Ammo question

[Murf.]

I have a SD9VE.

The manual says to start with the "lowest power, lowest velocity, lightest bullet weight" ammo. What would be an example of that?

I was looking for a home/personal defense round that will stay in the attacker and not pass on thru (and feeds well in my gun). I'm looking at Federal and was excited about the Guard Dog 115 gr. because it looks like it does that. Except on YouTube, a gel test, when fired thru "4 layers of denim" it did not expand and passed thru the gel block on into another. I guess simulating that it would not stay in the attacker.

So I'm also looking at the Federal 115 gr. JHP and the 124 gr. HST. (I don't want to go bigger than 124 gr. and want lower recoil.)

Can someone tell me the actual practical difference in these 3 rounds given the criteria I am looking for?

Thanks

 

[OKFC05]

Any of the major brand "defense ammunition" works acceptably well in the 115gr or 124gr weights you said you want. Shoot in your gun to verify reliability, which is THE most important criterion in a defense gun. Personally, I prefer the 124gr Gold Dot, and have observed the expansion of the bullet in several critters. It is not possible to guarantee bullet performance in all cases, because nobody knows what you are going to hit.

Any effective ammunition has the potential to penetrate, depending on what you hit, and in real shootings, many of the shots MISS the intended target. So no ammunition relieves you of the responsibility to be sure of your target AND WHAT LIES BEYOND.

If the recoil of a 9mm SD bothers you, I recommend lessons and practice to really learn your weapon.

 

[ditto1958]

If you're trying to follow the manual, I suspect they mean get some factory "practice" ammo, meaning 115 gr. full metal jacket ammo. Lots and lots of brands to choose from- Winchester, Remington, American Eagle, Fiocchi, Blazer, Magtech- those are just a few of them.

Why does the manual say to start with that? The lawyers probably told them to say that.

Your SD should safely and reliably shoot pretty much any factory made loads out there, in both roundnosed fmj, and self defense hollow points.

 

[Murf.]

What I forgot to mention was I tried the Hornady Critical Defense and got some jams. So that is why I was looking for something else. I thought maybe the Guard Dog would be better because the hollow point is not exposed so it is suppose to load better like a FMJ. I still may give that a try.

Anyone have any problems with any of the 3 Federal I listed?

thanks for the advice

 

[beamon]

Ammo Quest has been running an exhaustive series of tests with the various 9mm SD loads. To say that Federal HST 124 and 147gr standard velocity are his favorites is an understatement! Watch this and search for all his Youtube posts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lGqdMdbir0

 

[Murf.]

Beamon, Thanks for the video. It was very informative and a place to look for other reviews.

 

[bonegunner]

Low Power

Get most any American Made 115 gr FMJ Brass ammo to break gun in.

Practice/Target ammo.

No +p or high power ammo is what they may be alluding to.

 

[micocyco]

What I forgot to mention was I tried the Hornady Critical Defense and got some jams. So that is why I was looking for something else. I thought maybe the Guard Dog would be better because the hollow point is not exposed so it is suppose to load better like a FMJ. I still may give that a try.

Anyone have any problems with any of the 3 Federal I listed?

thanks for the advice

Hi Murf, just a couple of things not meant to offend , how long have you been shooting , how many rounds have you put through it so far , when you shoot just round nose or whats call target ammo do you have any problems at all. Have you heard of limp wresting , do you have to readjust your grip after each shot ?
While you are working on your grip I would keep shooting what seems to work best for 100 rounds at least then try the HP again.
My SD9 eats any & every thing I put in it, but I will say that I did not try any HPs at first I was more interested in learning to shoot it & know I could put the bullet close to where I wanted. I had been away from shooting a long time & even back then it was revolvers.
,
My wife has a 380 pocket pistol she loves , I hate it cause I can not shoot it , we got a box of the hornaday & they just would not work at all we put them away & got some silver tips winchester HP & they worked. A while later we decided to give the hornaday another try & now they chamber & run just fine :roll eyes:
I think the SD9 is a great gun , but if you keep having problems I would call S&W.
Be safe & have fun.

 

[Murf.]

micocyco,
No offense taken. Thanks for sharing. Yes, I'm a noob with semi-auto handguns. This is my 1st (an probably be my only). I have .22 bolt action rifle, a 12 g. home defense shotgun (Maverick), a .22 Ruger western revolver, and a couple .22 derringers. I inherited all but the shotgun. I don't keep the shot gun loaded so I wanted something that I could load quicker and more handy. So I got the SD9VE.

I probably don't even have 25 rounds thru it. Just did some target practice in back yard. Thanks for mentioning the "limp wrist". I had heard of that, but only just recently. So I have been working on my grip and practice dry fire with quarter on the site. I also had to read and practice on the proper way to use that "long throw" trigger (not sure of the correct term). I'll save the Hornady and try again after I've put more rounds thru it. I think I'm going to try the Federal 124 gr. HST.

What determines amount of recoil? Does a 115 gr. have less than a 124 gr. ?

thanks

 

[federali]

Someting Wong

The Critical Defense ammo does not have an exposed hollow point. If anything, it should feed better than conventional hollow points.

In referring to a "jam," please try to be more specific so that we may better assist you.
Failure to advance
Failure to feed
Failure to chamber
Failure to fire
Failure to extract
Failure to eject

 

[micocyco]

micocyco,
No offense taken. Thanks for sharing. Yes, I'm a noob with semi-auto handguns. This is my 1st (an probably be my only). I have .22 bolt action rifle, a 12 g. home defense shotgun (Maverick), a .22 Ruger western revolver, and a couple .22 derringers. I inherited all but the shotgun. I don't keep the shot gun loaded so I wanted something that I could load quicker and more handy. So I got the SD9VE.

I probably don't even have 25 rounds thru it. Just did some target practice in back yard. Thanks for mentioning the "limp wrist". I had heard of that, but only just recently. So I have been working on my grip and practice dry fire with quarter on the site. I also had to read and practice on the proper way to use that "long throw" trigger (not sure of the correct term). I'll save the Hornady and try again after I've put more rounds thru it. I think I'm going to try the Federal 124 gr. HST.

What determines amount of recoil? Does a 115 gr. have less than a 124 gr. ?

thanks

Thats a good question, it would seem the heaver bullet but felt recoil is a very subjective thing.
The range we use ( you are lucky you can just go out back & shoot ) rents guns so I have tried 40 & 45 caliber I found to me the M&P 40 had less recoil than my SD9.
I did put a slip on grip on & it does help with grip & recoil.
I used an old bike inner tube.

 

[OKFC05]

What determines amount of recoil? Does a 115 gr. have less than a 124 gr. ?

The speed of the bullet is the largest factor in recoil energy, then the weight of the gun, then the weight of the bullet, and finally the weight of the powder.
Here's a handy calculator:
Recoil Calculator

No offense, but if the recoil in a 9mm SD is bothering you, you need to learn how to hold the gun. My 10-year-old granddaughter can shoot my M&P with no problem.
I know, I know, most guys HATE to take lessons...except for instructors, who take more classes than anybody.

 

[Murf.]

This is my 1st semi-auto handgun (read Noob). So I don't know all the terms. I believe what I am having is "FTFeed" or "FTC". The slide is stuck open and the front of the bullet is not going into hole/chamber? (If I remember correct) So I think that is why slide is open.

I don't have a problem with the recoil. I was just curious what regulates the amount of recoil. It looks like the answer is many factors - more than I care to calculate out. So I will just make sure I use a firm grip to avoid the "limp wrist".

thanks for the feedback.

 

[MOONDAWG]

The SD9VE is a very reliable piece, both mine with devour whatever you stuff in their respective magazines.

A "consistently firm grip" and 2-300 rounds of FMJ ammo is the minimum break in for a NIB semiauto.

Keep at it...you'll do fine.

 

[micocyco]

This is my 1st semi-auto handgun (read Noob). So I don't know all the terms. I believe what I am having is "FTFeed" or "FTC". The slide is stuck open and the front of the bullet is not going into hole/chamber? (If I remember correct) So I think that is why slide is open.

I don't have a problem with the recoil. I was just curious what regulates the amount of recoil. It looks like the answer is many factors - more than I care to calculate out. So I will just make sure I use a firm grip to avoid the "limp wrist".

thanks for the feedback.

Hi again Murf, I still have an old SN 38 special we keep it loaded for bare & hidden it a place designated to run to incase of a home invasion. So we do take it to the range some times & what I have found is the recoil is difference in away I can not explain but I think it has to do with not having slide going back over the hand & then coming back into battery.
Anyway there are many vids on the proper grip heres one that helped me I call it thumbs foreword.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4orTbBsiys#t=62