I've run through close to two thousand rounds of various target loads in my .40 and think its now time to find a good defense round. I've heard that its good to run 50 to a hundred rounds of whatever one decides to keep in their gun. That being said, I'd like to have an idea of a good starting point so that I'm not spending oodles of $ at a buck a round just to "test". Any suggestions appreciated.

My choice in 40 is the Federal HST 180gr for all applications. Bill

A couple ideas:

You can never depend on any round to expand no matter what the ballistic gel tests show.

Penetration is important. Fragmenting bullets are out.

If you shoot one weight better than a different weight, use the round you shoot best.

You will get 10,000 different answers on the 'best' round. In reality all these things do is poke holes. Myself, I use a round that my local law enforcement uses. If I ever need to defend myself I think it will be better to be able to say I use the same stuff the cops use instead of trying to explain why I am packing 'Zombie Killers' or something.

You can search and find hours and hours of reading on this, I have and there's a lot out there. Then when I read what the trial experts said, I just went with their recommendation. Right or wrong I don't know, but you have to make a decision and then live with it.

I tend to trust the FBI ammunition testing. Based upon that, I choose Winchester Ranger or Speer Gold Dot. My agency issues both, and I choose either for my own personal use, also.

I have read Evan P. Marshall's book "Street Stoppers". Marshall polled police departments all over the US and asked what load was used in shootings and what was the percentage of one round stopping the fight. In the .40 S&W the results were-
1. Cor-Bon 135-gr. JHP used in 24 fights, 23 one shot stops, 96 percent
2. Fed 155-gr. JHP used in 34 fights, 32 one shot stops, 94 percent
3. Rem. 165-gr. GS used in 16 fights, 15 one shot stops, 94 percent
4. Cor-Bon 150-gr. JHP used in 38 fights, 34 one shot stops, 93 percent
5. Fed. 155-gr. HS used in 14 fights, 13 one shot stops, 93 percent
Any of these loads should work well. This book was put out in 1996 so it may be a little dated but it seems to hold up pretty well from year to year.
Rabbit

I use Federal Hydra-Shok 180 grain in my every day carry 40c, so far have not had to use them but they are always there. Basically speaking any 40 caliber hollow point would be a good choice. I know there are people that do nothing but test ballistics for a given load and that is fine with me, but a well placed shot that hits a critical area is better than a bazooka that misses the target entirely.

What I am say here is that if you can accurately hit the intended target with your first and possibly second shot the fight is over and you can then go through the consequences.

Fortunately I live in Tennessee and me protecting myself or those that I care for extends to anywhere that I have a legal right to be and if I draw my weapon regardless of the result of me shooting it at the intended target that target dies or is seriously maimed for life I can not be sued in a civil trial, this includes me in my vehicle just trying to get to work on time, if someone tries to carjack me and I incapacitate them after the display a weapon of any sort it is not only legal for me to shoot to neutralize (even if they die as a result) or use deadly force to stop the carjacking.~

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59,M&P9,40,40C,357,(2)45,G26

K.R. Rabbit,

Please read this report produced by the FBI to validate their weapon selection and let me know what you think about one stop shots after reading it.

http://www.firearmstactical.com/pdf/fbi-hwfe.pdf

It seems that some people are predisposed to fall, quit or run when shot once even when the wound is not lethal or even serious. The 'one stop shot' is a fallacy as the human body can function quite well for a long time, long enough to kill someone, even when the heart is blown to bits. A true 'one stop shot' would severe the spinal cord or part of the brain, and in that situation nearly any bullet at all would work the same.

For a debilitating wound using a handgun you need to hit vitals and create enough damage to FORCE an assailant to stop, usually from blood loss. This can be done with nearly all modern rounds of 9mm or greater.

These are not my ideas, but are what I retained from reading the report linked above. I urge you to read it yourself and let us know what you think.

Big bullet, big hole!

I highly Agree.

The best HD round (in my book),is the sound of a racking shotgun. It's a very distinctive sound and if need be used,it won't take out the neighbors cat sleeping on their couch.