Winchester Ranger SXT (later the "T-series") is the "de-branded" version. They have some other successors, but I still have some SXTs and like them.
What is top shelf 9mm self-defense ammo these days.
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Doug M.
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Use your favorite search engine and find the recommendations from Doc Roberts (the intellectual successor to Doctor Fackler). There is a pretty good selection of 9mm, and I think your current ammo is among the loads that meet the standard. Buy at least 1000 rounds and do a 500 round (consecutive without malfunctions) function test.
500 rounds!?!?!? Per each carry gun?!?!?
I have 4 pistols in 9mm that are my primary self-defense handguns!
I'd be broke!
The debate goes on. But in reality, take "any" JHP and run it faster than the other brands and no one can prove the slower rounds are more effective.
That said, I have lots of premium ammo. Golden Saber, HST, Silvertips, White Box-lol, Federal, Fiocci, S and B, Hornady and others.
Retired from 2 military branches and wore 4 badges in my lifetime. I do not care, just the fastest JHP I can find.
I like Corbon and Underwood and Buffalo Bore but only buy a few. And I have a few Talons left...
That said, I have lots of premium ammo. Golden Saber, HST, Silvertips, White Box-lol, Federal, Fiocci, S and B, Hornady and others.
Retired from 2 military branches and wore 4 badges in my lifetime. I do not care, just the fastest JHP I can find.
I like Corbon and Underwood and Buffalo Bore but only buy a few. And I have a few Talons left...
Bozz10mm
US Veteran
I like the Federal HST 124 gr. It seems to be a good compromise between velocity, penetration, expansion and recoil.
It would seem that the 9mm defense ammo should be well-sorted by now since it is probably the most used defensive round out there. My preference is either 115 or 124 +P ammo from most any of the better makers---I don't use 147 ammo because it's just too slow! I have plenty of HST, Gold Dots and Golden Saber stashed away, as well as some boxes of Federal 115 +P+ JHPs and the earlier HOT Corbon 115 +P JHPs (not the current lead-free version) laying around too... I'm sure anything shot with these rounds will be hurtin' plenty...
walkin' trails
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You don't hear so much about failures to stop anymore. That would mean that in the real world, most conventional configuration hollow points are either working or nobody's writing about it currently.
After carrying +P+, Hydra Shoks, Rangers, G2, and polymer points over the years in weights from 115 all the way up to 147 (in 9mm), my go-to today is 115 grain Gold Dot standard pressure cause it doesn't beat my hand as bad when shooting it thru the small frame pistols I carry. I still have 124 grain +P from Gold Dot and HST, as well as a bit of Hornaday 135 grain +p Critical Duty. The Hornady recoils more softly than the Gold Dot HST 124 +p. I've heard it doesn't expand as reliably from three inch barrels as it does from four inch.
But in the end, nothing's magic and it all revolves around shot placement.
After carrying +P+, Hydra Shoks, Rangers, G2, and polymer points over the years in weights from 115 all the way up to 147 (in 9mm), my go-to today is 115 grain Gold Dot standard pressure cause it doesn't beat my hand as bad when shooting it thru the small frame pistols I carry. I still have 124 grain +P from Gold Dot and HST, as well as a bit of Hornaday 135 grain +p Critical Duty. The Hornady recoils more softly than the Gold Dot HST 124 +p. I've heard it doesn't expand as reliably from three inch barrels as it does from four inch.
But in the end, nothing's magic and it all revolves around shot placement.
I think the gun community tends to WAY overthink this issue. As pointed out above, they've pretty much cracked the code on 9mm/expansion/penetration, and there are numerous, high-quality options available that are all more than sufficient. Beyond a certain point, it seems to diverge from function and effectiveness, and starts to simply become obsession.
Years ago, I grabbed a couple boxes of the "latest/greatest", the Fed. HST's, but have had them ammo-canned ever since. Instead I've mostly been loading my SD mags with these archaic Hydra-Shoks. I sure hope I don't run across any home invaders wearing blocks of ballistic gel covered with 4 layers of denim !!!!
Years ago, I grabbed a couple boxes of the "latest/greatest", the Fed. HST's, but have had them ammo-canned ever since. Instead I've mostly been loading my SD mags with these archaic Hydra-Shoks. I sure hope I don't run across any home invaders wearing blocks of ballistic gel covered with 4 layers of denim !!!!
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TexasJackKin
Member
This is an often-debated question, the correct answer is, "It Depends." Is the bad guy 6 foot 2inches, 110-pound meth head wearing a t-shirt, or a 6 foot 4 inches, 360-pound offensive lineman that's just been cut form the Las Vegas raiders, wearing a leather jacket, heavy flannel shirt and long underwear in the dead of winter?
There's not a "on size fits all" situations solution. Pick a good hollow point from a reputable manufacturer that you know runs well in your gun.
The odds of needing to shoot someone in self defense are low, but never zero, the odds of your round being effective are high but never 100%.
Good hits in a high-pressure encounter is more important than having the perfect projectile for the situation.
There's not a "on size fits all" situations solution. Pick a good hollow point from a reputable manufacturer that you know runs well in your gun.
The odds of needing to shoot someone in self defense are low, but never zero, the odds of your round being effective are high but never 100%.
Good hits in a high-pressure encounter is more important than having the perfect projectile for the situation.
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Long ago the Federal 9BPLE was the way to go. A couple of points: First and foremost bullet design has come a looooong way. Screaming velocities aren't needed for good expansion anymore. Secondly, my chronograph didn't see the claimed velocities. That said, I typically pick the +P version as the loadings pretty much produce similar velocities to ammo loaded to CIP specs.
Lt.Donn
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Winchester Ranger bonded SXT is more difficult to acquire than Speer or Federal HST but I think it is the one along with HST (& gold dots) that have a " street-proven" record...I know there are a lot of new players in the ammo industry, but I trust those three most often, including 4, one-shot stops in my agency, with the Winchester load
Critical Duty is good stuff too.
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I like
I would recommend liberty civil defense, overwatch 9 mm.
72 grain bullet at 1700 ft./s.
These bullets create a huge initial shock channel, and penetrate sufficiently.
I also have photographic proof that it will penetrate level three a body armor.
A significant number of bad guys are wearing body armor now…
I'm a big fan of 9mm Sig V-Crown 124gr. JHPs. I'll use 115gr. if 124gr. are unavailable. I prefer nickel-plated shell casings for corrosion resistance and ease of feeding.
Whatever you choose, I recommend checking out online ballistic gel tests (see below) before you purchase SD ammo and test fire some in your handgun. I replace the chambered round every 3-6 months (the bullet will get pushed into the shell casing eventually, increasing chamber pressure) and all ammo every 1-2 years. I shoot the old ammo periodically to be sure they still feed reliably.
Gel testing for 9mm Sig V-Crown 115 & 124:
Whatever you choose, I recommend checking out online ballistic gel tests (see below) before you purchase SD ammo and test fire some in your handgun. I replace the chambered round every 3-6 months (the bullet will get pushed into the shell casing eventually, increasing chamber pressure) and all ammo every 1-2 years. I shoot the old ammo periodically to be sure they still feed reliably.
Gel testing for 9mm Sig V-Crown 115 & 124:
VinnieL59
Member
Gentleman killed girlfriend, at distance probably less than 10 feet, then fired center mass contact wound to his chest. Both opened-up beyond belief. The serations where the bullet opened like a bloom of a flower were razor sharp.
Doug M.
Member
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Sher. I prioritize certain things. One is having adequate supplies of ammo for testing and the like, and having enough left over for the long term. I don't waste money on silly stuff (2 of the worst are golf and boats), so I can and do buy what I need. I haven't done an inventory in a while, but I am sure I have well over 10K rounds of both practice and duty ammo (7K of 5.56X45 alone, so I am probably low). I generally buy it in case lots of 1000 rounds.
I also invest in fitness training gear because fitness training is a) important in general and b) one of the reasons I have done so well with the kidney treatment, dialysis and the recent transplant. In the post transplant world, flying and hotels are a bad idea, so we have invested in building a Super C RV on a semi truck platform.
Im a fan of HST
Carry it in my 10mm, 9mm, and .357sig
Carry it in my 10mm, 9mm, and .357sig
