Defensive Carry banner

9mm Carry load

8K views 30 replies 25 participants last post by  Squawker 
#1 ·
New to this forum, but been shooting for years. I had been carrying a S&W 9mm 4"barrel for years with Cor-Bon 115 +P JHP. I also carry a 1911 on occasion.

I had been much more into target shooting of rifles and such, and never really gave much thought to my carry gun, as the carry gun is more of a tool than a hobby.

I have been giving some a lot of thought to carry ammo latley, as it is time to make a new purchase after rotating and shooting most of the stock I had laid in.

I am really second guessing the choice of the 115 grain bullet I had been shooting. The more I search, the more I am confused. I shoot +p in the 9mm because in 9mm I can easily control the more stout load, and it seems like the bullet performance will benefit from the added velocity.

I am torn between 147, 115, and 124 grn offerings. I know badguys are going to dislike any of them, but is there one that is gennerally accepted as the best self defense carry load in 9mm?
 
#27 ·
personally, I carry DoubleTap's 9mm +P in 124gr:

115gr, $31.95/50
Caliber : 9mm+P

Bullet : Speer Gold Dot JHP

Ballistics : 115gr @ 1415fps / 511ft. lbs. from a G17.
Glock 19 velocity - 1395fps.
124gr, $31.95/50
Caliber : 9mm+P

Bullet : Speer Gold Dot JHP

Ballistics : 124gr @ 1310fps / 473ft. lbs. from a G17.
124 @ 1295fps / 462 ft. lbs. from a G19
147gr, $31.95/50
Caliber : 9mm+P

Bullet : Speer Gold Dot JHP

Ballistics : 147gr @ 1135fps / 421ft. lbs. from a G17.
Glock 19 velocity - 1120fps.
Note you have to pay attention to the barrel length used for the tests when comparing performance.

Also, my understanding is that +P ammunition has a pressure specification that it must fall within, where +P+ does not.

Further, you'll find a number of firearms mfgs that support +P, but not +P+.

All in all, I figure the DoubleTap +P 124gr is a good balance of weight and velocity, esp. from a short barreled CCW and it is safe to shoot in my CCW.

Good luck,

-john
 
#3 ·
All those bullet weights offer good self defense loads.

I'm hesitant to use any 147 Grain in a 9 mm though, but that's because I remember the first round of 147 Grain bullets in 9 mm and their dismal failure to work. Anything I carry in 9 mm is a +P or a +P+ by choice, but wouldn't have a problem with a "standard" pressure load either.

For me, 9 mm and 38 Special are the two calibers that I am the most critical of when it comes to selecting a bullet, as I believe the room for error, in regards to bullet selection is smaller.

Don't worry too much about the bullet though. Concentrate on learning how to put your bullets where they need to go. If I was going to carry a non +P or +P+ load I'd probably lean towards the 124 Grain myself. If you were going to use a +P load the Corbon 115 Grain +P DPX is a great choice, and so is the 124 Grain +P. In the +P+ loads I use 115 Grain because I can get it easily. If I could get the 127 Grain +P+ I wouldn't feel bad with that either.

Biker
 
#5 ·
Yeah, what Biker said. I've long carried the 124 +P in Gold Dots, but our ballistics testing has made me decide to shift over to CorBon for my carry guns - but that is a pretty marginal issue. Bottom line is that they're just handguns, and bullet placement is more important than some magical weight or powder combination.

Jim D.
 
#6 ·
From everything I 've read - you couldn't go wrong with Federal HST ammo.

Good price, geat performance!

I'd buy a few boxes of 124gr.+p and settle in for the duration.

It's state of the art stuff and if it ever gets any better than this it won't be by much.

DPX is great also. But at a lot more cost per round. HST may be as good or better and the HST pricing allows you to practice with your carry ammo and not skimp so much because of DPX cost - always a good plan, especially in an auto.
 
#7 ·
I am torn between 147, 115, and 124 grn offerings. ... is there one that is gennerally accepted as the best self defense carry load in 9mm?
There is no general agreement on "best," no. And that's as it should be. Why? There are simply too many variables for you to take generalizations across a country and believe that those generalizations are the best indicator for your gun in your region.

Some claim that because police departments pick a certain load, that the decision to do so is good enough to rely upon. For me, though, that a thousand police departments select a given round for their Glocks is only one indicator, but it doesn't prove a thing about performance in my gun.

The specific gun in question is very important. They are each made to different specs (ie, Glock 19 vs CZ P-01 vs S&W XD). Your specific gun isn't mine. Mine might well work with a certain load better than yours; yours might get hung up on less-than-perfect crimping, or something that's a bit too short or long. You might live in a region where people regularly bundle up with five layers of clothing in the depths of winter, whereas folks in Florida are often going around with barely a t-shirt to make a mess of an inbound bullet. And so on.

My choice, in my specific CZ P-01 9mm semi-auto: DoubleTap JHP 124gr +P (Speer Gold Dot bullet). My second choice: Federal Hydrashok Tactical JHP 124gr +P+. Both work exceptionally well in my particular gun. Both have been through a thousand rounds of each, to prove the concept. Both of these work very well in actual tests I've performed through various materials. No guarantees, but I'm of the opinion that, when it comes down to the last 10% of performance, I'd prefer to have cycling excellence above that last 10%. YMMV.
 
#8 ·
I would not afraid to use 147 HST. they penetrate very well and expand really big! Easy to shoot too.
Another choice would be Ranger 127 +P+
and 124 +P Gold Dot from Double Tap. The last one is hotter then Speer's 124 +P Gold Dot with the same bullet.
Vodek:danceban:
 
#9 ·
I may be more limited by availability at this point. I am going to do some testing, but I picked up a few boxes of Speer Gold Dot +P 124 grain loads today.

Seems to me, you can tally them up and about as many guys will swear by Gold Dots or HST followed closely by corbon, golden sabers, hydra-shok and a pile of others.

I also agree that the most important thing is probably reliability. I know you have to be ready and train to clear malfunctions, but if it won't shoot reliably it really doesn't matter anyway.
 
#10 ·
That is what I use. Speer GDHP +P 124 gr in all of my 9mm's. Have worked reliably, and have chronoed at close to what the listed velocity is. Most importantly, they have functioned reliably.
 
#11 ·
Welcome aboard csam!

Another vote for 124gr +P HSTs! :yup:
Nothing wrong with Gold Dots either!
 
#13 ·
Guys, if you like HST buy it now while you still can. Federal is ordering retailers to stop selling it to the public. Federal intended it to be LEO only. My local store made the announcement a few months ago.
 
#18 ·
How sure are you that this is true? It's still listed as an SD ammo on Federal's website.
 
#14 ·
Im getting my chl this saturday and was leaning towards the Federal hydras +P+ Ive a Sig 239 and its plenty large and heavy enough to handle the super powered +P+ rounds I would think. Havent been to the range with it with those bullets yet, hope to very soon though.
 
#15 ·
HST

Not all 9mm HST rounds are created equal. While the 124gr is produced I had not found it recommend anyplace. I did some testing and found the 124gr did not retain weight while the 147gr performed very well!

If you can't find 9mm 147gr HST then carry another brand!
 
#28 ·
Not all 9mm HST rounds are created equal. While the 124gr is produced I had not found it recommend anyplace. I did some testing and found the 124gr did not retain weight while the 147gr performed very well!

If you can't find 9mm 147gr HST then carry another brand!
johnsonabq - Check to make sure you know how the 124gr +p will perform. In my testing the the 124gr +p did poorly compared to the 147gr and 147gr +P.

Looks at all the reports on the HST here:
LE - Wound Ballistics

and you will notice that Federal has NEVER put the 124gr into the mix. I believe that has done this because the 124gr, in any pressure load, does not perform nearly as well as the existing rounds (Ranger-T and so on).
I thought that was interesting too. Why wasn't Federal pushing the 124gr +P HST ammo during their workshops? I searched a little more, and found they tested it at the Sacramento County workshop.

The Sacramento County workshop tested 124gr +P. http://le.atk.com/pdf/SacramentoCountyWBW.pdf

Bare Gelatin @ 10ft.
124gr +P pen 11.75" .78" diameter
147gr pen 13.25" .76" diameter

Heavy Clothing @ 10ft.
124gr +P pen 12.50" .66" diameter
147gr pen 14.00" .66" diameter


From Aurora PD.
http://le.atk.com/pdf/AuroraPoliceDpmt.pdf

Bare Gelatin @ 10ft.
Speer GDHP 124gr +P pen 13.25" .665" diameter

Heavy Clothing @ 10ft.
Speer GDHP 124gr +P pen 14.00" .582" diameter


The 147gr HST is a better performer than the 124gr +P HST. The GDHP 124gr +P, other than a little less expansion, seems to be equal to the 147gr HST. Interesting find though...the 124gr +P HST had a core seperation when doing the windshield test.
 
#17 ·
I would like to second what BikerRN said about the importance of putting the bullets where they need to be. Next, make sure the round is reliable in your weapon. Then go for the best performing bullet.

That said, I do think bullet performance is more important in 9mm than .40 or .45. I now finally got two boxes of Federal HST 124gr +p for my Kahr PM9. I think these would be your best bet. IMHO
 
#26 ·
I now finally got two boxes of Federal HST 124gr +p for my Kahr PM9. I think these would be your best bet. IMHO
johnsonabq - Check to make sure you know how the 124gr +p will perform. In my testing the the 124gr +p did poorly compared to the 147gr and 147gr +P.

Looks at all the reports on the HST here:
LE - Wound Ballistics

and you will notice that Federal has NEVER put the 124gr into the mix. I believe that has done this because the 124gr, in any pressure load, does not perform nearly as well as the existing rounds (Ranger-T and so on).
 
#19 ·
I was given 125 +P Hydro Shok back in the 90’s when I worked for the Feds, but I know another agency gave their people 147 +P+ Hydro Shok.

Right now, my Glock’s are loaded with Winchester Ranger T’s 127 +P+, and I gave my dad some Corbond 115 +P for Christmas for him to use in his 92 T.

Long story short; regarding any premium bullet, I really don’t think what bullet you use is nearly as critical as shot placement. Load your pistol with the bullet you shot best, and can hit the target with over and over again.
 
#20 ·
Depends on which pistol; the M34 and 92FS seem to like 147grn; I usually have them stoked with either Gold Dots or HydraShok in those weights.

My P7's usually have 124+P Gold Dots, or 124 TAP/FPD.
 
#25 ·
Federal 115gr 9BPLE +P+

Not the latest technology but it has a proven street record.

Also it's somewhat less expensive than premium defensive loads so I can practice with it more often.
 
#31 ·
First, Corbon makes excellent ammo, and is a very good choice. Actually, all of the major manufacturers make ma quality product, so you can feel safe with Corbon, Federal, Speer, etc. As far as bullet weights, I tend to go for the 124, followed by the 155 gr. But, once again, all of it is ammunition that you don't want to be shot with. Myself, I tend to use (when I have a choice), either the Corbon Pow'rball, or the Federal EPMJ (Expanding Point Full Metal Jacket). There was a study showing that sometimes, regular hollow point ammunition can become "plugged" by heavy clothing, impeding expansion. The pow'rball ammunition has a plastic ball which fills the hollow point. When the bullet strikes, the ball is pushed back into the hollow point, ensuring expansion. The Federal EPFMJ is similar. The bullet looks alot like a semiwadcutter. The plastic ball is underneath a small covering, and on impact, is also forced back into the hollow point, and again, expansion is assured. I have much more here in the Federal, because when I have the money (and the ammo is available), I tend to buy in case lots. and I've been able to buy the EPMJ in case lots from ammoman.com. Unfortunately, he's been sold out of most ammo for months, and I was laid off 12'31. So, my ammo buying has been curtailed.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top