Just picked up a SD9VE. This will be a home defense weapon and I would like to know what the experts here have found to be what the best HD ammo (JHP) is for this gun. I have tried a couple rounds of a Hornaday Custom 147Gr and also have some Federal Premium 124Gr and also Hornaday 115Gr Critical Defense. I'm leaning toward the heavier Hornaday 147Gr ammo for this gun.

What are others using?

Steve

Well, I am not an expert and I do not have a SD9VE but for my shield I bought Federal 135 grain Hydra Shok JHP Personal Defense ammo. I have been a big fan of Federal Hydra Shok for years and have it in my Shield, 3913, Baby Sigma 380, 640-1 and 681.

My SD9 is most accurate with 115gr so I use Hornaday critical defense.


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I like 124 gr gold dots,hydra-shoks but b/c i couldn't find any i bought the federal personal defense(blue box).

I also like the 124 grain Hydra Shocks in all of my 9mm semi auto's.

I use Hornady Critical Duty and Federal HST. I prefer the extra penetration of the Critical Duty and the expansion of the HST. Don't get me wrong, Critical Defense and Hydra-Shok are definitely great defense ammo, it's just that these are my personal preference.

You can search for test results and find plenty of good reviews and videos that will help you to decide but here are a couple of quick links.

Bill

The difference between Critical DUTY® & Critical DEFENSE® - Hornady Manufacturing, Inc
Federal Premium Ammunition - Handgun

I loaded Hornady Critical Duty 135gr. in one mag and Winchester PDX1 Defender 124gr. +P in the other.

I prefer to stick with JHP's that have a proven track record of effectiveness on dirtbags rather than what they look like after being shot into 10% ordinance gelatin. For me, that's either 124 or 147 grain Gold Dots.

Critical Duty Test Pic^

Im also for critical duty 135grn +p ammo. That is my carry ammo in all my guns, its proven, its reliable, and it packs a wallop for a 9mm. Hydrashok can clog or over penetrate but i use it as a backup round. My last resort i use the 124grn speer gold dots or winchester silvertips

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please care, use hollowpoints

critical duty is what i use as defense rounds in my .40 and 9mm pistols

The current thinking is that whatever caliber you settle on, go with the heaviest bullet in a recent PREMIUM load that complies with the FBI ammo protocol.

Thus, in 9mm, use Winchester RA9T (if you don't need to pentrate auto glass) or RA9B (if you need bonded to do better in auto glass). In .40 S&W, get Winchester PDX-1 180 grain or the Q load equivalent, which is the Q4369. In .45 ACP, use Winchester PDX-1 in 230 grain or the Federal 230 grain Hydra Shok or HST.

Or a frozen ham....

Here is some good info from a real ballistics expert on service caliber ammo.

Service Caliber Handgun Duty and Self-Defense Ammo

Golden Saber Bonded 124gr +P or Federal HST. Either one is excellent if it functions well in your pistol.

I'm a big fan of Federal HST. Great expansion and penetration.

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SD9VE
M&P .45

Anything jhp is a good anti person round. Whatever feeds and shoots good in your gun. I use hornady zombies in my 40, and 230 grain bonded hollow points in my 45.

I like 12 gauge buckshot for home defense, mainly because the home has no size limits. In a car you've got size limits and for carry you have a comfort limit and concealed carry is size, shape, weight, shape limits all for comfort...

Concealed on me is either a 9mm or 40 s&w, in the car or open carry is a 1911, and in the house is always a rifle or shotgun.

the original point and click interface, by Smith and Wesson

Ditto, I use the Federal Hydra Shok

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This Signature is too Short!

Some of the loads mentioned, such as the Hydrashock and the 147gr XTP, are actaully poor choices due to demonstrated performance in both gel and bad guys.

My department used to issue the Sigma years ago, then and now your duty ammo was the 124gr +P Gold Dot. This load has a long and well proven track record.

Any loading on the list from the link that Ape Hanger posted is ideal.

For non-LE use the Critical Defense has also proven to perform well in testing, it just doesn't do well through auto glass.

I'll add that the Critical Duty ammo has proven so far to be low expansion and rather high penetration.

I have chosen Hornady Critical Defense for home defense in both 9mm (115gr) and 40 S&W (165gr).

I have an SDVE 40 CAL. like it myself. Just getting into shooting handguns again little by little.

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NRA/VFW Life USN MCPO Retired.

Currently using Gold Dot 124gr +p

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Aim small miss small

I have an SD9VE, along with a couple of Springfield striker fired pistols.
As I'm sure you're aware, the SD9VE is a budget pistol. Mine does not feed reliably with hollow points. FMJ rounds are fine. With JHP's, every once in a while, a round will fail to go into battery. Not what you want in a self defense gun!
Soooooo... I load it with powerball ammo. These are basically hollow points with polymer inserts in the hollow point. They feed like FMJ ammo and are *supposed* to expand like hollow points.
You need to invest some $$ at the range by running a couple boxes of your choice of self defense ammo to make sure it feeds reliably in your gun.

My money is spent on reloading the 9mm. My choice, "Berry's Bullets 9mm RN with either 4.0 grains of Bullseye or 4.5 of Winchester 231. Haven't had to pull down on anyone and hope not to. Targets and a few small predators is all I have shot, hundreds of rounds in a EAA Witness, Walther PPK, and a Browning Hi-Power. Prefer to shoot the Browning or the Witness and their characteristics are very similar. The Walther was my backup weapon during law enforcement years.

You should be having no issues whatsoever with hollowpoints, if you are then you may want to have the pistol serviced.

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This Signature is too Short!

Gold dot, gold dot, gold dot...

1. Pick a hollow point round that is availability in quantity and at a price that you can practice with and test for reliability. This is generally quite a bit more ammo than a couple of 20rd boxes.

2. Learn to shoot.

You can split hairs about projectiles all day long but for the most part the hollow point rounds perform pretty much the same for home defense - an unarmored frontal attacker. Look at the permanent wound cavities - not enough difference to make a difference. You don't have automobile glass propped up inside your home do you? Not shooting thru car doors?

If the choice were 40 rounds of the latest and greatest super-marketed hollow point round, or 500 rounds of ole classic federal 9BP 115 grain JHP… I recommend you select the latter.

Who DOESN'T have auto glass in there house? Pfftt.

Corbon DPX and Federal BPLE both 115gr.

I'm using m,y M&P9c. I've loaded it with frangible ammo. Seen a number of you tube video ballistic gel tests and seems to be OK plus it's probably safer in the home in avoiding collateral damage

Check tnoutdoors9 YouTube channel for some excellent reviews of SD ammo. My favorite loads atm are critical defense 135g, and gold dot 124g or 147g

I have an affinity for model 59's, actually I like all the 59 series handguns, for self defense I load them with Hornady Critical Duty 135gr +P rounds.

Remarks about over penetration about Critical dutys 9mm 135grn +p-it depends on barrel length. My carry guns are 3" and 4" so there would be a loss in velocity and penetration, making it a perfect carry load. My home defense guns with 4" and 5" barrels, make for higher velocity where drywall and other materials may get in the way of shots at night. Plus the low to no flash helps quite a bit, if youve fired at a pitchblack room you'll understand what i mean.

Its a great round and i recomend it for defense of any kind

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please care, use hollowpoints

For my home defense I have an sd40ve.I use MagSafe #40d defender

I chose to put ~ 100 of the GS 124g (GS9MMB, non +P) through my 9VE to make sure it "liked" them (not that it hasn't liked everything so far) and now have 2 specific mags full of them that I set aside for HD duty-only...no taking to the range or anything. I chose the GS9MMBs mainly because I can buy them nearby, I don't see a need for the over-pressured variety, and they aren't too expensive here. Most importantly, I'm relatively certain they are as good as many modern defensive 9mm rounds or close enough. I'd probably use the 147g GS if more places nearby carried them but too many stores seem to think they are "boutique" ammo or something and when they do, they are way overpriced. Always choose HD ammo you wouldn't have to get off the Internet to take days for you to get if you can help it is my way of thinking, and if you must...make sure its what you want and get a crapload all at once.

I still gloat about the fantastic price on the SD9VE, but more importantly, it is an impeccable piece that functions flawlessly. As for home defense ammo, I shot every kind of ammo, cheap and expensive ---all of them work without any problems. But, I finally settled for Walmart's hollow point 9mm. I'm not concerned about stopping power as I have 15 rounds to neutralize the threat. What more important is where the round will land; hence, a hollow point. Shoot your gun often and it will tell you which Brand/type of ammo it likes.

Shorter barrels often mean, with JHP ammo, less expansion, which means MORE penetration, not less.


Many of the rounds being suggested, such as the Federal BPLE, have a proven history of failing to expand when going through a heavy clothing barrier.

i use 135 gr critical duty in carry and home defense.
concerned with overpenetration with lighter loads.

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A&M'61,NRAlife'61.

Recommend Hornady Critical Duty 135g +P

in order of preference

1 Hornady critical duty 135 grain +P

2 Hornady tap FPD 147 grain +P ( my absolute favorite load in all calibers, particularly the .45 230 grain +P version this would be # 1 but local stores seem to have dumped it in favor of the Critical duty)

3 Winchester PDX 1 147 grain.

That is the order of my list based on what is available to me locally.

As the post above stated anything heavy for caliber and proven to expand.

Expansion is the whole point of HP ammo but sometimes does not penetrate deep enough to meet standards. This is where the heavy for caliber part comes into play as heavier rounds tend to penetrate better even after expansion.

critical duty is awesome, the 135GR 9mm is good for any full size pistol. the critical defense is for the smaller carry pistols. id go with duty for a sd9ve which has a 4 inch barrel. never had any issues with it in my pistols

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Fugitive Recovery Agent

How about my G20 10mm with 175gr Critical Duty, is my HD/SD CCW....=BOOM.!

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