Self-defense-handgun-ammunition-ball-FMJ-or-other

[CH53Driver]

The rule of thumb for on board pistol ammo is JHP of a make that the FBI or major police forces use.
Easier to defend in court.
For home use, it depends on what your walls are made of and who else lives in the house.
If no one else home and plaster walls 00 buck, if sheetrock walls and other occupants, bird shot.
Carry gun, .45 ACP or 50 GI.
IMHO bigger trumps velocity!
Best,
Mark
Big dogs are good to have as well!

I agree A LOT with this. Use stuff LE uses, much easier to defend in court due to all the testing that LE has to do with ammunition that they carry. People always forget that after the shooting, there's going to be a lot of court time whether you were justified or not. I highly recommend frangible ammo if you are in a house with soft walls and/or other occupants. Even for a personal carry gun, you don't want rounds over penetrating and/or ricochetting down the street and hitting other people.

Good quality ammo in a quality auto-loading handgun with quality magazines should be a non-issue. Practice and mental preparedness is the most important thing going for you in a bad spot. Revolvers also fail, so they are not "fail proof". Best option, carry a back up if you can and remember handguns are only for fighting your way to a long gun.:biggrin

 

[Sinovac]

I'll take one of these-

http://www.darpa.mil/NewsEvents/Releases/2014/07/10a.aspx

 

[cobra498]

Ed,

Ball/FMJ ammo is far more reliable than a JHP in an auto loader. For a handgun used for personal protection, even a remote chance of a malfunction is unacceptable. The thing this, auto loader jams with the latest and greatest zombie killer ammo are anything but remote. Most people with pistols never even shoot with their expensive "personal protection" ammo because of cost and, as a result, have no idea how reliable their pistol/ammo combo is. As an aside, a .45 ACP requires no help from a fancy fragmentation round.

While I love the 1911 and own them, my preference for a personal protection gun is a revolver. I'm a huge fan of the S&W J frame revolvers for conceal carry. They are always ready and never malfunction. In my opinion, the S&W 340PD is the finest carry weapon made. At 11.4 oz. empty, you barely know it's there.

View attachment 34426

I agree completely on S&W I own (2) 1911 Kimbers in .45 acp, a colt single 6 in .22 mag, a S&W .460 and a S&W 340. All are listed on my CCW but I never carry anything but my 340 because as you say, you don't even know it is there. You can practice with .38's and then a few .357's for good measure. The main idea is to have the weapon with you and I found that even the compact .45 was a pain to carry so I switched. Good points on ammo choices I have been using Federal personal defense but will look at other options. Only downside is recoil, with that little monster is worse that the .460 with 53 grains of H110 and a 200 grain bullet.

 

[fjpikul]

357 magnum Black Talon in my Colt Python. CCW is 380 jacketed ball in a Walther PPK/S (owned for years before the new pocket pistols came out). I also have a Sig 226 with JHP that has never snagged no matter what I fed it. I prefer subsonic if you can find it. Sig is now making their own ammo which looks interesting. I've got some Carbon stored but have never tried it.

 

[BlackICE]

357 mags in a short lightweight revolver wouldn't be my choice. If I carried snub nose revolver it would be loaded with JHP 38+P specials. Follow ups are much easier and less noise and muzzle flash.

 

[Empty Pockets]

What do you carry in your...

Currently: Hornady 200 gr, +P TAP hollow points in my "Marine blessed" Springfield Arm., .45 cal XP Compact.

But, I be thinkin' the new G2 Research "RIP" ammo (not yet available for .45 evidently) might be THEE choice...if it doesn't jam the weapon. Right now there are mixed reviews on that possibility...)

 

[BlackICE]

Currently: Hornady 200 gr, +P TAP hollow points in my "Marine blessed" Springfield Arm., .45 cal XP Compact.

But, I be thinkin' the new G2 Research "RIP" ammo (not yet available for .45 evidently) might be THEE choice...if it doesn't jam the weapon. Right now there are mixed reviews on that possibility...)

Too find out if RIP doesn't jam is going to empty your already empty pockets.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Too find out if RIP doesn't jam is going to empty your already empty pockets.

Dang! 'Screwed again! :lol

 

[mmlcobra]

Although I love custom guns, a carry gun should be an unmodified production gun.
All mods will come under significant legal scrutiny in the post shooting legal circus.
I'm a 1911 guy, but the debate between autos and wheel guns could be compared to the "kit car" discussion on this forum, ie. go on forever.
A quality production auto from Kimber, Wilson, Nighthawk, LB, Guncrafters, etc will digest JHP's all day long without a hitch.
Most important thing is to HAVE a gun when needed.
Always watch your back.
Best,
Mark

 

[Gulf GT]

Most important ammo is training and state of mind. Keep your head, stay cool, don't be macho, be smart.

 

[Kingman]

Desert Eagle

 

[fjpikul]

Ice, my Python has a 6 inch barrel and is not lightweight. There is also the intimidation factor at play here since Dirty Harry and the "Make my Day " line.

 

[BlackICE]

Ice, my Python has a 6 inch barrel and is not lightweight. There is also the intimidation factor at play here since Dirty Harry and the "Make my Day " line.

Frank I was referring to Cobra498's SW340.

I have a SW 686 with a 6" barrel not too bad with full mag loads, but out of a sw340, no thanks.

 

[fjpikul]

I see and I agree.

 

[Waldo]

The HK USP .45s are loaded with 230gr Federal HST hollow points. The 9mm HK USPs are loaded with 124gr Winchester Ranger hollow points. The AR magazines are loaded with either 75gr Hornady TAP or 77gr Black Hills OTM.

 

[mmlcobra]

The HK USP .45s are loaded with 230gr Federal HST hollow points. The 9mm HK USPs are loaded with 124gr Winchester Ranger hollow points. The AR magazines are loaded with either 75gr Hornady TAP or 77gr Black Hills OTM.

What twist are you running in your AR'S to stabilize the heavier bulet loads?

 

[Waldo]

What twist are you running in your AR'S to stabilize the heavier bulet loads?

My 5.56mm ARs have 1/7. My 7.62mm ARs have 1/11.25.

 

[BlackICE]

My 5.56 only as a 1/9 barrel so I don't think it will stabilize 75g bullets too well.

 

[cobra498]

357 mags in a short lightweight revolver wouldn't be my choice. If I carried snub nose revolver it would be loaded with JHP 38+P specials. Follow ups are much easier and less noise and muzzle flash.

It would be quite difficult to tell the difference between +p 38 and .357 in terms of flash and noise. If you want to see flash try a .460 with suppressor putting a 200 grain bullet out at 2000 fps. I would rather have a snub that I carry, than anything else that is home in the safe.

 

[BlackICE]

It would be quite difficult to tell the difference between +p 38 and .357 in terms of flash and noise. If you want to see flash try a .460 with suppressor putting a 200 grain bullet out at 2000 fps. I would rather have a snub that I carry, than anything else that is home in the safe.

I have to believe that the muzzle flip is much greater with a 357 vs 38.

As far as carrying, living in CA I don't get to...