Basic Tips on Defensive 9mm Ammo

[OTB]

Hi Forum,

Recently bought my first gun: Glock 26 Gen 4. I bought a 2k rounds of Blazer 115gr aluminum for practice, but I was looking for some basic guidance on a good defensive round to keep for nightstand/carry. I thought the larger grain, the better, but then I read that the G26 doesn't like the 146 range.

What's a good, quality, safe defensive round to buy for the G26?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Brad426]

146, 147... whatever it takes.

[Drgnfly]

I would probably suggest a search, since it's asked very often.

What personal defense ammo do you trust your life to?

Winchester 9mm Luger 147 GR JHP Hollow-Point

Wondering who switches up their defensive ammo

[BamaT]

I would think your Glock 26 would do just fine with the 147 grain bullets, which is what I generally prefer, but I also would not hesitate to carry 124 grain in one of the better ammo lines. Look at SGAmmo.com for good deals on premium defensive ammo. They have had Federal HST in stock in 124 and 147 lately. Golden Saber is good, as is Gold Dot, and Winchester Ranger T.

[1MoreGoodGuy]

146, 147... whatever it takes.

220, 221...whatever it takes.

[ccw9mm]

Spend enough range time to find a round that's utterly reliable in your specific example. With a G26, you shouldn't have a problem finding a solid defensive round that will work. Select a decent JHP cartridge, one that has shown itself (via ballistic gel tests) to have reliable expansion and good penetration.

115gr, 124gr or 147gr should be fine, so long as it's got reliable enough penetration and expansion for the job of defensive ammunition. Not all ammo performs equally, simply based on weight of the bullet.

Beyond that, there are only personal preferences. My choice has been the DoubleTap 9mm JHP 124gr +P. Many rely on the Winchester Ranger T 9mm 124gr +P. Many find the Remington Golden Saber 124gr to feed/cycle highly reliably. So long as it shows itself to be reliable in your own gun, and so long as they exhibit the desired performance characteristics, many of the "top" brand name choices should do.

[sixgun]

Try several different brands and weights to see what your gun likes for reliability and accuracy. Im a middle of the road kinda guy. And I like something in the 124 grain range.

[bmcgilvray]

Hi oltombon;

I don't carry a 9mm with any frequency but do keep some 147 grain Winchester stuff around if I feel the need. I like heavier for caliber bullets.

Here's a little hint for the future.

Rather than "I thought the larger grain, the better..." you might prefer to say "heavier weight."

There's no such thing as "heavier grains." A grain is a unit of weight measure and it takes 7000 grains to equal one pound. Always has and always will.

[txron]

I stick to the 124g +P loads, but I started carrying the critical duty 136g +p. I like to keep the velocity above 1000 ft/s. I would test a few different weights and manufactures to see what feeds and fires reliably in your gun and what you feel the most comfortable with.

[ZX9RCAM]

220, 221...whatever it takes.

Classic.....

[Brent2006]

Either 124, 124+p or 147 grain should work just fine. Stick with Speer Gold Dot, Winchester RANGER T or Federal HST.

Another excellent performer is the Speer Gold Dot 124+P Short Barrel that is specifically designed for barrels less than 3.5 inches.

Stay away from anything that is not used by law enforcement or anything that does not have a street record. Does that mean a round that isn't used by LE wouldn't work? No. However with so many variables in defensive shootings you will do well to chose your ammo police style.

I have Speer Gold Dot 124+P in my M&P Compact.

Good Luck

Stay Safe

Brent

[multistage]

I run HST, Gold Dots, and Ranger +p in my Glock 19. I have total confidence in any of those 124 grain loads, even the standard pressure HST and Gold Dots. Lord, I'd hate to get hit with any of it. A guy could mix a drink in the HST cavity.

If my 19 likes all that stuff (and it does), I expect your 26 will as well.

[Brad426]

I run HST, Gold Dots, and Ranger +p in my Glock 19. I have total confidence in any of those 124 grain loads, even the standard pressure HST and Gold Dots. Lord, I'd hate to get hit with any of it. A guy could mix a drink in the HST cavity.

If my 19 likes all that stuff (and it does), I expect your 26 will as well.

I would NOT drink that drink.

[glockman10mm]

Don't stress about brand, or blah, blah, too much. Any info you get will probably be based on cooked up lab tests or personal prejudice.

Any good reputable company will produce ammo that will get er done.

When choosing ammo for a medium caliber, the heavier loadings get my nod for their better penetrating qualities that do not depend on variables like speed , that can be disrupted when striking bone or other material which impedes it, and hence, slowing it down.

Of course, the 124+p loadings can and have proven to work well, however, since you are using a 3.5 inch barrel, they will not reach their full velocity, so you are probably better off to use a 147 grn loading.

Of course, the most important part of the equation, other than reliability, is shot placement.

I would stay away from expensive designer type bullets like Critical Defense or others and stick with a conventional HP.

Once again, don't get caught up in the hype and bs that many induce in.

[02R1]

i use remington ultimate defense 124Gr in my Nano and G19. Shoots well..