[oldhiker]

I have just purchased the following:
Kimber UC II, 45ACP
Sig P238 .380ACP
Walther PK380 .380ACP

Very new to this. What brand/type should I buy for range use? Defensive carry?

Any hints/pointers greatly appreciated.

Ken

 

[FHBrumb]

Carry Ammo:
Buy a few different kinds, and see which feeds 100% in your pistols. From the ones feeding 100%, decide which hits POA the best. Carry that.

Range ammo:
Just buy what you can find for a decent price find which feeds 100%. From that, pick the one that recoils and hits POA closest to your cary ammo. Practice with that and some of the carry ammo.

 

[moparoutlaw]

personally, I buy practice ammo from Parabellum Research

Parabellum Research

As for self defense, in my G36, I go for 230gr Speer Gold Dot.

 

[Saint77]

I use CCI Blazer Brass for range ammo. Ive had very little issues with it in 5 different make and model pistols.

 

[cmb]

What you can find that is reasonable in price for the range. In both of those calibers I am fine even with FMJ for self defense. The 45 is big and slower than say 9mm or 40 S&W and the 380's mass and speed together aren't outrageously good performers in tests. That said carry 230 grain HP in the 45 providing they feed reliably. In the firearms you have feeding hollow points shouldn't be an issue so get what you can, make sure it feeds, practice and you should be ok...

 

[Keltyke]

I use whatever's available for practice. I carry Corbon DPX in 9mm, .40 S&W, and .380ACP. Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel in that one.

 

[archer51]

For practice most any ammo will do. Normally I'll shoot CCI Blazer or Winchester WB. With 2 of your guns being chambered for .380 you're going to need to purchase whatever you can find in that caliber.

For Defensive loads I like 230 gr Federal HST for my .45 and Federal Personal Defense HydraShok for my .380.

BTW welcome to the forum.

 

[JimmyC4]

For .380 defense carry, I highly recommend the new Hornady Critical Defense ammo. May be hard to find--I went to Midway USA and signed up on backorder, waited about three months but it came through.

For .380 range use, my P238 handled three different kinds of ammo well, but with Wolf I couldn't get a full mag to go through it without a malfunction. Don't bother with Wolf.

Good luck...it's a great little pocket carry. I put mine in a Mika Pocket Holster.

 

[TX-JB]

First, Welcome to the forum... :wave:
For practice, buy the cheapest ammo you can find. FMJ loads are usually the cheapest around... Blazer and/or Winchester White Box are usually available in Walmart... Being in New York, I don't know how the laws are regarding selling ammo...

For defensive carry, try different brands of JHP's, if you can. In the .45, most any JHP round will do. I prefer the 230gr. loads myself. Even 230gr. FMJ will work well in the .45. :wink:

For the .380, I'm using Speer Gold Dot 90gr. JHP's. I found them online at ammunition to go. Any of the other JHP loads listed will also work fine. I even use FMJ in my .380, since penetration can be marginal. :yup:

 

[Ram Rod]

First, Welcome to the forum... :wave:
For practice, buy the cheapest ammo you can find. FMJ loads are usually the cheapest around... Blazer and/or Winchester White Box are usually available in Walmart... Being in New York, I don't know how the laws are regarding selling ammo...

For defensive carry, try different brands of JHP's, if you can. In the .45, most any JHP round will do. I prefer the 230gr. loads myself. Even 230gr. FMJ will work well in the .45. :wink:

For the .380, I'm using Speer Gold Dot 90gr. JHP's. I found them online at ammunition to go. Any of the other JHP loads listed will also work fine. I even use FMJ in my .380, since penetration can be marginal. :yup:

Good advice IMO. Buy .380 ammo when you find it, 45acp any time you find it. WalMart is still the best on price. They carry the PD ammo as well, even if it's not considered by most to be top of the line. I have plenty of Remington PD ammo from WM in 9mm, 40S&W, and 45acp. It is what it is.

 

[nn]

What ever you can find!