Do you shoot the same grain bullet at the range as what you carry or use elsewhere? I shoot 115gr at the range.

Yes. 115 grain isn't one of my standard weights.

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Dave Brown
SWCA #3279

Welcome to the Forum

I shoot many different weight projectiles at the range.

However the ammunition that I have been carrying in my defensive firearms has not changed in many years.

I use the same gr bullet at the range, plinking and hiking protection.

I shoot 230 gr. HP and carry the same in my 1911's!

I have started to slightly favor doing so, but I am not convinced that there's any great reason to do so.

For 9mm, I still have some 115 gr around, but I've largely started buying 124 gr (same as defense load I use). For .40, I still have some 165 gr around, but am now buying 180 gr (same as defense loads).

Honestly, not sure it makes any difference at all, and I would not pass up a screaming deal on bullets of a different weight than my chosen SD rounds.

I'm an experimenter and I shoot some things most people wouldn't for fun. Either in my .38, .357 or 9mm my choice is a medium weight hollow point, Speer Short Barrel Bullets, Hodgdon XTPs. My defensive ammo may not be exactly the same load or brand but it will be about the same performance.

My .357 loads are very light .357 loads, better than a 38 +P but not the blast and recoil in the house.

My .38s range from high standard to +P

My 9mm are high end staandard.

I clock these with a Chronograph to make sure I'm getting the right velocity out of each gun I use for defense.

I don't worry about P.O.I. too much. A couple of inches vertical group is still well withing the Center of Mass. I harp more on not pulling right or left. But like I said, my loads are all similar so I don't have much vertical error.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

For the most part, yeah, but I don't think it really makes much difference in terms of POA/POI, at least at typical SD distances. Possibly in the recoil department. With my 642, I carry the Speer 135gr SB-GDHP +P. I do most of my practice with PMC 132gr FMJ. Similar bullet weight, different recoil. I also use Speer Lawman 158gr TMJ +P. Much different bullet weight, but it kicks similarly to the SB-GDHP.

My Beretta 92FS is loaded with Federal 147gr HST and I've been using Speer Lawman 147gr TMJ for range use. But I've also used 115gr FMJ (S&B, IIRC).

It's probably a good idea to use practice ammo that's equivalent to your carry ammo in terms of felt recoil, or actually use your carry ammo, periodically. But big picture it's probably not going to make a big deal, unless you're doing something like doing all your practice with a .22 but carrying full-house .44 Magnum.

Since my weapon is shared with the family members at the range.....

All types of ammo is used in all of them, to keep them all happy.
Last time I checked, the 38 snubs had four different weight bullets being used for SD.

The 9mm's had three different weight bullets on last talks.

We all feel different on what is needed but do try to save the
higher priced SD ammo if possible.

No. I buy in bulk so that means whatever is relatively cheaper. I don't notice much of a difference in accuracy

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

All grains are the same. Takes 7000 of them little buggers to make up a pound.

"Do you shoot the same weight bullet ..." would be more to the point.

Yes, I carry the same weight bullet that I use for practice and at a similar velocity too.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

At the range I shoot the same ammo I use in my EDC. I want to perfect my se if that ammo since my life could depend upon it. It is more expensive than what I could shoot, but a few extra bucks for ammo that you might have to defend your with seems OK to me. I also shoot no more than 100 rounds on any 1 hour range use.

Short answer is yes. Carry 230gr jhp in 1911 SA and 240gr jhp in 44 sp. S&W. Will shoot 22lr, 22mag, 38sp, 357mag at times. Never been to a civilian range, a benefit of living in the country with no close neighbors.

I reload 124s for my 9mm and use factory 124s when carrying; in 38 I reload 158s and use factory 158s when carrying.