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Looking to buy new carry ammo, mine is getting a little old and it is time to cycle something new into my everyday carry. Right now i carry Federal 128gr hypershock 9MM.
Just curious as to what everyone else caries and why.

I use Hornady Crirical Duty. Second choice Hydra-Shok.

I carry Speer Gold Dot 9mm 124gr JHP. I began using it after it was recomended by a firearm instructor at certification class years ago. He was also a Game Warden and advised that he carried Speer Gold Dot as his duty round. At the time I did not have a preference so took his advice. Most of my coworkers carry it in their duty weapons although the caliber and grain varies.

Hornady Critical Duty 135gr +p primarily. I have some winchester 115gr jhp's and Federal 115gr jhp for backup for when I cant find the critical duty.

I've long been a Federal Hydra-Shok carrier.
Why is because I did a lot of research and a good bit of testing in the early to mid nineties and decided that's what I wanted.
I know there are newer designs out there now and some may be superior, but until I can work up to some more research and more testing, I'm not changing.

In my full-size, double-stack .40, I carry 155-gr Hydra-Shoks. (Have been known to carry the 180-gr, but the 155 seems to me like a better balance of bullet weight vs. velocity.)

In my 3-in, aluminum frame .45, I carry 165-gr "Personal Defense" Hydra-Shoks.
(At 165-gr and a claimed 1060 fps, it's more like a .40 S&W load than a .45 ACP. Kicks like a 9mm in my little Kimber. I have not chrono'd it. I bet they tested it with a 5-in barrel and it probably doesn't launch quite that fast from my 3-incher, but it's still pretty impressive. I have done penetration and expansion tests and the hole it makes is surprising for how little recoil it has.)
When I get my larger, steel-framed .45, I'll probably stoke it with 230-gr Hydra-Shok.

My .380 LCP is loaded with Hornady Critical Defense 90-gr. But before I was able to locate some of that, I carried it with 90-gr Hydra-Shoks.

Has 9mm availability eased up at all?

I haven't seen hollow points in a brick and mortar store in a long, long time. I am currently carrying 147 grain Federal Premium Hydra-Shok that I bought a couple 20 round boxes of before the ammo shortage and before I was really thinking about what ammo I would want to carry.

I want to get new ammo but have felt sort of stuck given the ammo shortage. If I could lay my hands on a couple 20 round boxes of 124g speer gold dot +P "short barrel" (I carry a G26) I'd carry that, although I figure the Hydra-Shok is "good enough" - but I've never really known too much about ammo.

I carry exploding dum-dum cop killer bullets!

Of course to the anti-rights crowd who would rather see you dead, everything is an exploding dum-dum cop killer bullet.

My .45 ACP carry choice is Federal Hydra-shok as well, since I can afford to practice with it more than Hornady Critical Duty and some other "premium" carry choices.

My 9mm carry choice currently is Federal Classic 9mm +P+ Hi-shok 115 gr. only because it was left to me by my late Uncle who was retired LEO (and i have some for sale in the market section ::wink wink nudge nudge::). My Kahr isn't rated for +P+ so I'm hesitant to shoot too much of it through the gun. So I will probably go with some 9mm Hydra Shok as well.

I would recommend you buy in the 50 rd box size if possible. It is best to have a quantity in the same lot number for consistancy and potential response in a criminal trial if used. It is also cheaper per round. SG tends to carry 50 rd boxes in most defensive loads, just a little scarce now do to the frenzy.

http://www.sgammo.com/catalog/pistol-am ... n/9mm-9x19" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

anomie wrote:Has 9mm availability eased up at all?

I haven't seen hollow points in a brick and mortar store in a long, long time. I am currently carrying 147 grain Federal Premium Hydra-Shok that I bought a couple 20 round boxes of before the ammo shortage and before I was really thinking about what ammo I would want to carry.

I want to get new ammo but have felt sort of stuck given the ammo shortage. If I could lay my hands on a couple 20 round boxes of 124g speer gold dot +P "short barrel" (I carry a G26) I'd carry that, although I figure the Hydra-Shok is "good enough" - but I've never really known too much about ammo.

http://www.ammunitiondepot.com/CCI-Spee ... 3617-a.htm

50 count for $31 and change...

I like gold dots...

Why:
1. they function (and impact at my POA) in my carry guns and the 50 rd boxes make it reasonably cost effective to function test (a couple boxes) and practice with them. 2. the test data available suggests they are very good rounds.

Whatever you buy, I would suggest only purchasing what you can get in 50 round boxes... you'll save a lot of money in the long run.

RogueUSMC wrote:

anomie wrote:Has 9mm availability eased up at all?

I haven't seen hollow points in a brick and mortar store in a long, long time. I am currently carrying 147 grain Federal Premium Hydra-Shok that I bought a couple 20 round boxes of before the ammo shortage and before I was really thinking about what ammo I would want to carry.

I want to get new ammo but have felt sort of stuck given the ammo shortage. If I could lay my hands on a couple 20 round boxes of 124g speer gold dot +P "short barrel" (I carry a G26) I'd carry that, although I figure the Hydra-Shok is "good enough" - but I've never really known too much about ammo.

http://www.ammunitiondepot.com/CCI-Spee ... 3617-a.htm

50 count for $31 and change...

Thank you, sir!

anomie wrote:

RogueUSMC wrote:

anomie wrote:Has 9mm availability eased up at all?

I haven't seen hollow points in a brick and mortar store in a long, long time. I am currently carrying 147 grain Federal Premium Hydra-Shok that I bought a couple 20 round boxes of before the ammo shortage and before I was really thinking about what ammo I would want to carry.

I want to get new ammo but have felt sort of stuck given the ammo shortage. If I could lay my hands on a couple 20 round boxes of 124g speer gold dot +P "short barrel" (I carry a G26) I'd carry that, although I figure the Hydra-Shok is "good enough" - but I've never really known too much about ammo.

http://www.ammunitiondepot.com/CCI-Spee ... 3617-a.htm

50 count for $31 and change...

Thank you, sir!

Anything for a friend...lol

I buy 50 counts of my 230 gr .45 ACP+P from them for less that I have paid ANYWHERE else for 20 count...they kinda stick you on shipping but it is still cheaper...

In 9mm Speer Gold Dots. I'm good with 124 gr +P short barrel or 147 gr.

I DO NOT carry Hornady Critical Defense in 9mm. Critical Duty is acceptable I think, but Critical Defense in 9mm is somewhat underpowered. Just my opinion.

Oh yeah, Corbon DPX 124 +P is also GTG in 9mm

In 45 I prefer Winchester PDX1 230 gr (although I assume Speer GD would be fine too, just haven't tried)

In 40, I prefer the Hornady Critical Defense 165gr or the Speer GD 165gr.

Interesting that this subject came up today. A Facebook friend has a new business and just sent out an ad for Liberty 9mm +P 50 Grain HP. I had to ask him "50 grain? Is that a typo?"
Did a little more research - this is a lead free frangible round. Muzzle velocity 2000 fps @ 444 ft lbs, with an effective range of 25 meters. The price for a box of 20 was $24.99 so it is competitive with other 9mm personal defense. Some other web sites said that it has the stopping power of other critical defense ammo.
I kind of wonder what possible legal problems would arise from using frangible ammo in a self defense situation.