9mm high performance ammo

[Tyrod]

Ok, so i don't keep up with the latest greatest ammo tests. What is supposed to be the current best reasonably priced commercially loaded 1 shot stopper in 9mm. I know 9mm isn't the best 1 shot stopper in the world, but I've begun selling off all my odd calibre guns and consolidating into more common calibres. 9mm is one. I need reasonably priced so I can bulk up on it. I already have a ton of ball ammo. Prefer non +P.

 

[mike7mm08]

What do you consider reasonable. You are not going to find any premium 9mm for less than about buck to a buck and a half a pop. What our intended uses? Carry ammo or home defense?

Lot of factors to consider. Some to look at would be hornady critical defense and speer golddot. Both will rapidly expand and dump most of their energy into the target. Also reduces the chance of travelling through walls.

If you want a tougher ammo say for a carry gun where you might want something that could go through barriers and into someone Winchester PDX would be a load to look at. Supposedly meets all FBI requirements. I would not be comfortable using it inside a house though as it will most likely travel through at least one wall if not more.

If you want something that falls in between remington golden sabers about splits the difference performance wise.

 

[WESHOOT2]

Easy answer: When in doubt buy Winchester.

 

[steve b]

Kinda hard to ask for the best stopping 9mm ammo available and then say no +P ! My G19 is stuffed with +P+ 127gr Win Ranger. Then I like the 124gr +P Gold Dots. Guess to answer the question most closely, I'd say the Gold Dot 124gr HP, loaded to standard pressure. Why the restriction ? Even my little P-9 Kahr will handle the serious loads in small amounts. steve b

 

[DGW1949]

Here's a link (with more links) that you may find interesting. It mostly concerns one particular brand of pistol, but the basic ammo-info can be applied to them all.
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/9mm_hi_power_ammo_selection.htm

My own opinion on the 9MM is this;

My #1 concern with any ammo in any pistol is "will it feed reliably"?

Even "regular" pressure (non+P) 9MM ammo can be had that ventures into the same ballisic territory as the +P 38SPL.
That aint shabby.

A +P 9MM is close to the old 38-Super, and the +P+ version(s) are right there with it. What that tells me is that a steady diet of either is probably beyound what the design paremiters that most "stock" 9MM pistols are made to handle. That, and anytime we are using a smaller case while getting equal velocity from X-amount of bullet, we are also dealing with more pressure than we'd see when using the larger case. That may be something to bear in mind if you're using a gun that has a chamber design with less than optimal case-support, or if you want to get a lot of use out of a stock pistol before undue wear sets in.
I aint sayin' that using +P (or +P+) ammo will blow up any certain gun. I'm just sayin' that it'll certainly batter it more than "regular" ammo.

To me, the questions of stopping power is....when is enough, enough?...and at what point do we abandon trying to make a .36 perform like a .45?
After all, dern-near any pistol that is available in 9MM is also available in a .40 or .45, eh?

Hope this helps.

DGW

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Any major manufacturer that puts "Personal Defense" on the box. 8) 8)
.
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[Tyrod]

As to the question of restricting to non +p. In my 50 years of shooting experience I've found that only nominal gains in performance of +p over non +p with a considerable increase of gun battering. Cost is a factor to be considered when the latest greatest cost $5.00 a round to shoot versus the next on the performance list may be half the price or less. Practice shooting the carry load is much more likely the lower the cost. And of course, the ability to hit your target is directly proportional to the amount of practice a person gets. So, I'm not in favor of buying ammo so expensive or damaging to the gun that a person won't practice with it.

 

[WESHOOT2]

I offered a 9mm load that delivered a 115g JHP at 1270fps, 1340fps, 1370fps, and 1415fps.
And another not so offered at 1550fps.


Choices, and consequences, ay?

 

[WESHOOT2]

"Tim, define your idea of 'Proof Load'."


(I SHOULD blame that 1550 load on John Lawson and his 'bad' influence, but I won't. I'll blame it on Frank James. :mrgreen

 

[DGW1949]

Ok, so i don't keep up with the latest greatest ammo tests. What is supposed to be the current best reasonably priced commercially loaded 1 shot stopper in 9mm. I know 9mm isn't the best 1 shot stopper in the world, but I've begun selling off all my odd calibre guns and consolidating into more common calibres. 9mm is one. I need reasonably priced so I can bulk up on it. I already have a ton of ball ammo. Prefer non +P.

For "Non +P" shooting, I have found that both Federal and Remington offer a 115-JHP that is just a couple of bucks more per box than their 115-FMJ ammo. Both brands feed and function 100% in my BHP, AND shoot to the same POA as their (cheaper) 115-FMJ. Average velocity for either/all of those particular cartridges out of my gun's 4-5/8" barrel is right-at 1155 FPS.
I haven't seen the Federal 115-JHP around much lately, so lately I've been buying the Remingtons. Presently I'm paying $26.95 per 100 for those, which works out to about $15 per box (with tax).
Winchester may have something simular to what Remington and Federal offers too, I dunno. What I do know is that the two brands I use work so well for me that I reckon I'll stick with what I know.

On a slightly different note;
Some folks say that the increase in velocity that comes with +P ammo is worth the money. I say that if one is expecting a mere 100 FPS to matter in a gun fight, that he is in for a rude awakening. Personaly, I'd rather save that extra money and spend it on practice ammo, because shooting skill WILL matter.

Hope you find something here to be usefull.

DGW

 

[Tyrod]

On a slightly different note;
Some folks say that the increase in velocity that comes with +P ammo is worth the money. I say that if one is expecting a mere 100 FPS to matter in a gun fight, that he is in for a rude awakening. Personaly, I'd rather save that extra money and spend it on practice ammo, because shooting skill WILL matter.

Thanks, and I agree.