TFB: Best 9mm Carry Ammo

Reptile

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Ever since the dawn of the pistol, we’ve always sought to optimize the projectiles we shoot at those who are threatening us. Throughout history, we’ve seen the simple round ball shot evolve into all sorts of shapes, and eventually into the sleek, high ballistic coefficient, and complex expanding bullet designs meant for the greatest terminal effect out of the shortest barrels. With such a long history of developing ammunition, humanity has a long laundry list of even just 9mm cartridges that many people would consider carrying for self-defense. How do you sort through all of that? Today I’m going to give you what I and a lot of the TFB staff agree are the best available 9mm carry ammo.

 
I think with pistol ammunition, the difference between “good” and “the best “ is probably so small it’s not worth worrying about.
here is how you find best ammunition, for today:

 
i buy IWI out of general principle, same as i only buy Israeli wine.

IMI - I buy the stuff too because it's good, cheap enough, and I have a couple of guns that prefer their 9mm spicy, but for carry ammo it's one of the brands that kalash posted.
 
I don't know why you'd ever go outside of HST, Gold Dot, or Critical Defense/Duty.

Lehigh Xtreme Defender is, well, extremely reliable in its penetration, regardless of barriers.

I use a nice subsonic, wide expanding JHP in my nightstand pistol. But for carry, I’ll take the fluted solid copper XD. Even ignoring any of the tissue damage claims from the flutes, they just reliably penetrate to 16-18” no matter what it goes through. Clothing, wood, sheet metal, glass, it does it all reliably. Proper penetration is the #2 factor in a handgun bullet. #1 being reliable operation of course. Crush path diameter is less important than penetration.
 
Difference in carrying 147 grain HST and 124+P is a ton of loudness when carrying suppressed
 
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