im fairly new to guns and ammo and im tring to stock up on it. do most of you think that the range ammo 12 gauge 9mm .38 special would be effective for than just target shooting . im on a tight budget and some of the ammo is extremely expensive as you all know just curious what your thoughts are
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range ammo
- Thread starter indygun
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indygun,
Great question......the short answer is yes it would be effective as defensive ammo but will have some limitations. My suggestion is to stock up on what you can afford and as funds become available start to add some of the defensive ammo. A lot of factors enter in to this question but if you are just looking for simple home defense ammo you will be fine. Just make sure the chosen ammo function 100% in your firearm.
Great question......the short answer is yes it would be effective as defensive ammo but will have some limitations. My suggestion is to stock up on what you can afford and as funds become available start to add some of the defensive ammo. A lot of factors enter in to this question but if you are just looking for simple home defense ammo you will be fine. Just make sure the chosen ammo function 100% in your firearm.
OP
so what do you think is good home defense ammo
EternalKnight
US Veteran
A cheap defense ammo is the Remington Hollow Points from Walmart for about $27 per 100. No, they are not as good as the premium hollow points, but they should get the job done.
Research Nerd
Member
Spear Gold Dots are fairly inexpensive. Hornady Critical Defense is another. Federal makes some good home defense ammo, but it can get a little pricey.
For range ammo, I'm a big believer in American Eagle. First time I shot it with my Sig the difference was noticeable. Now its all I shoot.
For range ammo, I'm a big believer in American Eagle. First time I shot it with my Sig the difference was noticeable. Now its all I shoot.
OFT II
US Veteran
Good hollow points are great but the most important parts of self defense is accuracy and penetration. A good hit with ball ammo is usually better than a bad hit with the premium stuff. Carry what you want but be accurate with it.
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Indygun:
That's why most of the fellas around here get in to re-loading, .......cost.
When I bought my Dillon reloading outfit 32 + years ago I paid for it in savings in less than 3 months! Now that I have retired 3 years ago I save a fortune as I frequent the Range a few times a week. Not only do I save a small fortune but it gives me the latitude to come up with exactly the loading I want or need for specific situations.
Chief38
That's why most of the fellas around here get in to re-loading, .......cost.
When I bought my Dillon reloading outfit 32 + years ago I paid for it in savings in less than 3 months! Now that I have retired 3 years ago I save a fortune as I frequent the Range a few times a week. Not only do I save a small fortune but it gives me the latitude to come up with exactly the loading I want or need for specific situations.
Chief38
kbm6893
SWCA Member
In the Amadou Diallo shooting in 1998, 4 officers fired 41 shots of 115 grain full metal jacket (range ammo) at close range and hit Diallo 19 times. The rounds went through him and he did not go down. Only two shots proved to be fatal, one of them a leg wound that nicked an artery and would have eventually killed him, and the other hit his aorta, which was also not an immediate stop shot. Soon after the job went to hollow points. Would i want to get shot with a fmj round? Nope. But they do not have the same effectiveness as hollow points. Buy a box or two of good ammo and shoot it, making sure it functions. Then buy another one and use it as your carry ammo.
There are lots of considerations before you start spending hard earned $$$ and stacking it deep. You might have already have thought about these, but if not, here are a few suggestions, with your 9mm in mind.
0- decide if you want to use 115, 124 or 147 grain bullets or a selection of all three. Most of the cheaper range ammo is 115 gr while most of the premium SD ammo falls in the other two weight classes. 115 used to be the std. 9mm load but due to some poor performance reports most now use 124gr. Some feel a slower heavier bullet is better for penetration etc. they may favor the 147gr.
o- try different brands and make sure your gun feeds it reliably.
o- try to stay away from the steel cased russian brands. yes, they work fine as long as your gun is spotless but after a day at the range you could have failures to extract related to carbon buildup in your chamber and have to work on your gun to clear it. I used to think that cheap steel cased stuff was fine for practice, now I don't... ask me how I know.
o-Don't believe all the marketing hype. It's designed to sell esteem. Notice how most of them are marketed in 20 round boxes for a premium price? Some of the newer designs do have merit and do give you an edge. You decide if that is what you want. The graveyards are full of people killed with regular everyday ammo. Go to your local Police Supply store and see what they have to offer, it will probably be better quality and often priced competitively with the consumer stores.
Two of the best SD loads available and also one of the best deals around are the Speer Gold Dot and Federal HST+P. At my local supply they are running $30 & $24 for 50 count boxes
As was said, pick buy some good defense ammo and then practice with a cheaper range ammo of the same weight/point of impact.
oh and as for reloading, yeah it's cheaper per round but you shoot more and end up spending the same amount, but with more fun.
0- decide if you want to use 115, 124 or 147 grain bullets or a selection of all three. Most of the cheaper range ammo is 115 gr while most of the premium SD ammo falls in the other two weight classes. 115 used to be the std. 9mm load but due to some poor performance reports most now use 124gr. Some feel a slower heavier bullet is better for penetration etc. they may favor the 147gr.
o- try different brands and make sure your gun feeds it reliably.
o- try to stay away from the steel cased russian brands. yes, they work fine as long as your gun is spotless but after a day at the range you could have failures to extract related to carbon buildup in your chamber and have to work on your gun to clear it. I used to think that cheap steel cased stuff was fine for practice, now I don't... ask me how I know.
o-Don't believe all the marketing hype. It's designed to sell esteem. Notice how most of them are marketed in 20 round boxes for a premium price? Some of the newer designs do have merit and do give you an edge. You decide if that is what you want. The graveyards are full of people killed with regular everyday ammo. Go to your local Police Supply store and see what they have to offer, it will probably be better quality and often priced competitively with the consumer stores.
Two of the best SD loads available and also one of the best deals around are the Speer Gold Dot and Federal HST+P. At my local supply they are running $30 & $24 for 50 count boxes
As was said, pick buy some good defense ammo and then practice with a cheaper range ammo of the same weight/point of impact.
oh and as for reloading, yeah it's cheaper per round but you shoot more and end up spending the same amount, but with more fun.
