There is no indication on the box of the exact weight of the powder charge, and without knowing precisely what powder is … I like the idea and fortunately have not had to test it in real situations. The following rounds are all from reliable manufacturers with proven track records of performance in difficult situations. It is important to choose a loading with a good balance of expansion and penetration. We have tried to vary these choices in terms of specification, best situational use, and price. I tested many loads, but ended up with five that I feel fill the most important niche roles of the 9mm Luger. Both loads function without a hiccup in either gun, and accuracy is good. The main issue we see is that because ammo is marketed as “hollow point” or “self-defense” ammunition, people believe that it's the best thing to have. The 115-grain Fiocchi Extrema isn’t loaded too hot or too light, it is just right! The 9mm cartridge is remarkably efficient and makes the best use of its powder charge in short barrels, and if you peruse the charts over at Ballistics By The Inch you’ll find that the standard-pressure 9mm loads don’t gain much in the 16-inch-long barrel of the typical carbine. I tested the loads without regard to advertised velocities or overstated claims. The weight retention capabilities of a self defense round can help a bullet achieve outstanding performance or fail completely. This is why the heaviest 9mm bullets only weigh 147 grains. Many affordable handguns are chambered in 9mm as well. So as much as I hate to say it, my two favorite handgun calibers have the same Achilles’ heel: the handguns they’re chambered for can’t carry as many rounds as I’d like. My fav has been MagTech First Defense 92.6 Super light recoil, wicked fast, near perfect penetration in gel. Penetration was 16 inches and expansion a very consistent 0.55 inches. They make frangible handgun rounds. The sweet spot of penetration, expansion, and velocity. At least these are, So to narrow down the ever-growing list of 9mm. But with designs such as modern day hollow points and fluted bullets, the energy is not wasted as the bullet can utilize it to cause more tissue destruction. The sad reality is that some of the available hollow points are only marginally better than your average ball ammo is, as they don't expand consistently, or don't expand at all. Great price for 9mm Ammo; Great for competition & training; Non … Time limit exceeded. 9mm Bullets The HP pistol was built to fire the 125 gr bullet as stated and probably handles that weight as well as any. One example is the Liberty line. I am looking to end any threat. It’s a no-brainer that a higher muzzle energy equates to better performance. I think they are excellent loads. I use the 115grn critical defense in subcompact/BUG, and for my EDC i load 124grn XTP at 1250fps from the G19. Penetration was ideal at 16 inches, and expansion was excellent at 0.58 inches. I have Sig V Crown hollows loaded into all my pistols for self defense. Your discussions, feedback and comments are welcome here as long as they are relevant and insightful. This loading breaks 1047 fps average in the GLOCK 19. 2nd Best 9mm Ammo: Remington – UMC Ammo 9mm Luger 115gr FMJ. The 9mm uses a .355-inch bullet. It fails the power of my pen to describe the fear of a fight fought to the finish. I can’t believe a Federal load wasn’t mentioned ????????? Penetration was 18 inches and expansion the greatest of the test at 0.82 inches. 2nd Best 9mm Ammo: Remington – UMC Ammo 9mm Luger 115gr FMJ 16.5 Inches of penetration with expansion at .74 Inches. All-Copper Handgun Bullets: Are They Worth It? I am surprised that the “Radically Invasive Projectile” R.I.P. When choosing bullet weight for reloading 9mm cartridges, your primary focus is reliability. Magtech Guardian Gold 9mm 115 gr. ); Underwood 9mm Xtreme Defender +P+ is the second fastest, while Corbon PowRbal +P is the third. It is up to you to know your pistol and whether it will actually shoot a heavier round. I also keep 2 Winchester 124 gr nato FMJ loads as 1st 2 shots, which are great for penetration. I’m sorry I am not convinced the better EDC sould be a 9MM IMHO a .40 or larger is more Velocity averaged 1140 fps. For me, as far as handgun calibers, these two being on the higher end of the ballistics performance spectrum, no other calibers come close. It cannot do the work of larger calibers, but it certainly outclasses smaller calibers. Please click the reload button and complete the captcha once again. This is a good go-anywhere, do-anything load. In a self defense situation I would look more at wound potential. What 9mm bullet weight is best for self defense? Verdict: Best 9mm Ammo. I wouldn’t bother comparing ammo capacities between shooting platforms for the .357 magnum and the 9mm, as I see no point in comparing revolvers to semi-autos. She has RA issues and the Lite isn’t too unpleasant to use. I love older pistol designs and all modern designs the same way. But we recommend you try a couple weights and make sure they cycle 100% in your self-defense gun. Tennessee Highway Patrol switched a few years ago from the ammunition they had been using to a different brand because, in the words of one of the officers in charge of firearms training “it was getting too many of our officers killed”. Please be respectful of others. But it offers one thing neither of my preferred calibers offer: superb ammo capacity. Certainly, I know it’s not penetrating thick surfaces, but I always figured it would be effective against anything worn by scum. It has evolved into perhaps the ideal personal-defense caliber for most users. 45 ACP vs 9mm for Self-Defense. We personally prefer the 124 gr since it is less “snappy” than the 115 gr to us. There is a lot of misinformation regarding wound potential. 9mm: Bullet Material: Lead: Weight: 115 Grain: Price Range: $.8-$1/shot: TAC-XPD offers a compromise between power and recoil. Average Penetration comes from testing conducted by the folks at Lucky Gunner. So the 9mm trumps both my preferred handgun calibers in the ammo capacity department. But if pushed to it, comparing single stack semi-autos, a single stack 1911 in 9mm can hold up to ten rounds, while both the long-defunct LAR Grizzly and the recently-revived Coonan 1911-style pistols chambered for the .357 magnum can only hold seven rounds. The truth is that any bullet that reliably expands and meets the … Space that would otherwise be taken up by powder. Unless you have had to shoot a bad guy and the ammo did it’s job your opinion is meaningless.  −  The Underwood loading clocks 1302 fps average. We reserve the right to edit as appropriate, delete profane, harassing, abusive and spam comments or posts, and block repeat offenders. The HK P30K 9mm pistol is impressively lightweight and easy to conceal, making it a great choice if you need a concealed carry self-defense pistol. But the problem with heavier bullets (in 9mm cartridges at least) is they can be harder to push with the limited room the cartridge provides for powder — in simpler terms, a heavier bullet will move slower compared to a lighter bullet. Federal HST 9mm 147 gr . While there are a number of great ammo manufacturers making defensive ammo that’s worth a look, these are the best of the best. The ability to equalize force instantly is a critical part of any defense plan. }, As I stated, water and gelatin testing are very close to one another, usually within 10 percent in penetration and expansion results. Understanding and using sources calibers are in Stock & Ready to Ship and price percent penetration. 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