I haven't used a 9mm for SD in over 25 years, so what is the best ammo to load for a shield?
SD ammo for the shield
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BlackTalonJHP
Member
Whatever is most reliable and accurate in your particular Shield within your budget and recoil sensitivities.
I like and carry
-124 grain +P Gold Dots, standard or short barrel
-124 grain +P PDX1
-124 grain +P HST or LE Bonded
if you are recoil sensitive go with non +p, although they may not have enough velocity to reliably expand.
if you don't like paying as much, go with Federal Classic Hi Shok 115 gr or Win USA 115 gr JHP, both come in 50 rd boxes.
Hope this helps
I like and carry
-124 grain +P Gold Dots, standard or short barrel
-124 grain +P PDX1
-124 grain +P HST or LE Bonded
if you are recoil sensitive go with non +p, although they may not have enough velocity to reliably expand.
if you don't like paying as much, go with Federal Classic Hi Shok 115 gr or Win USA 115 gr JHP, both come in 50 rd boxes.
Hope this helps
Honestly, this question is about the same as asking a favorite holster or a favorite gun cleaning / lubing product...you will get as many answers as you will get people posting. There are way too many manufacturers / grains / styles / etc...to possibly remember but, I agree that there are many good threads here and in the "ammo" section for this question, plus, YouTube has great testing videos. I also think that the top 4 or 5 brands will all do the job they need to do just fine. Whatever you decide to go with make sure you shoot at least a box or 2 at the range to make sure it feeds and fires reliably through your gun and you can get a good grouping with it.
I will add to stay away from the G2 RIP rounds. They look bad-*** but they are all gimmick. Other than that, good luck.
I will add to stay away from the G2 RIP rounds. They look bad-*** but they are all gimmick. Other than that, good luck.
gunny4053
US Veteran
Many, many options, but from personal experience, I'd recommend 124 gr Gold Dots and the Hornaday Critical Duty. I've found both to be accurate, reliable, and perform very well, though as said above, see how they work in your particular firearm.
Good Luck and good shooting.
Good Luck and good shooting.
R1V3R5
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Just get good quality SD ammo and shoot a ton of it to make sure it feeds well. I was using Remington Ultimate Defense, but at nearly $1 a round I found it too expensive to practice with. Recently switched to Fiocchi XTP that uses Hornady bullets at 50 cents a round. Hotter than my typical practice ammo (Remington FMJ target ammo) but no feeding issues, accurate, and good ballistics.
Bozz10mm
US Veteran
I use Federal HST 124 gr standard pressure in my Shield. This video is what convinced me that it performs well in short barrel pistols.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lGqdMdbir0
The 147gr. also performs well, if not better. You can order a box of 50 rounds from SGAmmo or Ammunition Depot for around $32 when they have them in stock.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lGqdMdbir0
The 147gr. also performs well, if not better. You can order a box of 50 rounds from SGAmmo or Ammunition Depot for around $32 when they have them in stock.
OP
Got some Hornady critical Duty 135 gr and Remington 124 gr Golden Saber.
I also loaded 100 rounds of Rainier 147 gr plated with 4.8 gr of Power Pistol, about 900 fps.
Just looking what mite be better, not for me but the better half....
I also loaded 100 rounds of Rainier 147 gr plated with 4.8 gr of Power Pistol, about 900 fps.
Just looking what mite be better, not for me but the better half....
Last edited:
Doug M.
Member
I am pretty sure that the two you bought are GTG, as is the 124 gold dot. I have Doc Roberts' recommendations around somewhere.
samuelrp
Member
Go heavy. 147 grain HP. Federal HST, Speer Gold Dot.......
ScrapmasterFlex
Member
I like to think I am smart enough to appreciate quality across a broad spectrum of choices (Rather than just narrowly selecting one thing) and I mean this for all things, not just ammo or guns or etc.
In premium, carry ammo for home defense/personal protection/CCW, I like Speer Gold Dots of course, but also really into the Federal HST & Hydra Shok loads, Hornady Critical Defense, and even have a stash of old-school Black Talons (I have the original 147gr 9mm Black Talons in both my current home defense/close-to-me-sleeping gun in my new Sig MK25, and also in my new Shield for CCW lol.)
I will say this- my father is a retired, high-ranking LEO commander and of course can carry across the country in all the States due to that law they passed... he and apparently many of the guys that worked for him in his police command, *all* carry Speer Gold Dots. Exclusively. To them that was THE round.
In premium, carry ammo for home defense/personal protection/CCW, I like Speer Gold Dots of course, but also really into the Federal HST & Hydra Shok loads, Hornady Critical Defense, and even have a stash of old-school Black Talons (I have the original 147gr 9mm Black Talons in both my current home defense/close-to-me-sleeping gun in my new Sig MK25, and also in my new Shield for CCW lol.)
I will say this- my father is a retired, high-ranking LEO commander and of course can carry across the country in all the States due to that law they passed... he and apparently many of the guys that worked for him in his police command, *all* carry Speer Gold Dots. Exclusively. To them that was THE round.
mailman390
Member
Gold Dots or Critical Defense are what I use
CatSnipah
Member
I rotate between Critical Duty and HST. As others noted, many excellent choices. Just be sure to test them and see what works best for you and your firearm.
Irunfar
Member
Switching ammo
Good morning all,
I recently read that you should not switch from one manufacturer to another for the range and for your EDC as using different type of ammo can affect the cycling of the handgun.
How accurate is this? Have any of you found this to be true?
adam
Good morning all,
I recently read that you should not switch from one manufacturer to another for the range and for your EDC as using different type of ammo can affect the cycling of the handgun.
How accurate is this? Have any of you found this to be true?
adam
kannonvaggon
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Different ammo can for sure function slightly differently in a given pistol and whichever ammo you use for EDC should be tested to be positive it will operate in your pistol every time. Also, the POA/ POI does change with various ammo since the bullet weight and the charge are slightly different.
Find the ammo that works best for your gun and that has the bullet performance that YOU desire.
I have had no problems with the operation of several different ammo brands and loads.... but the POI and effectiveness of the round vary quite a bit. I've settled on 124g HST for EDC and pretty much run whatever I get as far as range loads in FMJ usually 115g Federal for me.
I have noted that my own Shield will print SD rounds at typical SD ranges a little higher and to the right compared with light target loads. A 147G HST will impact almost exactly the same vertical as a target load but slightly to the right while a 124g HST will impact maybe an inch higher at 15 yards.
This might not be the case using a bench rest, as most of the variable is probably my grip and trigger pull. All rounds I've ever tested hit the target nicely and the pistol has functioned just fine as far as feeding and ejecting and such. I wouldn't carry a SD load that I had not proved would function well in my pistol cuz that just doesn't make real good sense. Not every Shield will function the exact same way with ammo and also the amount of break-in and wear can cause some variance in operation I think.
JMHO
Find the ammo that works best for your gun and that has the bullet performance that YOU desire.
I have had no problems with the operation of several different ammo brands and loads.... but the POI and effectiveness of the round vary quite a bit. I've settled on 124g HST for EDC and pretty much run whatever I get as far as range loads in FMJ usually 115g Federal for me.
I have noted that my own Shield will print SD rounds at typical SD ranges a little higher and to the right compared with light target loads. A 147G HST will impact almost exactly the same vertical as a target load but slightly to the right while a 124g HST will impact maybe an inch higher at 15 yards.
This might not be the case using a bench rest, as most of the variable is probably my grip and trigger pull. All rounds I've ever tested hit the target nicely and the pistol has functioned just fine as far as feeding and ejecting and such. I wouldn't carry a SD load that I had not proved would function well in my pistol cuz that just doesn't make real good sense. Not every Shield will function the exact same way with ammo and also the amount of break-in and wear can cause some variance in operation I think.
JMHO
shart1971
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+1 on Federal HST 124gr
ChiefStealth
US Veteran
So far, I have not found this to be true, with the Shield 9, or my old trusty USP. With the Shield I have shot factory ammo from 3 different manufacturers. I have reloaded with bullets from three different manufacturers, seven different cases, two different powder makers. I have lost count of all the different ammo I have shot through the USP over the last 19 years. Both guns have shot just fine with any ammo I've put in them.
uechikid
Member
You can't go wrong with Hornady Critical Duty 135gr or Hornady Critical Defense 115gr.
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