No, this isn't another "Can I shoot +P or +P+ with my SD?" thread.

I was at the range today, and I asked one of the range/store employees if he had any recommendations for a 9mm defense round. He asked me what weapon it was for, and when I told him I had an SD9, he frowned and mumbled something about SD's being "picky about ammo."

I completely ignored the comment at the time because I assumed he was just being a gun snob because I didn't spend $800+ on a Sig or $500+ on a Glock.

So tell me, is he full of it? Or is there some truth to his statement?

I don't know about the 9mm version but my SD40 eats all the bang bang food I give it. It chews it all up and spits it all out without choking.

I've fired speer gold dots, winchester pdx1, PMC Bronze FMJs, Fiocchi FMJs, Federal Hydra-Shoks, and many other brands and have not had a malfunction yet.

He may have just been trying to get you to buy the most expensive stuff he had.

I personally love the 180gr Speer Gold Dots and Winchester PDX1s

Right now I carry Gold Dots, but I'm thinking about switching to the PDX1s.

I have a SD9 and have fired blazer, winwb, S & B, federal, and many others through it with no trouble. I have also shot Georgia arms reloads through it. I suggest trying different ones and seeing which one does best for you.

Sometimes it depends on the gun I have a sigma 9mm and so does my buddy I can run anything but he cant feed WWB PP. Just buy a box of what ever you personally like then make sure it will function 100% with at least 50 rounds of that ammo

I think the guy was just being an A.H. IMO there is no reason an SD, Sigma, whatever shouldn't shoot darn near anything. I know that doesn't always happen in the real world, but if that's the case, something's wrong.

Well, so far I've only got 200 rounds through it. 100 rounds of 115gr Federal FMJ and 100 rounds of 115gr TulAmmo FMJ, and it's eaten it all flawlessly.

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My SD 40 eats everything -- even the reloads I make for it (dimensions, um, sometimes vary -- less now than previously -- I'm still learning).

Whatever self-defense ammo you chose, recommend putting a box of it through your SD (or any other pistol) with zero reliability problems before you "depend" on it.

Then shoot it periodically.

A major flaw with self-defense ammo is that people carry it, chamber it, take it out, put it back in, etc., a lot of times without realizing they can change the set back of the bullet and affect reliability and even ballistics. I believe the advice that self-defense ammo, even though expensive, should be fired and stocks rotated.

I'll keep that in mind.

Thanks for the advice!

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My experience with hand loads is to always use the Lee Factory Crimp Die. It will not "set back", especially my loads for the 300WBY Magnum...

JP

I heard a sales clerk at my gun range tell a newby, "We don't sell Ruger pistols because they aren't built well and are unreliable." I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying anything. It's his range.
My take on self defense ammo is, get a decent self defense ammo. The difference between the different brands are not that significant. The ammo I keep in my 9mm is just some I found at the gun store. Winchester Supreme Elite 124gr Hydra-shoks or something like that.
Massad Ayoob interviewed a South Africa LEO who used 9mm 115gr FMJs because he has too. He's been in many gun fights. He says the type of ammo is less important than hitting your target. I can't argue with that but I'm sure if he could he would use a different round.
Sometimes I wonder if ammo is like fishing lures. They make'em pretty, not for the fish but to for the fisherman. I have ammo with Gold Dots on the tips, I don't know if that gold dot makes it any deadlier or not.

My SD9 has not had a single issue with any ammo I've fed it, Herters, Wolf, PMC, Federal, Speer, etc. Was he looking down his nose at you while he said it?