We spend a lot of energy talking about what are the best defense loads, but sometimes what we actually use is different. So, for those with .40 S&Ws, what factory load are you actually loading it with when you want to be sure you make it through the night? Why that load and what role does your confidence level play in the decision, as opposed to what the gunwriters recommend.

Winchester Supremes and Remington Golden Sabres, both in 165 grain.

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VIVERE MILITARE EST

Hornaday TAP 155 grain. Because I feel the lower grain weight is less "snappy" in the recoil, helping me keep control more effectively.

Federal 180grain HST.

Hornady Critical Defense, 165 grain.

180 gr. JHP Winchester Bonded PDX1, 15 rounds for EDC, I perfer a heavier slug.

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2nd Admen.-Right to bear AR 's

I carry the same loads most of the time, although I occasionally carry the Rem. Golden Saber in 165 Grn. Both function very well through my Sigma's.

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NRA Pistol,PPITH,PPOTH&TASER

When I carry a .40, it's the 180 grain bonded Golden Saber.

I carried a Glock 22 from 2001-2010 on duty and was issued the Speer 180gr Gold Dot. When I used my Glock 23/27/24 off duty, I used the Georgia Arms 180gr Gold Dot since I was able to easily get their ammo at good prices (good enough to shoot it every so often during practice).

Unless I needed to get some ammo locally (nowhere close to GA), I would stick with the GA arms 180gr.

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I miss my 4546 the most.

155gr gold dot .

Double Tap 165gr or Fed HST 180.

I only shoot 180gr for both target and HD load. Shot some Magtech 155gr and was much higher recoil, didn't care for it, so ended up with Winchester PDX1 bondeds in both my .40s and 9mm

135 grain Cor-Bon.

Double tap 155 gr. gold dot.

Gotta side with Mas on this one, carry what the local boys carry. I recently talked to the Captain over road patrol for our SO. He mentioned that when they had to stop a bad guy recently the Winchester Ranger T did exactly as they are supposed to do.

So it's Ranger T 180's for me.

Cheers,
Sam

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Beware the man with one gun...

Winchester STX 180gr

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Srigs

I carry the 180 gr. Gold Dot but have no confidence in it due to its stunning lack of penetration out on the street. If I had a choice I'd carry the 180 gr. FMJFP which I know penetrates.

Dave Sinko

2nd that...

Remington UMC: 180 gr. JHP

Speer Gold Doy and Golden Sabres. I bought a box of 50 Winchester Ranger SXT, but I haven't carried them yet.

Winchester 155 gr. silvertip HP

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JR

I shoot those a lot, but man they sure do have a muzzle flare! My stepson asked "Are there supposed to be sparks coming out of the pistol?" lol...

155 or 180 Speer Gold Dots in a Glock 23.

While I rarely carry a .40 these days, I have some in the past. I have carried Cor-Bon 135gr. JHP, Federal 155gr. Hydra-Shok, and 155 and 165 gr. Gold Dots, both by Speer and by Double Tap. I can't say I felt any better protected with any one of them over the others.

165 grain gold dots currently.

Winchester Ranger RA40T 180gr.

Local PD uses that round and it makes the bad guys no longer be bad guys.

Duty weapon I carry 180 grain Winchester SXT.

My personal .40 I carry 180 grain Winchester Black Talons. I bought a case of them on sale when they quit making them. I've been very impressed with the Black Talons and the SXT's (Same eXact Thing).

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- Change it back -

165 grain Winchester SXT...

155 grain HSTs.

As in any caliber, the round that shoots at point of aim and with a very tight group for a specific specimen handgun.

11 Federal 135 gr JHP's in the pistol and 10 Winchester 180 gr FMJ in the spare, just in case I need x-tra penetration.

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MotorCityGun

I carry what I can find which is Winchester White Box 180gr FMJ.

Back in 1978 Jeff Cooper told me to carry FMJFP in 45 auto. I find they will work in a 40 also. Used them on deer and hogs. To me it just depends on what you are shooting. I live out in the country so mostly I carry FMJFP. I use round nose only at last resort.

165 gr. Ranger T (RA40TA) or the bonded version (RA40BA) through a 3.6" barrel

Speer 165 grain Gold Dots in a Sig P239. Also have a stock of 180 grain Ranger-T's for the house gun but chose the lighter round for the shorter barrel in the Sig, theory being that the lighter round will give me a bit more velocity.

I am really curious as to exactly what you are referring to. I know of dozens of OISs where this round was used to great effect, including several at a large agency down the road from me where they have used the 180gr GD for many years.

In my observation this round tends to go all the way through large men and often exit, or at least lodge near the far side.

We use 9mm here on my job, but good friends who have used the 180gr GD have reported that it works very well.


I have seen the effects of numerous FMJFP .40 hits of various brand and grain weight, on various persons, and I have been terribly unimpressed. These rounds also display WAY too much penetration for anti-bad guy use IMHO.


… and just to stay with the original question; 180gr Gold Dots, 180gr Ranger-T, or the same in 165gr as well as the Golden Saber in that weight bullet.
But I haven't carried a .40 in a couple of years now.

I carry Remington Golden sabre 180grain Hollow points. I like the bigger grain bullets.

Federal Hydra Shoks until about a year ago when they became hard to get...switched to 180 Gold Dots. Will probably go back to Hydra Shoks when it's time for resupply...soon.

Hornady 165 gr. Critical Defense.

http://www.hornady.com/store/critical_defense

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Retired Police, Life NRA

They give me Winchester 180 gr bonded. Our range guys say this is the new FBI load. I don't know about that, but it shoots real good out of our issue 226s or 229s.

At this time I'm using Winchester Supreme Elite PDX1's at 165 gr.

I really like these in my 4040PD and the gun shoots them very well. It's an old load and sometimes people make fun of them, but I wouldn't want to get in the way of one of them either.

Glock 22 + Speer 180gr Gold Dot. Works good for me. Shot over 1500 rounds of the Gold Dot and 1000 Rounds of Lawman 180 TMJ in this weapon with no problems. Most of them with a TLR-1 light attached.

I had a different Glock 22 + Winchester Ranger 155. Weapon was unreliable with the TLR-1 light attched. Without the light, no malfunctions at all @ 1000 rounds. With the light, 10% malfunction rate, go figgure?

When I carry my S&WM&P40 I load it with Federal 165grain HST.

Winchester 165 grain SXT. Carried it before I retired and had occasion to dump a few hogs and whatnot with it. I have chronographed it at 1080+ from my Glock 27, so you could say I have confidence in it.

It works...enough said.

Only Speer 180 gr Gold Dots for me!

Speer 165gr Gold Dots on duty in my 4046TSW cause that's what I'm issued and I know they work.

In .40, 38 Special, and 9mm. Maybe I'm in a rut!

165 Golden Sabers in both M&P's.

180 gr. Federal Hydoro shocks