Ammo Choice For Concealed Carry in 9 MM

[yerasimos]

Thanks for the tip. I buy most of my ammo at WalMart and Academy.

I hesitate to buy ammo of the internet because of the shipping since I am not usually home during the day. When they ship do they require a signature for delivery for ammo?

In my experience they do want a signature upon delivery.

You can specify the carrier's local distribution facility as the delivery address, with your name, your phone number and HOLD FOR PICKUP, and you can pick it up there when it is convenient for you. Be sure to get the package's tracking number, in case Mr Murphy decides to make an appearance.

Hope this helps!

[G.C.Montgomery]

At present, I carry Speer Gold Dot 115 Gr JHP's.

I thought this a good defensive round.

Now I think perhaps this is a rather anemic choice.

Am I wrong?

Suggestions?

Thanks!

You are wrong...Speer Gold Dot is not anemic in any given caliber but it's well within SAAMI specs. The 115gr bullets on the market, almost regardless of manufacturer, due tend to "fail" more often than heavier bullets. Having said that, I'm not willing to stand in front of anyone firing these bullets with the belief that the "failed" bullet is not every bit as capable of killing me as much larger calibers. The "failures" most often noted with lighter bullets is structural in nature. This in turn often means such bullets also fail to meet FBI testing standards for penetration through anything other than bare gelatin.

Personally, I carry the Gold Dot 124gr +p load or the new 124gr Federal HST. I didn't choose those loads because of some magic bullet theory...Gold Dot and the HST loads were two loads with which my Glock 19 cycled most reliably after 500 rounds and I carry which ever I can find easiest. Third place went to Winchester's 124gr Ranger ammo because while the gun cycled briskly as desired, feed reliabilty was a little less than 98% after 500 rounds...That's a failure for carry ammo.

PowR'Ball wasn't around back then but even now PowR'Ball generally is not at the top of my list. I have one pistol, a Colt LW Commander, in which I use PowR'Ball simply because it's better than FMJ and the pistol in question does not reliably feed anything else.

[Abraham]

I bought Speer Gold Dots at Prodefense.

And thanks all for your response.

Please keep em coming.

As for buying ammo on the internet, I've bought from Graf & Sons without a hiccup.

[lrb111]

I use HydraShoks for one reason. They are available at Acadamy. Plus, it's the only thing they carry that says "Self-Defense" on the package.

That's all I would ever want to say in court. Not, "I had to order the really good mega-death bullets with the dead-right-there guarantee."

course it should not matter.

[KaProw]

Thanks for the tip. I buy most of my ammo at WalMart and Academy.

I hesitate to buy ammo of the internet because of the shipping since I am not usually home during the day. When they ship do they require a signature for delivery for ammo?

In my experience they do want a signature upon delivery.


Hope this helps!

Really? I order way more than I buy locally. UPS just leaves it on my door step. no signature required. I buy from all the usual places (ie natchezss, midwayusa, streichers ,etc)

[flb_78]

I'm cheap. I carry plain ole Winchester White Box 115grn jacketed hollow points. 50 of em run me about 12 bux.

[HooG19]

My Glock 19 likes Speer Gold Dot 147 Gr.

Only reason I carry that particular round is it is the same round my bro's PD currently issues in 9mm...and the grouping was a bit tighter than the 124 Gr HydraShoks I had before (which are not any cheaper btw)

[WildBill]

Winchester SXT +P+ in 127 grain is what I carry in my 9mm.
Those, or the new Federal HST's.

http://www.ammunitiontogo.com; they are based in texas, and for most of Texas, its same day shipping via UPS Ground.

FYI - I just got an email from ammunitiontogo and they don't require a delivery signature, unless you ask for it.

[Paladin]

Lab and Street tested loads:

http://www.texasshooting.com/TexasCHL_F ... ht=ammolab

Nothing wrong with gold dots in general, but the 124gr+p load is said to be better.

9mm-
Federal 135gr LE9T5
Remington 147gr Golden Saber
Speer Gold Dot 124gr+P
Winchester Ranger 127gr +P+ RA9TA
Winchester Ranger 147gr RA9T

[MikeJ]

Usually, I buy defense ammo at ProDefense on I-45, but I've ordered milsurp ammo over the Internet. Yes, they do require a signature, but if you can't be home during business hours, then you can go to the UPS or Fedex office and sign for it there. I got lucky and was home for lunch the last time I ordered ammo, but many times I gone and picked it up.

[PAR]

Another good source on test various manufacturers ammo:

http://stevespages.com/page8f9mmluger.html

[lawrnk]

Thanks for the tip. I buy most of my ammo at WalMart and Academy.

I hesitate to buy ammo of the internet because of the shipping since I am not usually home during the day. When they ship do they require a signature for delivery for ammo?

In my experience they do want a signature upon delivery.

You can specify the carrier's local distribution facility as the delivery address, with your name, your phone number and HOLD FOR PICKUP, and you can pick it up there when it is convenient for you. Be sure to get the package's tracking number, in case Mr Murphy decides to make an appearance.

Hope this helps!

a1ammo.com has free shipping on every order, and does not require adult signature. They deliver by standard UPS.

[DoubleJ]

you can always check out these, too!
RBCD

Q for ya'll. how can you tell which Winchesters are the "T series?"
I was lookin' roun a store the other day, and I saw the ol' Winchester Ranger bullets, but couldn't discern if they were the Talon of Death or not.

[KaProw]

Q for ya'll. how can you tell which Winchesters are the "T series?"
I was lookin' roun a store the other day, and I saw the ol' Winchester Ranger bullets, but couldn't discern if they were the Talon of Death or not.

Very distinctive 50 rd box and the manufacture's part # has a "T" in it. (ie RA9T= 147gr 9mm)

[ELB]

After reading every shred of info I could find about various ammo brands and types, including StoppingPower.net (Evan Marshall), International Wound Ballistics Association (I think that is what it is called), John Farnam's comments on testing he observed, and dozens of other bits and pieces I culled from the 'net, AND THEN sorting through all the name-calling that ammo discussions seem to wallow in, my personal list of desireable 9mm self-defense ammo is:

Corbon DPX (115 gr)
Corbon HP +P(115 gr)
Speer 124, either regular or +P
Winchester Ranger 127gr +P+

These seemed to show excellent penetration and expansion, and had lots of anecdotal "street results" to back up the testing (except for DPX, which is still new enough to not have been used in a lot of actual shoots, yet. However people I trust who test it and who hunt with DPX, praise it highly).

I really like the Corbon DPX, but it is flamin' expensive. I wanted to buy enough ammo to adequately test in my Hi Power, and still have enough left over to fight the next war -- figuratively speaking.

I ended up going with Winchester Ranger 127 gr +P+. I would not be at all unhappy to go with the Speer rounds if I couldn't find Winchester Ranger again, but I found a reasonably priced source for the Ranger stuff and bought a case.

The gentleman I bought it from is Jerry Kirkpatrick. I saw regular positive references to him on other forums, and I have bought from him a couple times with no problems whatsoever. If you are interested in contacting him, his email is jwkpatrick@yahoo.com . Been awhile since I bought anything, but assume that is still valid.

I expect you can search on his name at AR15.com, 1911forum, and the like, and come up with some references if you are interested.

elb