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Your Back-up Ammo..SAME?

3K views 33 replies 33 participants last post by  RemMod597 
#1 ·
My wife and I load our concealed carry with JHP SELF DEFENSE rounds. As back-up (extra rounds) ammo, my wife carries 158 gr. FMJ for her .38 spl., and I carry 125 gr. JSP in .357 mag. I figure if we are ever in a situation where we were to go through our SD ammo, we would be in some deep poo-poo, therefor we would want to defend ourselves with something that would have more penetrating ballistics. Use whatever scenario you want, I'm just curious if others carry back-up ammo different than their carry ammo, yes, no, why, or why not.
 
#2 ·
Same ammo for back up as I carry. These may or may not be the same manufacturer or same bullet, but they are JHP's and usually of the same weight bullets. I feel no good reason to carry range ammo or hardball for defensive purposes myself.
 
#4 ·
I don't generally carry two spare mags, but when I did, I would time to time load my second spare with 124 grain NATO FMJ in 9x19mm or 230 grain FMJ in .45 ACP. My carry ammunition in those chamberings is 124 grain Gold Dot +P in 9x19 and 230 grain Ranger T in .45 ACP.

As for revolvers, my current .38 Special carry load is the 135 grain +P Gold Dot, for which, AFAIK, there is no FMJ version in the same weight. I'm currently using the 125 grain Gold Dot in .357 Magnum. I don't think the .357 really needs extra penetration help in most cases, but I have been thinking about going to a heavier bullet, perhaps the 145 grain Silvertip. What I really want is a 158 grain LSWCHP at around 1100fps from my SP101 loaded in a magnum case, but I haven't been able to find a manufacturer that offers that.
 
#5 ·
I take the opposite stance: The reasons I want JHP loaded in my carry piece (expansion, expansion, expansion) are the same reasons that I want JHP in a back-up mag. If I have depleted my first mag, i still want the stopping power of a good SD round.

I prefer to leave the FMJ for the range and "Stuff Hits the Fan" scenarios.
 
#20 ·
I take the opposite stance: The 99reasons I want JHP loaded in my carry piece (expansion, expansion, expansion) are the same reasons that I want JHP in a back-up mag. If I have depleted my first mag, i still want the stopping power of a good SD round.

I prefer to leave the FMJ for the range and "Stuff Hits the Fan" scenarios.
Your "Stuff Hits the Fan" is the scenario I'm talking about. And should I ever end up in one, then I want penetration, not expansion.
 
#7 ·
Win. Ranger SXT 127 +P+

-or-

Fed. HST 124 +P

FMJ has no place on my person when I carry... I might switch up these 2 types of JHP, and maybe even have SXT in the pistol, but HST in the spare mag (not usually though). I just happen to have tested both these rounds the most with my carry pieces... I never carry FMJ in my gun or on my belt... FMJ is for range use only, IMO... Unless you're totally out of JHP, and the alternative to hardball is an empty gun, of course! In that scenario, you gotta do what you gotta do...

Oh, Fed 9BPLE 115 +P+ too - Another one I've run a lot of w/ out incident...

Regards,

Bones
 
#12 ·
Not sure what the scenario would be where you would need FMJ for penetration in a self-defense situation, as long as we are talking 9mm/.38 Spl or larger. In .380 I load alternating FMJ and JHPs. Below .380 I would go all FMJ.

Body armor will stop FMJ pistol ammo, and JHPs penetrate auto sheet metal and glass fairly well.

So...why FMJ? I would just carry JHPs.
 
#13 ·
I carry fmj in my back up mags. If I had a jam and somehow suvived, I prefer the feed and fire to the ballistics.
 
#14 ·
I suggest you give consideration to carrying .38 as you backup rounds so that in a pinch you could share with your wife.

When I was a LEO we were allowed to carry .357 in our duty weapon but had to carry .38 in our pouch so that we could share ammo with fellow officers who might be carrying a .38.
 
#26 ·
I usually carry 1 or 2 spare mags with JHPs. I do have a few different brands, one brand per mag sometimes though, in order to keep ammo relatively fresh.
 
#27 · (Edited)
With revolvers, I have carried spare ammo with a bullet profile that fits easier into the chambers. As a really poor rookie cop, in the mid-1980's, budget was another factor. In my M58 duty sixgun, I kept Silvertips in the weapon, and 210-grain LSWC in the speedloaders, and for the back-up J-snub, I was known to carry round-nosed lead spare ammo, for my third or fourth reload. This had little or nothing to do with a desire for greater penetration.

More recently, while carrying magnums in the SP101s, I have carried light-bullet .38 Special in speedloaders, because its shorter overall length allows the loaded speedloader to get past the grips on my SP101. Magnums in the speedloader can cause binding against the grip. Obviously, greater penetration is NOT the motive in this case.

Well, now that i think about it, for a while I carried one reload of .357 mag 180-grain Federal Castcore. I saw it as more of something to swap into the cylinder while enroute to something like a felony car stop, when on duty. Then, I progressed into keeping a whole spare sixgun so loaded, in a bag, in the passenger compartment. No need to swap anything that way; just grab the whole sixgun with the desired ammo in it.
 
#28 ·
I use the same ammo for primary and backup. When I decide to go with something new, like I'm about to do, I order enough for all my clips plus some to make sure their reliable in my guns. Getting ready to switch to Fed HST.

J.S.
 
#29 ·
I use Gold Dot +P in alll my handguns for SD and load my spare magazines with the same. My BUG 38 gets Gold Dot +P as well. My range time also includes a box of the same at the end of my shooting for each handgun that I practise with on that day. I believe you alway shoot some of what you are going to use, just to rrember the feel of it.

No :sheep: ..........in my magazines, just stopping power.
 
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