Which self-defense ammo is best in the short barrel Shield 45 ?

[jeeps]

Just get hardball and don't worry! Sleep tight there are very ruff well armed men with hardball loaded in there 1911,Tommyguns And Grease guns in the last 100 years that lived to tell about it.

 

[bigbob76]

I'm curious, often there is mention of using lighter bullets in a shorter barrel because of the timing factor. I am not stating an opinion here because I'm not qualified, but I am hoping to hear some opinions. The reasoning I've heard in the past was that because of the short barrel everything has to happen in a shorter period of time. IIRC one 1911 builder recommended lighter .45acp bullets because of this.

 

[DepOne]

I was an academy firearms instructor and have carried a short 45 ACP since Colt built the first one. You DON'T need the recoil of a 230 grain or a Plus P!!! The lighter weight HydraShock, Gold Dot, whatever is reliable of that type will do the job.

 

[ultratec00]

I second that. My shield 45 was comfortable shooting the PMC 185 gr HPs, which are advertised at 900 fps. Same with the Taurus ammo. The Colt 185s are advertised at 1050 and the recoil, and muzzle blast, is noticeable in the Shield.

You DON'T need the recoil of a 230 grain or a Plus P!!! The lighter weight HydraShock, Gold Dot, whatever is reliable of that type will do the job.

 

[Holmes375]

While jello is not human flesh and bone the FBI tests using calibrated gel and specified denim are still the best lab test for performance that we have. A particular load can be tested with such media and parameters to demonstrate consistent performance. I prefer to carry loads that have been repeatedly shown by various testers using the FBI standards to perform with a reasonable degree of predictability. Not interested in trying other people's theories in my carry gun.

Quite honestly, the ammo one uses is undoubtedly a far less factor in stopping the bad guy than one's ability to quickly respond and accurately place the first few shots where they need to go. Training and practice are the keys to successful defense. Carry good quality ammo from a reputable manufacturer that is known to function reliably in your particular weapon. Get on with your life with confidence.

 

[Bozz10mm]

I carry the Federal HST standard pressure 230gr in my XDm 3.8" compact. I feel very confident in the performance of this ammo. The Speer Gold Dot is another good one. Both expand very well in gel tests through heavy denim with a 3.3". Penetration is at the low end of FBI standards at around 11"-12" from a 3.3" barrel.

 

[Longhorn1986]

I carry +P 160 Grain Barnes TAC-XP bullets in mine. Good performer, light recoil and flat shooting.

In my 3" Kimber Ultra TLE II Stainless, I carry the same, but in 185gr. To be honest, I also use that same ammo in my 5" Kimber Custom TLE II Stainless and my 3.75" S&W Model 457 as well.

 

[McE]

I'm curious, often there is mention of using lighter bullets in a shorter barrel because of the timing factor. I am not stating an opinion here because I'm not qualified, but I am hoping to hear some opinions. The reasoning I've heard in the past was that because of the short barrel everything has to happen in a shorter period of time. IIRC one 1911 builder recommended lighter .45acp bullets because of this.

There's also the opposite reasoning of wanting a heavier bullet at slower velocity to sit in the barrel longer so the powder has more time to burn.
Light bullet, high velocity, lots of unburnt powder gets thrown downrange. More flash and noise when you probably don't want it.

 

[Big Shrek]

You can always upgrade your springs & reload to .45 Super levels...

 

[Bill In Texas]

Anything this guy recommends would be good;

Self Defense and Duty Loads...ballistics info by DocGKR

 

[Holmes375]

Anything this guy recommends would be good;

Self Defense and Duty Loads...ballistics info by DocGKR

Agree wholeheartedly.

 

[Triathloncoach]

Anything that hits the bad guy is gonna work. I am more afraid of panicking and missing completely. Like the vast majority do.

 

[Aksarben]

I have both a S&W Shield 45 and a SIG Sauer P320 in .45ACP.
In the Shield, since I am looking for lighter weight I went wit the SIG V-Crown 200 gr .45, and I have shot into media and saw how well it did expand. 200gr x 7 (1 in chamber +6 in magazine) is lighter than 230 x 7. That equals only .48 oz, but still it's a 1/2 of an ounce lighter

With the SIG P320 I use 230 Winchester Ranger T as that is pretty reliable to expand and is ONE nasty round.

 

[swsig]

I've tested a few popular rounds (Gold Dot 230, HST 230, HST 230+P), but none of these has worked as well as Federal Tactical Bonded 230+P. This holds true for both my Shield .45 and my FN FNX-45 Tactical. I haven't been able to get any Winchester Ranger T rounds yet, but I'm planning to check them out as soon as I can.

 

[mattwings]

After testing several rounds by a few manufcturers, I have settled on 230gr. Federal HSTs. Runs through the gun well, holds the same poa as Winchester/Federal 230gr. FMJ and has solid test results compared to similar rounds. I never understand why someone wouldn't want to do some research to find a round that works well and if needed, has a higher likelihood of producing the desired result if called on. I try and run a magazine of edc ammo through each time I go to the range, to verify performance in my gun and rotate through "inventory".

 

[Chazman1946]

LuckyGunner ammo tests show the Winchester Ranger T series to have the largest reliable expansion yet still maintain 14" penetration.

45 ACP Ammo - 230 gr JHP - Winchester Ranger T-Series Ammunition - 50 Rounds

Click on the video of the results of this ammo, the results are impressive indeed, much more shock to the gel block then any other round tested, actually raises the front end of the block about 4" off the table, and the largest expansion as well!

Problem is finding this ammo.

 

[sheepdawg]

Wait a minute, I've always heard 45 auto 230 gr ball would rip of an arm, what more do you want?

 

[MochaJoe]

Critical Defense is flawless in my experience.