Ammo question: Glock 17, Glock 26, Glock 43, Ruger LC9s ... Best carry/self defense ammo ? Is there one that is best for all of em?

[GlockJock]

I carry the G17, G26 and/or G43 (depending on weather/clothing etc etc)...My wife and daughter both carry Ruger LC9s's

Up to now, we've all been carrying either Federal HST 124gr+P or HST 143+P in all of them, but I'm hearing from some friends that maybe the +P may or may not be best for all? Another friend says the 147gr is too much of a "kick" for the G43 and maybe too much for a Ruger LC9s also, etc...Seems like there are a thousand different opinions as to which carry ammo is "best" for all of them.

Is there a definitive opinion here on the one best carry round for all of these?
Anyone else here own all of the above also?...
As always, thanks in advance for the recommendation(s)....

 

[Camhabib]

I carry the G17, G26 and/or G43 (depending on weather/clothing etc etc)...My wife and daughter both carry Ruger LC9s's

Up to now, we've all been carrying either Federal HST 124gr+P or HST 143+P in all of them, but I'm hearing from some friends that maybe the +P may or may not be best for all? Another friend says the 147gr is too much of a "kick" for the G43 and maybe too much for a Ruger LC9s also, etc...Seems like there are a thousand different opinions as to which carry ammo is "best" for all of them.

Is there a definitive opinion here on the one best carry round for all of these?
Anyone else here own all of the above also?...
As always, thanks in advance for the recommendation(s)...

I think if one was definitively the best, it would be the only one they made. As long as it feeds, I imagine the choice entirely depends on what you prefer. Distance and subject you’ll be shooting at, the particular pistol, recoil spring installed, how well you control recoil, etc. are all going to play into it.

 

[ToddDubya]

These guys tested a lot of different ammoz. LuckyGunner.com Labs - Tests, reviews and insights into firearms and ammo

 

[TheRoland]

Buy a modern, high quality JHP like the Federal HST, and shoot at least 1 box through it before carrying. Any of those will be fine. That way you don't have to ask the internet if there's too much recoil.

 

[Marlin1]

Not all the guns are rated for the '+P" keep that in mind. I believe he LC9s falls into that category.
The extra powder may not burn in a shorter barrel and leads to increased flash and recoil for no good purpose.
Add to that the possibility of damage to the firearm. Check what the manufacturers recommend as far as "+P" then work on a round that shoots well for your gun

 

[Bodhisattva]

Hornady Critcal Duty

 

[Deleted member 67409]

Short answer is that different kinds of handguns have different rifling and barrel lengths. Different barrel lengths mean different muzzle velocities, which in handguns especially, impact bullet expansion.

 

[Tinkermatic]

I’ve shot 147’s and 124’s out of my 365 (all HST’s). If I shot them back to back, I could (maybe) probably tell you the difference, but I’m not sure it would matter much.

Small guns, with short barrels, chambered in 9mm, are snappy. That’s just life.

I got a box of 147’s to see why some people recommend a heavier bullet in a shorter barrel? Meh, not impressed, but not disappointed. I wouldn’t buy another box. I use the 124’s in my G19 and I’ll just continue to keep some 124’s in the 365 as well. No point in keeping two different weights around and the 124’s appear to expand more out of the shorter barrel anyway.

As someone else said, the main thing is to train with your carry ammo. It sucks (especially now) to shoot full mags of .80 cent per round ammo, but it’s worth it. Just be consistent. Training with 115grn round nose and carrying 124+P or 147, doesn’t make a lot of sense, at least to me.

 

[PappyM3]

For bullet selection, I like Hornady Critical Duty for its reliable barrier blindness. But there are several good JHP choices.

Personally, I think +P is a little silly. As mentioned, short barrels may not burn it all anyway. And a little extra velocity doesn’t benefit pistol cartridges a whole lot against people. Unlike rifle velocities, pistols are just going to create a permanent wound about as big as the bullet itself. A little more speed won’t change that.

As long as you’re getting enough penetration and good expansion, you don’t need extra pistol velocity. The caveat is if you’re using FMJ for bigger 4-legged critters while hiking and will need more penetration.

More kick with little upside. No thanks.

Edit: Also for hiking, I load up Lehigh Xtreme Penetrator. It provides close to JHP permanent wound cavities, but penetrates more than FMJ. Would NOT recommend for self defense in populated areas though. And Xtreme Defender is fine, but pricey and doesn’t provide a whole lot more than a good barrier blind JHP like Critical Duty.

 

[Tinkermatic]

For bullet selection, I like Hornady Critical Duty for its reliable barrier blindness. But there are several good JHP choices.

Personally, I think +P is a little silly. As mentioned, short barrels may not burn it all anyway. And a little extra velocity doesn’t benefit pistol cartridges a whole lot against people. Unlike rifle velocities, pistols are just going to create a permanent wound about as big as the bullet itself. A little more speed won’t change that.

As long as you’re getting enough penetration and good expansion, you don’t need extra pistol velocity. The caveat is if you’re using FMJ for bigger 4-legged critters while hiking and will need more penetration.

More kick with little upside. No thanks.

To expand on your post (which I agree with fully) up to 2200 fps all you’re doing is punching holes. Expansion helps with the possibility of hitting a vital, and causing more bleeding, as does penetration. This is why the FBI went from 10mm, to .40, to 9mm. Accuracy, controllability, and follow up shots are far more important than caliber or bullet selection.

This LuckyGunner vid spells it out. Pick a modern bullet that works for you and your gun. Then practice, practice, practice.

View: https://youtu.be/T6kUvi72s0Y

 

[MAGA99]

You can’t really go wrong with any of the popular JHP rounds, gold dot, HST, critical duty, etc. I’ve carried them all, they all cycle well in my guns. Currently have been using hornady, wife still using hst.

I’m not a believer in +p, but you do what you want. I haven’t carried a sub compact since the last wedding I went to, and to me, the 147s ‘feel’ less snappy. I do the 135s in the G19, hornady. I’ve also been carrying a spare 17 or 21 round mag of FMJ due to recent events. I used to carry hollowpoint backup mag, but if I have to change mags, at that point I don’t care

 

[PappyM3]

To expand on your post (which I agree with fully) up to 2200 fps all you’re doing is punching holes. ...

Thanks for expounding with numbers.

I’ll also add that if you have a barrel length/cartridge combo that is just shy of meeting ideal penetration, or just shy of reliable expansion, then sure give +P in the cartridge a try. But it shouldn’t be the default.

 

[Davidk]

The performance of any of the top names is very similar. Shot placement, number of shots fire and speed of hits are far more important. Also, these days there is not a lot available to chose from.

 

[millcity]

What’s the difference between critical duty and critical defense ?

 

[PappyM3]

What’s the difference between critical duty and critical defense ?

Broadly, Critical Duty is aimed at LEOs, and Critical Defense at civilians.

More specifically, Critical Duty is focused on barrier blindness, and Critical Defense is focused on easier expansion even at slower velocities.

They’re both good, but if you think you may need to shoot through a car door or glass, then go with Critical Duty. If you have a subcompact, look into velocities and consider Critical Defense to ensure expansion. But even Critical Defense expands pretty reliably through clothes because the polymer tip doesn’t allow the hollow point to fill with fabric.

FBI uses Critical Duty.

 

[Al-Jim19]

HST is my favorite after many hours attending Youtube University. It performs consistently in many guns. I like 124g +P but pretty much any flavor they make is good. I doubt the following mayyers but in the shorter barrel pistols i might lean away from the heavier bullets because the shorter barrels will lose a little velocity. A lighter buller could mitigate that.

Then again the HST micro 9mm uses a 150g bullet so who the heck knows?

I also carry HST in my .38 for whatever thats worth.

At the end of the day the fine minutiae of 124 vs 147 grain bullets is very unlikely to make the difference in a gunfight as long as your gun works.

 

[Camhabib]

At the end of the day the fine minutiae of 124 vs 147 grain bullets is very unlikely to make the difference in a gunfight as long as your gun works.

That’s exactly the thing, as long as it feeds well, none of these rounds are going to be something that a person is going to be happy about being hit with.

“Thank god it was the Critical Duty and not the HST.” - no one ever

 

[Brewer]

I carry 147gr HST, no extra heat on them. Was going to post the same video as @Tinkermatic . Can't get much more authoritative or clear than that.

 

[PappyM3]

.... I doubt the following mayyers but in the shorter barrel pistols i might lean away from the heavier bullets because the shorter barrels will lose a little velocity. A lighter buller could mitigate that.

Then again the HST micro 9mm uses a 150g bullet so who the heck knows?
...

In rifles, heavier-for-caliber bullets tend to lose less velocity, as barrel lengths shrink, than lighter bullets. Maybe it’s the same thing with pistols, even though the barrel length differences are much less.

 

[kalash]

I carry Hornady in my G19 for the simple reason that there's no bullet setback. I've chambered the top two rounds probably a hundred times by now - no setback, at all.

What’s the difference between critical duty and critical defense ?

Defense is supposed to perform better out of short barrels.

 

[Canndo]

Federal Law Enforcement 9mm Luger Ammo 124 Grain +P HST Jacketed Hollow Point

 

[citoriguy]

I like the Sig Elite 124gr in both my P365 and G19 - accuracy and follow-up shots/recoil management work for me.

In all my years of shooting, I have never shot the Hornady line, at least as far as I can recall. Not sure how/why that’s happened, but should give them a try given their reputation.

 

[drgrant]

Hornady Critical Duty 135gr +P... fries are done.

If you can't get your hands on that- Fed HST 124 +P, or Speer Gold Dot 124gr +P....

Or if you want to go FR, Underwood Ammo GDHP loadings. The +P+ 9mm won't run in everything though, but its a BEEEEAST. (nearly .357 Sig).

 

[drgrant]

I carry Hornady in my G19 for the simple reason that there's no bullet setback. I've chambered the top two rounds probably a hundred times by now - no setback, at all.

In 9mm there's not a lot of setback to begin with. My underwood stuff doesn't set back either, but I suspect it might even be a slightly compressed load...

 

[Alex9661]

As someone else said, the main thing is to train with your carry ammo. It sucks (especially now) to shoot full mags of .80 cent per round ammo, but it’s worth it. Just be consistent. Training with 115grn round nose and carrying 124+P or 147, doesn’t make a lot of sense, at least to me.

I can't feel a lot of difference between shooting factory 115gr, 124gr, or 147 gr. +P is noticeably more snappy but I don't carry it. I'm perfectly content with training with 115gr and carrying 147gr.
I would suggest someone load couple of mags with a mix of 115, 124, and 147 for you in an order known only to the loader. You then shoot and try to tell the weight of a bullet you just shot. You can even make a drinking game of it.

 

[Tinkermatic]

I can't feel a lot of difference between shooting factory 115gr, 124gr, or 147 gr. +P is noticeably more snappy but I don't carry it. I'm perfectly content with training with 115gr and carrying 147gr.
I would suggest someone load couple of mags with a mix of 115, 124, and 147 for you in an order known only to the loader. You then shoot and try to tell the weight of a bullet you just shot. You can even make a drinking game of it.

Not so much for recoil consistency, more POA vs. POI. At close range (handgun distances) it may not make a huge difference, but if you spend all day shooting Remington green/white box 115 grn.FMJ’s and carry 147 grn. HST’s, there’s a good chance those rounds aren’t landing in the same place.
Inside 7 yds. Is a few inches of shift a big deal? Probably not.

 

[Enzo]

tnoutdoors9 had a great YouTube channel where he tested all types of ammo. He hardly makes videos now but when he did Speer Gold Dot in any caliber consistently ranked high.

 

[Alex9661]

Inside 7 yds. Is a few inches of shift a big deal? Probably not.

I doubt you'll find few inches of POI shift switching between different bullet weight at pistol distances.
It's not shooting a rifle at 100 yards and up.

 

[PappyM3]

..., but I suspect it might even be a slightly compressed load...

Underwood is.... caliente.

 

[jkelly1229]

There's rounds designed for short barrels. I forget who makes them. Sig jhps are nice too. I carry all of the big names they all feel the same on your hip lol