Recently bought an SD9 and was wondering what others would consider carrying for a p/d load. Don't want to break the bank but want a quality load. My thoughts are these, not necessarily in this order.
Speer 115 gr Gold Dot
PMC Starfire 124 gr hp
Magtech 115 gr hp +p

If you guys have other suggestions by all means let's hear it, I know, I know don't trust your life to economy ammo but I'm not made of money.

Federal HST Look into it; opens into the biggest, prettiest petals you've ever seen every time.

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"... shall not be infringed."

Of those you listed, I would go with Speer.

Other good loads in addition to the mentioned HST are;

Corbon DPX
Winchester Ranger T 127 +P+
Remington Golden Saber

Try a bunch of different ones and use the one that you and the gun shoot best.

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Centennial Every Day

In my G17 I pefer

9mm Luger Winchester Supreme Elite 124gr +P Bonded PDX Ammo

its what the FBI uses and at 18bucks a box It dont break the bank.

I'm rather partial to the Speer 124gr Gold Dot +P. Dale

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"Long live the S&W 3rd. Gen.!"

My choice as well. It's my understanding that a lot of LEO's who still carry 9mm use these.

+1 on this...I'd definitely look into the HST...the ballistics testings will back it up as well. Not that the other rounds you have mentioned (or anyone else have mentioned) are bad, but the HST is pretty much at the top of the list.

Plus, unless you are planning on carrying a bunch of mags with you and such, you shouldn't need more than one or two boxes and shouldn't be replacing those boxes all that often, unless you are using these rounds as your practice ammo as well.

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Mat - M&P 40c & 40 Shield

i carry Winchester SXZ... and Federal Hydrashok

Hydrashok's for sure.

I like Hornady Critical Defense FTX; 115 gr for my 9mm and 110 gr for .38 Special. Decided on this because it caused the least kick in the wife and mine's J Frame Airweights of the the different brands I tried.

For your range ammo that you'll shoot a lot I understand cheap ammo but for defense that you'll only occaisionally fire at the range and hopefully never really need on the street, go with the good stuff.

Winchester White Box 147gr. JHP.

It's accurate and reliable out of my Browning Hi Power and Glock 19, and reasonably priced at Walmart.

220 gr. copper plated flat tip .45acp loaded to a 875fps velocity. In an area like Detroit, where a great many homicides are perpetrated from drive-bys or heavy, fat, winter-clothed punks, I prefer penetration guarantee to expansion and total retention of bullet weight. I also prefer not to practice with one round and defend with a different round, altogether.

Just mt way...

This is what I'd pick if I were carrying a 9mm. I'd also add Speer's Lawman version for a practice load.

I hear you all about quality ammo. This is my first 9mm so I am looking for input on what others are carrying. I use the 165 gr Hydro shock in my SA 1911 UC, and 125 gr Golden Sabre's in my 357 for factory ammo. My handloads for the 45 are 230 gr SXT's and 125 gr XTP's for the 357.

I use Buffalo Bore 147 grain +P+

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Hook686

Federal HST 147gr is what I carry in 9mm. I also like the Speer Gold dot 124+P. Bill

I use 124gr Remington Golden Sabers in my 5906, and they feed & function without issues--great expansion too.

I use 125gr Golden Saber .357 mag. in my Colt Magnum Carry 2".

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OHH NOOO!!!

It's a toss-up for me. Either Federal HST or Speer Gold Dot, both in 124 +P configuration. For a non-plus P load, I like Federal 115 gr. JHP (9BP).

9mm - Corbon 115 gr DPX

.38 spl - Corbon 110 gr DPX

Once I selected a decent hollowpoint bullet from a reputable manufacturer I would stop worrying about the bullet and more about my tactics.

THERE IS NO MAGIC BULLET!

Biker

In a footnote to my selection of ammo, I would say to you that my home defense ammo and my street carry are two different things. While I go with the heavy solid flat tip on the street... my bedside and home defense guns are loaded with Glasers. I take no chances with home safety and don't ever want to regret a "wild shot" penetrating walls.

If you have never seen the damage a Glaser can do to the human body, Google it up. There's no hesitation on my part to rely on them, completely.

for my 9mm's, I am sure that a lot of ammo is great, and I question no one's choice, but at the end of a lot of research and testing, this is my bet my butt on it load.

Could you please elaborate a bit more about your choice of "solid flat tip" as your on-the-street, SD rounds (vs JHP's, for example).

What would happen to an errant shot with a solid tip on the street? Recall: the elderly woman killed last year in her kitchen by the guy who was shooting at a runaway car thief and missed.

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MotorCityGun

Admittedly, the flat tip performs very much like ball. The exception is that flat tips do flatten to big-as-dimes when they come in contact with a solid mass and they do give up their energy a bit faster. As you know, I have never advocated everyone abandon JHP's - I have because of the high numbers of shooting from vehicles and the huge number of elephantine shooters in heavy winter garb. Is it possible I might miss? I suppose that possibility is near as great as that I might be killed, myself. Still, my whole concept of self defense eliminates the possibility of a gun fight at any distance. My philosophy restricts self defense to just that... at what would be considered normal defensive ranges. I hardly believe my abilities, tested as it were, at such ranges would result in a miss - but, yes, it is possible.

My opting for Glasers in the house is simply adding another layer of protection on family and neighbors. If there's a home invasion, however, I will not stop to try and reach the gun loaded with Glasers... the gun on my hip will suffice, nicely.

Hope this helps...

I like speer gold dot 124 +p and federal hst. I usually go with the gold dot mainly because it is easier to get my hands on it.

Hornady FTX
Gold Dots
Golden Sabres
... all fine rounds

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... life is good!!!

Our ballistics guys just spent a year testing everything under the sun and the Winchester Supreme Elite PDX1 147gr bonded JHP was at the top of the 9mm heap.

For folks using Hydra Shoks....find something else. They were a great improvement when they came out 20 years ago (give or take), but they aren't even close to being the best now.

As I now live in a town home with a common wall my nightstand revolver is loaded with the Federal brand treasury loads. My carry revolver a 4" M-19 is loaded with Speer 158Gr. .357 Magnum rounds.

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Always Stay Strong!

I second the Federal HST. It is the best. I carry the 124gr +P. Fiocchi has a new 92gr Mono-Block that is worth looking into. It has impressive expansion test. It has a massive center post core much larger than hydra shoks for penetration and the jacket opens impressively upon impact. It also has a 1300 fps muzzle velocity. The price is also right at 25 bucks for 50 rounds. I ordered some yesterday from ATG.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pbv-frtRqmw

I like the Federal Hydra-Shock

Gold Dot 135 gr designed specificly for the 2 inch barrel like my S&W 642, my primary carry.

Agreed....except it is in either my M&P340 or 340PD....

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GA Carry member
Vietnam Vet

There are only two I carry full time. SW 3913 loaded with 129gr+P Black Talons(Still have a few hundred rounds), second in my SW 640ND loaded with Federal 158SWCHP+P. As long as I do my part, they will do their's!

Cor-Bon 200 grain DPX .44 Special

or

Federal Hydra-Shok 230 grain .45 ACP

or

Speer Gold Dot 230 grain .45 ACP

or

Remington Golden Saber 230 grain .45 ACP

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~ S&WCA No.2159 ~

Golden Saber 185g out of a 3 inch barrel


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I carry Hornady Critical Defense 115gr 9mm in my 6906 and my Kel-Tec PF9. I read enough good things about them that I bought some and tried them, and I have yet to have an issue with them in either gun (and I've shot enough of them to be comfortable with that).

But, I think the reality of it is that any brand of SD ammo is probably good enough...it's getting shots on target that matters most.

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"I'm your huckleberry."

That.

I'd definately go with the GD's. They are the only brand I use in all of my carry weapons which are a Colt Commander (230 gr.), S&W 66 snub, .357 (158 gr.) and S&W 57 snub .41 mag. (210 gr.), with the CC being my main CCW. Saw the remains of a criminal shot to the chest a few years back by our local PD with a Glock 17 stuffed with 115 gr. GD's. He was hit 4 times but the chest shot put him down. Very impressive exit wound. I swapped over from Winchester Rangers to the GD's right after that. Worth every dollar per round IMO when it comes to you or your familes life!

As far as the money part goes practice with Winchester White Box ammo. Box of 100 can be had for $18.00 and occassionally (sp) practice with your carry round of choice for reliability and POI. MAKE SURE whatever brand you go with feeds reliably through your weapon before you start using it. I will not trust ANY ammo used for SD until I have shot 250 of the through my weapon to be absolutely sure it will feed reliably.

Hope this helps and stay safe.

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V/R
Roger / SG

9mm - +P Speer Gold Dot, 124gr
.40 - Federal HST 165gr

124gr Hydra Shocks or 147gr Gold Dots for 9mm 115gr +P+ Federal 9BPLE is also a good choice. Bottom line is what works best and give you the best point of aim hits. Lighter faster rounds print lower than heavier slower rounds.

Winchester Ranger-T
Winchester Ranger Bonded or the PDX1
Federal HST
Speer Gold Dot

Stick to the 147's or at a minimum the 124's. They will all meet FBI specs.

In a 9mm either 115 or 124 Gold Dot, In my 40 I use the 165 gn Gold Dot.

I'm issued Speer Gold Dot 125 HP in 357 Sig, so that's what I carry most of the time. Since the Speer ammo has worked so well for us, I generally use it in my 4506 (230 HP) and in my K and J-frames as well.

Well, for my 3913tsw, I moved to the Hornady Critical Defense 115 FTX. Shot off my 124 Remington Golden Sabres yesterday. Looked to try something different.

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5906tsw,MP15,Shield9/45,39-2

My wife's bedside gun is a M&P and is loaded with the new Hornaday Critical Duty 135 grain 9mm.

My bedside gun is looaded with plain ole 00-buck.

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NRA Certified Instructor

I've been using the Hornady Critical Defense loads in everything from .380 to .45. I need to find some of the Critical Duty loads for comparison.

38 special.....Speer GD SB 135gr.+P
357mag........Speer GD SB 135gr.Mag. & Win.145gr.STHP
9mm..........Speer GD 147gr.
45 Acp.......Speer GD 230gr.