Help me pick LEO ammo in .40

[Superhouse 15]

To make a long story short, friend of a friend is an LEO at a small local agency. While talking guns and ammo and such I found a round of .40 S&W Hydra Shok set back into the case a dangerous amount in his duty gun (!) Repeated chambering and un-chambering had shortened it far to much to be safe. Agency policy is ".40 caliber hollow point ammunition". That's it. His duty gun is a 4006 S&W 3rd generation. For Father's day we are chipping in on a couple boxes of ammo for him, and have inspected what he has left and distributed safe ammo to his primary and back up magazines. Here in FL, in June, we can safely say penetrating heavy clothing is not an issue. The last .40 shooting I was able to review had some failures involving the Ranger SXT (which prompted that agency to go to the GAP) against a car door.

In stock we have:
155gr Gold Dot
165gr Gold Saber
180gr Hydra Shok
180gr Gold Saber
135gr PD Hydra Shok
180gr Remington JHP
180gr Magtech JHP


Those listed in order of my probable preference. Your thoughts or experiences with these loads are welcome. I confess to owning only one .40 cal pistol and I keep 135gr Quick Shok in that. How best to equip this hard-working single dad based on your, or your agencies experience, good or bad? Also consider the fact that cash is tight so probably enough to fire a full load from each magazine, then reload and carry them, is all we can probably afford. All have the same flat profile as the 180gr Independance FMJFP issued for training, and a ramp polish was already done, by me, for him.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Keltyke]

From that list - Gold Dot. If it were me, Corbon DPX. I'm sorta surprised the department doesn't specify ammo.

[Archie]

I've tried the 155 Gold Dot and find it suitable. No experience with the others.

[SIXTO]

I typically would go for the Gold Dot, but prefer a heavier bullet for LE use. From the list, I'd choose the 180gr gold saber.

[Cuda66]

The 180gr Golden Sabre, if limited to choosing from the list.

Otherwise, I'd be looking for 180 HST, Ranger-T, or Gold Dot.

[OldVet]

I'm of the "hit 'em with the heaviest thing you can" school of thought. 180 grain, probably the Sabers.

[Old School]

When we carried the G22's we carried the 165 Golden Sabers. Now that we are carrying the G21 we carry the 230 Golden Sabers. I carry the 135 Hydra Shok in my G23 off duty.

[ncsteveh]

To make a long story short, friend of a friend is an LEO at a small local agency. While talking guns and ammo and such I found a round of .40 S&W Hydra Shok set back into the case a dangerous amount in his duty gun (!) Repeated chambering and un-chambering had shortened it far to much to be safe.

Why's he unloading it so often? better yet why is he not practicing more? them bullets shouldn't be hanging around long enough to set back. Even if he stops by the range once a week and fires 4-5 shots he's practicing, building muscle memory and confidence, rotating his ammo, and only burning through 5 boxes of ammo a year.

[HotGuns]

I'd be willing to be that he comes home, unloads his handgun and puts it back in the holster where he sets the whole thing in his closet.

When he goes back, he puts his stuff on and rechambers the round.

Eventually, it will set the bullet back. It is something that one must be aware of.

For an LEO to stop by the range once of week is unrealistic for most of them. They just dont have that luxury.

[HotGuns]

The last .40 shooting I was able to review had some failures involving the Ranger SXT (which prompted that agency to go to the GAP) against a car door.

Our issued ammo was the Ranger SXT at one time. The one shooting that I am aware of at a car door resulted in the bullet going through the door and hitting the driver in the leg where it broke the leg and caused the driver to crash.

He ran a road block and nearly ran over a Deputy.

In that case, the SXT worked well, but it wasn't a .40 it was a .45.

Although it worked that time, it does seem that pistol rounds on cars cannot be counted on to work. While they may work some of the time, I don't think many of them work all of the time. Switching ammo because of a failure on a car door doesn't seem to smart to me...escpecially going with a caliber that is fading into obscurity...like the .45 GAP.

[jem102]

165 Gold Dots in G27 & 23. Work great and very accurate. 50 through the 27 is about all I care to shoot at one time but 100+ in the 23 is comfortable.

[Superhouse 15]

Our issued ammo was the Ranger SXT at one time. The one shooting that I am aware of at a car door resulted in the bullet going through the door and hitting the driver in the leg where it broke the leg and caused the driver to crash.

He ran a road block and nearly ran over a Deputy.

In that case, the SXT worked well, but it wasn't a .40 it was a .45.

Although it worked that time, it does seem that pistol rounds on cars cannot be counted on to work. While they may work some of the time, I don't think many of them work all of the time. Switching ammo because of a failure on a car door doesn't seem to smart to me...escpecially going with a caliber that is fading into obscurity...like the .45 GAP.

The shooting was from several officers at someone behind a car door. The majority of the loads fragmented and gave poor results on the other side of the door. That agency (well, it's not a secret, the FL Highway Patrol) had switched from 165gr Gold Dot to the SXT on a bid. They are in the process of trading their Beretta 96s for the GAP, and from what we hear, getting the Glocks for free. I think that giving them away to large agencies is the only way to keep it from fading away.

Range practice ammo is not in this agencies budget. In fact, they want to reduce the amount of qualification shoots per year.

[qdoggydogg]

I would go with the Gold Dot. I had some issues with Corbon DPX misfires so I would not recommend them, even if it may have just been a bad box!

[gottabkiddin]

GSP use the Gold Dots, and due that, that's what I try to keep in my stuff. My new Sig liked it, so it's getting set up with it tonight.

[MedicMan218]

Winchester Ranger 180gr bonded.
They have excellent expansion and the lead is less likely to seperate from the copper shell.
Also very consistant with the expansion.
Look on YouTube, there are a couple ballictics test with this round.
This is what I carry.