Opinions on best short range 9mm defense round?

[03trubluGT]

The above choices are good. Here is some strange advice. Load the first round hardball. Most accidents involve that round, and it is less lethal in the accident, but still. Dry effective in stopping. If you really need lethality, empty the magazine.

I always carried in this manner, and will again when I go back and gety CHL. Mine expired in '98.

That is strange advice, and I don't think I would follow it.


I don't want to get on the stand after having to shoot someone and explain what my thought process was, or why I had to shoot twice because the first bullet was a ball round.

From what I heard, Zimmerman only shot once. He would have given the other side more ammo (pun) if he had to have shot twice because the first round was ball.

[03trubluGT]

Here is the link to the video on the .38 Special ammo I was mentioning earlier.

http://youtu.be/k890Rio2oBY

It's almost $23/box for 20 rounds:

http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=CC23921&src=sim

Jose, I know you saw my FB post about my ammo change.

OP: I was a HARDCORE Hydroshok guy for a long time. All I carried in my 40cal and my .380... I've changed to the Hornaday FTX round. Your standard hollow point can become hindered when passing through heavy clothing: your typical Oakland Raiders jacket, Cadillac wool sweater, Sean John designer leather coats, even heavily starched denim jeans can cause the hollow point to plug with cloth that will keep it from expanding. It effectively becomes a FMJ and doesn't expand. I went ahead and made the swap.

I'm rollin' over here!

Not to hijack but has anyone used the Remington Golden saber ammo?

It's another high quality round from a major manufacturer. I have used them in the past, but now I just use what the range issues. I figure less liability.

[LANTIRN]

I carry the Hornaday Critical Defense with FTX bullets, 115 grain at the moment. I took them and compared them to some other hollow point by firing them into gel and the FTX bullets expanded beautifully. The only reason for them being 115 grain is that is all I could find when I was buying ammo for the test that day, and since they worked in both of my carry guns that is what I stuck with.

[Downs]

That is strange advice, and I don't think I would follow it.


I don't want to get on the stand after having to shoot someone and explain what my thought process was, or why I had to shoot twice because the first bullet was a ball round.

From what I heard, Zimmerman only shot once. He would have given the other side more ammo (pun) if he had to have shot twice because the first round was ball.

I wouldn't either. If you're that worried about a negligent discharge carry it condition 3 and practice to charge a round while drawing (Israeli Carry). Or just don't carry if you are loading your gun with the idea in your mind you are going to have an accident.

[ram57ta]

Does anyone know where I can find any test results using the green box Remington UMC JHP 115gr. 9mm that Walmart sells in 100 packs (but almost never has in stock)? I stumbled across 3 boxes of them at the Midlothian Wal-Mart and for 27 bucks per 100rds thats about as cheap as I've ever seen JHP. I went ahead and grabbed them.

[LANTIRN]

Does anyone know where I can find any test results using the green box Remington UMC JHP 115gr. 9mm that Walmart sells in 100 packs (but almost never has in stock)? I stumbled across 3 boxes of them at the Midlothian Wal-Mart and for 27 bucks per 100rds thats about as cheap as I've ever seen JHP. I went ahead and grabbed them.

I don't know where to find test results for those, but I would not recommend buying self defense rounds just because they are cheap.