "self-defense", not "self-defense at the expense of innocent third parties". We are not justified by military orders, and we are not operating under the mantle of law-enforcement authority. Accordingly, even if we drop the "energy dump" argument, there are very good reasons for finding and carrying a good-performing JHP that is as barrier blind as we are likely to need it to be, but not too barrier blind.

In any real world dynamic situation, we simply do not have control over what lies beyond the target. You cannot account for innocents unintentionally straying into the line of fire, or for the unexpected penetrability of the backstop, or for what might be going on five blocks down the street. Once you pull the trigger, you cannot recall the bullet, and you are going to be liable for what it does if it does not stop in your intended target. This is why ball ammo in .38 Special, .357 Magnum, 9mm, .40, and .45 caliber pistols is a singularly bad idea.......UNLESS there is simply nothing else available."

19) Custom Reloads

"Do so at your own risk. "Conventional wisdom" used to say that it wasn't a good idea simply because an overzealous prosecutor might turn that information against you in the event that you actually have to shoot someone with it. "What's the matter? The boolits our boys in blue use isn't deadly enough for you? You had to go cook up a private 'devastator' load? You some kind of murderous animal?" Conventional wisdom changes over time. There is nothing illegal about using handloads in your carry pistol. But be advised that there is no accounting for the mindset of a local prosecutor. Handloads might be no problem in your local jurisdiction, but you can never predict in which jurisdiction your self-defense shooting might take place. For sure, you can cook up a load that will perform more brilliantly in your pistol, but the reputable mainstream self-defense ammo manufacturers - Hornady, Corbon, Federal, Winchester, Remington, etc. - also have built their reputations on quality products, AND, they have the budget to test their products which, unless you are independently wealthy, you can't match."

"I just work up loads that work reliably in my various firearms - I am much more concerned about reliable feeding than I am about the minutia of terminal ballistics. That said, I am sitting on piles of Hornady XTP bullets in various calibers that I use for self-defense rounds."

"I carry my handloads in .45 and 10mm - hornady XTP in the .45 and hardcast in the 10mm"

20) Combination/Varies/Mixed/Other

"I have more than one carry pistol, and I use different loads in them..."

Recorded Statistics:

Hornady Critical Duty
21 Votes
16%

Federal Hydra-Shock
5 Votes
4%

Winchester Train & Defend
1 Votes
1%

Hornady Critical Defense/Zombie Max
20 Votes
15%

Speer Gold Dot
38 Votes
29%

Federal HST
26 Votes
20%

Remington Golden Saber
2 Votes
2%

Winchester Ranger
6 Votes
5%

Barnes Tac-XP
2 Votes
2%

Glaser Pow'RBall
1 Votes
1%

Hornady Custom
1 Votes
1%

Winchester PDX-1 Defender
6 Votes
5%

DRT
1 Votes
1%

RIP
2 Votes
2%


Total votes : 132

Ballistics/Expansion Pictures: (Provided by Forum Members)

[gljjt]

If you add choices to a poll, I think it resets the count. Maybe a previous pollster can confirm. I like Speer Gold Dots. I chose them at random once, shot them well and with good reviews decided to stick with them. Very scientific process, yes!!!!!!

[Charlies.Contingency]

If you add choices to a poll, I think it resets the count. Maybe a previous pollster can confirm. I like Speer Gold Dots. I chose them at random once, shot them well and with good reviews decided to stick with them. Very scientific process, yes!!!!!!

Well if you're going by trial and error, than I'd say you're doing alright if you haven't had error! If it Ain't broke, don't fix it!

[The Annoyed Man]

Problem is, I have more than one carry pistol, and I use different loads in them, so I can't answer the poll.

[Right2Carry]

Federal Hydra shok is outdated ammunition. Replace or add Federal HST.

[carlson1]

Federal HST in my Semi Autos.
Speer Gold Dot in my S&W revolver.

[Pawpaw]

Problem is, I have more than one carry pistol, and I use different loads in them, so I can't answer the poll.

Same here. I use Critical Defense in my short barrel carry guns and Critical Duty in my full size guns. I don't carry it any more, but I still have lots of Winchester PDX1 .45 ammo.

[Charlies.Contingency]

Federal Hydra shok is outdated ammunition. Replace or add Federal HST.

I added it, but it reset the poll.

[cheezit]

More often then not I carry a j frame. 110gr Hornady is great low flash low recoil round for me.
45 acp I use there 200gr +p. good velocity, no feed issues, accurate, and higher ftlb energy then 230gr.
9mm 115 or 127gr ranger t.
.40 135gr corbon.

[McKnife]

HST gets my vote... but my heart is with Winchester Rangers (Black Talon's preferably) because that's what I started with long ago (see avatar).

[Beiruty]

I carry Gold dots, second option is Federal HST, a super Ammo

[CoffeeNut]

I use Federal HST in the most guns so I selected that option. I also use Critical Defense and Hornady Custom in my .380 guns.

I've wanted to switch to Speer Gold Dots but I never find them on the shelves so I won't/can't switch over.

[C-dub]

I don't know if it's my preferred carry ammo, but PDX-1 is what I have now. I've had Hydra-shok. I don't know if one is better than the other and, thankfully, haven't had to find out.

I bought some Winchester Ranger +P T-series a little while back and then thought I read some bad things about them and have never carried or fired them. Does anyone know anything about this round? I may shoot a few to see how they cycle. Or just get some of the newer HST Federal rounds and shoot up my PDX-1's.

[Saffron]

None of the above.

[Javier730]

200gr Gold Dots in my Glock 21 and 165gr Gold Dots in my Glock 23.