# Favorite 9mm load



## wiseguy

Switching my CCW to a 9mm and was curious what loads are preferred and why.


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## Ram Rod

Speer 124gr+P GDHP. Been using these for years.

P.S. If you have a Bushmaster, you have a 5.56mm not a .223. Bushmaster does not chamber in .223. (merely an observation)


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## Wyatt

I am using the exact same round as Ram Rod. :smt023


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## Mike Barham

I have no strong preference. I currently have 124gr Gold Dots in my pistol. But I would be equally pleased with any premium load that worked well in my pistol - Golden Saber, SXT, DPX, whatever. Weight matters little to me so long as the bullet penetrates sufficiently (at least 12" in gelatin).

They all perform so similarly that it hardly matters which you choose, and ammo is really only marginally relevant compared to mindset, marksmanship, gunhandling and tactics.

*submoa* will soon be along to school us. :mrgreen:


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## unpecador

Speer 124gr Gold Dot, sufficient penetration with minimal stress on gun.


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## Baldy

I carry 124gr Speers if they have them as I know they work well in my pistol. I know Win-WB will work all day long also and lots of times that's what I have. I also carry my own reloads which are on a equal to Win-WB. Just what ever I have handy is what I load up with. I figure with 16rs to start and 15 back up, if I need more than that I in way over my head.:smt033


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## wiseguy

Ram Rod said:


> P.S. If you have a Bushmaster, you have a 5.56mm not a .223. Bushmaster does not chamber in .223. (merely an observation)


As I understand it, there isn't really a big difference between 5.56 and .223...I've been using .223 since I bought the rifle and haven't had a problem yet.


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## submoa

Use rounds that your pistol will cycle reliably and you can shoot accurately. Avoid aluminum or steel cased ammo as these will jam.

I prefer 147gr JHP subsonics in my P99 in whatever quality brand is on sale. Reduced propellant charge is softer shooting. No transonic shockwave to disrupt accuracy or sonic boom to draw greater attention. The only round to use when shooting with a can.

Yah, there are those who prefer to scream like a girl when the sh^t hits the fan, but I'd rather be the one to decide when to draw attention... like when there is a clear exit strategy or I'm sure all assailants are down.


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## Mike Barham

submoa said:


> sonic boom to draw greater attention.


If I have to shoot someone, I want to draw all the attention I can. I need help!

Anyway, I am pretty sure if you crack off a couple rounds into a guy, someone will notice, whether or not you are shooting subsonic ammo.


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## hideit

well this is interesting
i learned something today

cool poll


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## Marcus99

I've tried a few different loads for my P99. I use the 115gr Winchester's whenever I go to the range because they are the cheapest and most widely available. A while back I had a few boxes of 124gr that were Winchester's that I found to be exactly like the 115gr except in price, so I never bought them again. I also have gone through a few boxes of 147gr Silver-coated, Hollow-point's that I've found myself to be the most accurate with. I think there primary use is for carrying and since I have never had a jam with them I'd say they ought to be pretty good for carrying (can't say I've ever had a jam on my P99 with any ammo though). 147gr aren't cheap though and they do give quite a bit of kick.


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## Ptarmigan

I currently use the Speer Gold Dot 124 grain +P since I can get it. My second choice would the 147 grain Gold Dot. 

That being said, I would feel comfortable with pretty much any modern load from Speer, Remington, Winchester, or Federal.

I would prefer 124 or 147 grain loads over 115 grain.


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## Todd

147 grain Gold Dots are what I'm carrying now. But I really don't have a manufacturer preference.


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## JJ

147gr HST

im eyeing the new +P version pretty hard though.


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## toolboxluis

for my wife is the 124 gr bonded hollow point 
its lighter for her to carry in her glock 19 
for me 147 xst +p for my FNP-9:numbchuck::numbchuck:


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## Bisley

I use 124 grain Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel in my Kahr K-9, and regular 124 grain Gold Dots for my CZ-75B, though I rarely carry it, anymore.

Both guns shoot closest to POA with 147 grain cartridges, but since the 147's were designed mainly for use in carbines, there is always a nagging doubt as to whether they will expand at all from a short barreled pistol.

The 124 grain Gold Dots are a good compromise, and there is test data to suggest that they do expand well when fired from short-barreled pistols - especially the Short Barrel version.


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## The_Vigilante

Surprised these didn't make the list--Winchester Ranger 124g +p+ for my 9mm.


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## Growler67

I carry 147gr HydraShoks. Nothing against the 124gr, but when I lived in Colorado and went camping I just figured the more mass the bullet had, the better it would be against any wildlife that might pose a threat. I just stuck with it as my SD/HD load.


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## DevilsJohnson

124 JHP

I roll my own and though I will buy carry ammo I don't as much as I used to because my 9mms' like my loads better


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## Bisley

Bisley said:


> Both guns shoot closest to POA with 147 grain cartridges, but since the 147's were designed mainly for use in carbines, there is always a nagging doubt as to whether they will expand at all from a short barreled pistol.


Since making this statement, I have seen some test results that seem to indicate that I'm wrong about the 147 grain not expanding properly through short-barreled pistols. A knowledgeable fellow on another forum has conducted wet newsprint tests on standard pressure Winchester white box 147 grain, fired from a Kahr PM-9, with fairly impressive results.

The 147's had practically the same expansion and penetration as non +P 115 grain Speer Gold Dots, and were only slightly smaller diameter than 124 grain HST's, and 135 grain Hydra-Shoks.

The tests were not done in a laboratory, by a real scientist, but still, the guy who did them is an experienced gun-guy, and I consider the results valid.


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## Almightyzappa

Haven't shot too many different ones yet, but right now I'm using Federal Premium 124 gr Hydra-shok. It's the personal defense stuff not the tactical one.


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## Mike U.

My preference is 147 gr. Win. Ranger. Back up would be 147 gr. Speer GD's.

I like a round that has more mass to it. Within reason, of course.


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## funkypunk97

So far all I've shot is 115gr through my Sigma....... 

I see virtually no one else uses this round, is there a reason NOT to use the 115gr? Should I be using 124gr? 

I've put 200 rounds through and the 115gr seem to work OK, but is there an advantage to using higher grain that I am overlooking? Is the 115gr bad for my gun? Are they more likely to FTF or FTE?


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## Wyatt

funkypunk97 said:


> So far all I've shot is 115gr through my Sigma.......
> 
> I see virtually no one else uses this round, is there a reason NOT to use the 115gr? Should I be using 124gr?
> 
> I've put 200 rounds through and the 115gr seem to work OK, but is there an advantage to using higher grain that I am overlooking? Is the 115gr bad for my gun? Are they more likely to FTF or FTE?


Funky, no prob using 115 gr. for range work at all, most of the cheap target ammo comes in 115 gr., and I use WWB 115gr. ball ammo all the time for practice and training.

The OP was really referring to defense rounds since he was talking about what he uses in his carry gun. Ballistics tests show the 124 and 147 outperform the 115 grain. And btw, for this purpose hollow points are MUCH better than ball ammo.


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## unpecador

Yup, I use 115gr FMJ for practice most of the time as well however, I do go through the occasional cycling of my SD ammo (124gr JHP). I do experience an occasional FTE with the 115gr FMJ.


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## funkypunk97

Wyatt said:


> Funky, no prob using 115 gr. for range work at all, most of the cheap target ammo comes in 115 gr., and I use WWB 115gr. ball ammo all the time for practice and training.
> 
> The OP was really referring to defense rounds since he was talking about what he uses in his carry gun. Ballistics tests show the 124 and 147 outperform the 115 grain. And btw, for this purpose hollow points are MUCH better than ball ammo.


OK cool.... thanks.... I just didn't want to be cheap if it was going to harm the gun at all.....

I like the idea of stopping power, but I'm more into reliability so as long as what I'm using is going to work, I don't mind.....


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## Wyatt

funkypunk97 said:


> OK cool.... thanks.... I just didn't want to be cheap if it was going to harm the gun at all.....
> 
> I like the idea of stopping power, but I'm more into reliability so as long as what I'm using is going to work, I don't mind.....


Yea, there should be no ill effects to your gun from using 115 grain. Actually the grain shouldn't really matter in terms of harming your gun. But when using cheap ammo you may want to steer clear from certain brands that use other than brass cases. There's a thread around here on the subject. Some have reported aluminum case ammo (such as Blazer aluminum) have caused damage to their guns. Also, some of the cheaper ammo can be pretty dirty. As long as you clean your guns regularly that's no big deal, but if you don't then you may want to stay away from the dirtier stuff.

Also, check some of the threads about defense ammo, including this one. It is strongly recommended that you use a premium brand hollow point rather than a cheap ball ammo for defense in town (as opposed to defense against woods creatures) both from a performance standpoint (ballistics, muzzle flash, reliability, etc.) as well as from a possible liability standpoint.

If you are into reliability, you are better off going with a premium brand for defense so long as you regularly test the round to be sure it cycles reliably in your gun. Better quality control means you are far less likely to get a round that fails to fire or doesn't cycle properly.


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## funkypunk97

Wyatt said:


> Yea, there should be no ill effects to your gun from using 115 grain. Actually the grain shouldn't really matter in terms of harming your gun. But when using cheap ammo you may want to steer clear from certain brands that use other than brass cases. There's a thread around here on the subject. Some have reported aluminum case ammo (such as Blazer aluminum) have caused damage to their guns. Also, some of the cheaper ammo can be pretty dirty. As long as you clean your guns regularly that's no big deal, but if you don't then you may want to stay away from the dirtier stuff.
> 
> Also, check some of the threads about defense ammo, including this one. It is strongly recommended that you use a premium brand hollow point rather than a cheap ball ammo for defense in town (as opposed to defense against woods creatures) both from a performance standpoint (ballistics, muzzle flash, reliability, etc.) as well as from a possible liability standpoint.
> 
> If you are into reliability, you are better off going with a premium brand for defense so long as you regularly test the round to be sure it cycles reliably in your gun. Better quality control means you are far less likely to get a round that fails to fire or doesn't cycle properly.


Yeah I will stick with the name brands for sure.....

So far I've been using Remington and American Eagle (by Federal) since that is what my local shop stocks.....


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## Will R.

Remington Golden Saber 124 gr. +P.


Will


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## babs

Subscribed. :mrgreen: Interesting thread.. 
Just picked up some plain ole' white box Winchester last night. Typical boxes of 115 target fmj's and couple boxes of their 147 jhp's... Good to know that the 147 jhp Winchester is actually a decent defense round.. And wally-world still has plenty of cases of the stuff.. so I'm stockin' up.

Though I subscribe to Mike B's philosophy.. The round you can place well, is the one to use. I'd say place well and cycles flawless in your gun. I wouldn't want to stop any of 'em. :smt033


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## Dynamik1

I like the Federal 135gr Personal Defense Hydra-Shok.
Straight shooting, light recoil and very reliable in my Beretta and my Kel-Tec.


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## Naterstein

I dont use +P. I currently use and like Fed 124gr HSTs.


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## Kyle1337

124 JHP. I'll take whatever 9mm I can get my hands on at this point 

(on a side note)question, I've got some 115gr 9mm ball tracer, can those be used for defense or is there a law against that?


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## mikecu

*9mm*

I'm carrying 115gr Winchester Silver Tips.


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## StatesRights

Personally I've read that the 115gr +P Speer Gold dot is a very good round. Here's a link to some good reading. Pics and performance data from a lot of different bullets. You make up your own mind after reading.
http://ammo.ar15.com/project/Self_Defense_Ammo_FAQ/index.htm#9mm


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## StatesRights

Also, I've read somewhere that emergency room physicians say that a lighter bullet like the 115gr not only creates a good wound channel, but it tears up tissue in the channel a lot more than a slower moving bullet such as the 147gr.


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## StatesRights

wiseguy said:


> As I understand it, there isn't really a big difference between 5.56 and .223...I've been using .223 since I bought the rifle and haven't had a problem yet.


Here's a link to the difference
http://www.winchester.com/lawenforcement/news/newsview.aspx?storyid=11


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## Masterblaster1

I use 147 grain +P Double Tap speer Gold Dot or Remington 147 grain Golden Saber they both shoot great out of my P-95dc...


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## fiasconva

124 gr Golden Sabers IF I can find them. Hard to find almost any kind of sd ammo lately.


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## dog wonder

Made for the streets: Federal 124+p HST!


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## falchunt

I haven't had my gun a terribly long time, but It feeds/cycles and fires anything i give it, and doesn't hiccup on anything. It would probably be easier for me to decide what to use as my "standard" sd round if it DIDN'T like something. I have shot WWB 124gr, Federal 147 +p, and Remington Golden Sabers, i think those were 147 gr as well. Everything shoots good, they all seemed to expand decently when I shot them. None of them really affected my accuracy to an extent that was unacceptable. From the diagrams that I have looked at, I would say the Federal HST 124 gr +p have the best looking expansion and most consistant on the market. And they are not the most expensive round out there.


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## SIGness

Bah!!!! Idiot me!!! I clicked 115gr. on accident. :buttkick: 

That's what I get for quick clicking! GRRRRR But I would have chosen 124+p for defense.


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## omegajb

I can't tell the difference between 90, 110 or 115.


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## 2old2worry

*Hornady*

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Hornady Critical Defense 9mm. It is 115 gr but sure looks like it would "do the job", if needed.

If anyone has any bad info about that ammo, please post it and I'll fire all of mine at the range and buy something else.:watching:


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## jimmy

*speer gold dot*

124 +p


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## fuzzy_dba

I start out each practice session with a mag of 115+P (15 rounds), switch to the 115 FMJ's for the real practice, and end up the session with my carry load: 124+P Gold Dots.
... I'm comfortable that iyne can digest just about anything!


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## meanmachine1961

I carry Hornady Critical Defense 115 gr.


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## rclinton

I have Hornady Critical Defense 115 gr in both my Taurus Slim and Ruger P85. Just ordered a couple boxes of Federal Hydra shock 124 gr and 147 gr Tactical. I dont want to shoot a P+ round through the Slim, the P85 on the other hand, not sure there is a round it cant handle.


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## NC FNP-9

Ruger SP101 3.06" barrel - Speer Gold Dot 135 gr. 38 Spl +P Short Barrell
FNP-9 Speer Gold Dot 124gr +P


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## falchunt

I did leave out Hornady's on my list...I have shot their critical defense (1 box) and they did shoot very well. I have always been a big fan of Hornady, but their pistol ammo is always sold out everywhere...


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## archull

I like the 115 grain Hornaday Critical defense for a defensive load and for the range I typically use 115 grain Remington UMC FMJ or Winchester White box (which is also 115 grain) for the range.

So I guess I really only shoot 115 grain ammo, lol. Never really thought about it. It is normally the most abundant ammo and it shoots well with my gun so I am just going to stick to what works, lol


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## cougartex

147 grain JHP Winchester White Box because that is all I can find currently in this area.


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## dondavis3

147gr HydraShok for personal defense.

Any junk for practice :anim_lol:

:smt1099


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