(My carry round). Excellent price point. First, thanks for weighing in. When I first bought my Beretta PX4 Storm Subcompact, the only ammo that worked reliably, all the time, with zero failures, was Spear Gold Dot 124 grain hollow point. Really great site!!! Description. Only rimfire cartridges could be used to shrink down pocket pistols any smaller, but the better reliability of centerfires makes .25 the clear winner in this category of firearms. Too often, we still have to shovel their cherry-picked and mis-conceived work out of the way before any real discussion can start. Watch Paul Harrels 9mm vs .40s&w. The sig crowns are ok. Myself and thousands of police officers have learned it is ALWAYS a shot into the skull from top down. Hopefully Im thanking you in advance. 9mm doesnt cut it. Im looking at you Federal Super Cary. With the reassembled G3C the problem disappeared, it chambered the HST rounds flawlessly time after time. If you want accurate explanation of what knockdown power really consists of you can disregard the above comment. Any .40 cartridge, cheap or not, will always out perform any and all 9mm. I used to shoot the White Box 100 round .45 ACP box from Walmart. My questions are, What is the best bullets to use at the gun range for shooting target's and also what is the best bullets to use for self defense and protection for my self and family. 5. Ive shot a lot of AAC this year since its been the most affordable and probably more importantmost available. I may earn a small part of the sale from links to any products or services on this site. guns. Velocity is practically irrelevant until you get over 1500fps (preferably 2k). I just read Kat's article here on frangible ammo. Using the first 3 ammo types listed in the table, Federal HST 124gr, Federal HST 147gr, and American Eagle 115gr - the energy difference between the highest and lowest is only 38 ft.lb or 51 Joules. It is a shame to see people wasting their time on junk "science". How about soft lead balls loaded in a super special and unnecessarily complicated multi part casing! Hi Eric, really like all your gear reviews! So, are you going to get on the bus? It's the next generation of Taurus G-series pistols. My favorite for "defense" purposes in ..45 APC, .9 and .380. Good review, Eric, even if I can't share your enthusiasm for 115 grain loads. A robust line of perfect go-to self-defense revolvers offered in a variety of calibers. Nah, those old fools would get decimated by any young gangbanger with higher capacity semi-auto gear. See lucky gunner ammo test results. My clock sf21 is my nightstand gun. 9mm Largo/9x23 - This is an old Spanish cartridge. I have seen companies trying tp push the 1000rd cases for 999.99?!?!??!? Overall, the pistol has nice lines and looks smart. Runs 1,300 fps from a 4" barrel delivering 338 ft lbs of energy. Can be conceal carry, convenient for self-defense . What do you think of Federal? Plus, the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw bullets are among the toughest in existence, and Federal says they retain more than 95% of their weight for deep penetration. Both gun and ammo, I had not much of choices in the pandemic. (I'll leave it to you to find more precise equivalents as you pursue your real education in terminal ballistics.). I then found out that if I used a good grease rather than oil to lubricate my slide, and if I replaced the polymer guide rod with a stainless steel one, everything shot reliably in my Beretta. However, a semi-auto pistol will ALWAYS be more controllable than a revolver, because the slide soaks up a significant portion of the recoil. A lot of ranges have different guns you can try, as do many firearms instructors. First, the Fort Scott brand has a large wound channel and great penetration through denim and solid objects such as wood, glass or metal. Nine-em-em is easy to shoot, and so easy to shoot accurately; the least expensive of all centerfire cartridges, so you can afford more practice; and with the right loads JUST enough gun to stop a human attacker with a single hit to the body cavity 90% of the time. But, sadly, they dont sell them anymore. 2022 A pink handgun can be a great choice for a woman who wants to own a gun for self-defense. (Photo by Michael Anschuetz) With its 4-inch barrel, the G3 is 7.3 inches long, 5.2 inches high and weighs 25 ounces empty. My opinion of 9 mm blazer brass is that it runs very dirty. Median. It cycles any ammo just fine when shooting, but they get stuck on the feed ramp quite often when chambering a round by hand. DON'T PUT A PRICE TAG ON YOUR LIFE AND THE LIVES OF YOUR LOVED ONES. Additionally, with the 15-round magazine in place, it has an overall height of 5.2 inches. I'm a diehard .40 S&W guy, but not for the ridiculous "energy transfer", "hydrostatic shock", and "knockdown power" myths you are espousing. Hi, Eric.Thanks for the article and all the information that Pew Pew Tactical posts. Israelis know a thing or two about self defense shooting, and I buy IMIs! I think the guy up top that likes to carry a defensive coctail of three different ammo types has him beat. Is SIG Sauer Elite Performance Ammunition good ammo for SD? Guns & Ammo; Laws & Rights; Tips & Tricks . https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self-defense-ammo-ballistic-tests/. We utilize FBI ballistic gel tests that measure penetration and expansion. I am curious to know which 45acp rounds you would recommend and why you didnt mention the 45 for sd? Best ammo for taurus g3c Reviews. Ammo Quest 9mm: Winchester Train and Defend 147gr Ammo Test. I love the 43X also, but looking for a second (back-up) option to carry. 9mm - 124 Grain HST JHP - Federal Premium - 20 Rounds. You're a funny guy! Two BP agents were tasked with researching stopping power, and after a years work recommended that BP agents not be allowed to carry anything producing less than 400 ft. lbs. 9mm is junk. No matter what I did, or how I tried, it wouldn't let me get near it as it became fierce enough to put the fear of God in me. My HK VP9 sk seems to like this ammunition very much. I have also signed up for practice at a local gun range. But we recommend you try a couple of weights and make sure they cycle 100% in your self-defense gun. I think you left off 3 brands that outperform all of the 5 you selected. Hi Ellwood, you'll have to check the links, we don't sell any ammo or guns on our site. Turns out, it works on the range as well. Seriously? Some wanted the greater capacity of the standard G3 with the shorter barrel of the compact G3c, so Taurus created the G3X; it has a full-size frame, 15-round capacity . You wrap the pork ribs in a piece of sweater or sweat shirt & a piece of denim. There is no borderline somewhere around 1200 to 1300 fps. Find out the best 9mm ammo for self-defense based on ballistic geltests that cover penetration depth and expansion. One thing no review I've ever seen considers is most self defense events are going to take place in an enclosed space such as your home or vehicle. Personal Protection ammunition is available in a wide variety of calibers including popular choices like .380 Auto, 9mm Luger, .40 S&W and .38 Special. Have had to use this ammo in a real defensive situation and it worked just as well in the field as testing. While a lung/heart shot is what you normally choose for a clean animal kill, such as hunting game, it probably isn't the best for putting an animal out of its pain. At some point you're splitting hairs. Dead is dead. Specifications: Taurus G3X 9mm Pistol. What makes the blazer brass harder to reload? So its Federal Hydro-shok or now federal punch in 124 gr sell the Kimber and get 2 or 3 G2c or G3cs. Ok Thanks. Taurus G3. Includes two magazines 1x15 and 1x17. The 9mm Taurus G3 represents the next generation in the Taurus G-series semiautomatic pistol line. Keep up the good work!!! The Taurus G3c delivers the ultimate balance of power and performance for any self-defense situation. When pennies countone of the most reliable and affordable brass cased 9mm. I mean I wouldn't want to spend $500 on a AR that can't shoot straight. Plus our favorite plinking rounds. No jams or misfires in over 2k rounds so far. Thanks for the advice. But I shoot everything in that gun when I am practicing at the range. It is progressive and permanent. What I'm carrying inatead is either Hornaday Critical Defense (FTX bullet) or the Inceptor ARX (solid frangible bullet that works like the Lehigh or Honey Badger). I have a Glock 19 4th GEN. Love it! Using standard 38 loads in this light piece she can't hit the side of a barn. Nah, most any modern 9mm, even a Taurus, should handle +P just fine. The G3 offers an extended 17-round and a flush-fitting 15-round magazine. I recently about 2yrs ago got a Beretta Px4 Storm Compact 9mm . The videos of police shootings I've seen with .40 put bad guys down quick, lots of blood loss due to better penetration and expansion. If and its a big "IF" you can find single boxes of ammo for the old prices like 7.69 for 20 or even 9.99 for 20 you had better scoop them up and just make sure you buy a case less one 20rd box or you will be automatically charged for a case and end up paying more!So if their idea of a case is 200rds then buy 180 twice if u have the money.Make a purchase of 180 and do it again minutes later.You could end up with almost a full case of ammo for way less! BY FAR THE BEST 9MM ROUND AVAILABLE SMH ALL MY SPECIAL FORCES BUDDYS USE THEM FOR A REASON. Dillon Precision. I'd much prefer a round that will penetrate 12" and delivers an extra 100+ foot pounds of energy over a round that penetrates 18". 9MM LUGER (9X19 PARA) . They range much higher in price since they are what you should load in your defensive guns. Heres what were seeing in stock at the time of writing with AAC going in and out of stock. The Taurus G3c is an excellent gun for self-defense. The 9mm is a trusted round for range or self defence. We tested our lineup of hollow point ammunition, which includes 175 different loads, covering five of the most popular calibers - 9mm, .45 ACP, .40 S&W, .380 Auto, 357 Magnum (added on 9/19/2018), 38 Special (added on 10/17/18) as well as 10mm and 22 WMR . Thank you for the kind words. Copyright 2023 Pew Pew Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The jacket profile is engineered to be precise and consistent, giving accurate shots every time. I soaked up as much information as I could online, at competitions, and from tinkering in my workshop. Get Our Top Shooting Drills and Zeroing Targets ($47 value - but FREE for a limited time). Speer Gold Dots are the key. Working with the new GX4 micro sub . Promag makes longer magazines for the gun that are extended that hold more ammo if you want but reliability might be dubious, as Promag does not have the best reputation. From $19.99. I'm not a fan of super lightweight ammo though. New to your site and enjoying the articles. Here are some details of the test which closely mimic FBI protocol: Here are our recommendations for each of the most common weights of bullets: 115, 124, & 147 grain. One of my favorites and what I used to shoot the most until this year. The .45 ACP was designed to "STOP" not kill the Moro, Muslims we were fighting in the Philippine-American War, because of the .38 Long Colt's failure to do so. Dont let the compact dimensions fool you. I had to use it just the other night on 19 MAY 2018 while driving home from a night of singing in the deep-rurals of Wisconsin. The Ultimate Guide To Kel tec p 17 Low recoil and pretty clean. What works better, Nigel, are facts and science. 9mm bullets lighter than 115 grains rarely penetrate adequately. Being a short skinny guy, full size pistols like the 19/19X stick out like a sore thumb on me. Right now theres not too much selection and these are the ones mostly in stock: However, here are my picks of my favorite self-defense rounds. 9mm Glisenti - Same as above but Italian. Shotgun ammunition falls into three general categories: BUCKSHOT - A shell loaded with large-diameter lead balls (.24" and up) used for big game hunting and self-defense. And you're wrong. Hollow Points are a nice option but expensive to keep shooting at the range. I've only used the Magpul PMAG Gen M3 magazines to date. Expansion, also equals damage. How about some American gunned +p . There are slews of reports of suspects hit multiple times with big stuff that keep fighting. You left out the BEST JHP for SD/EDC, Winchester Ranger T-SERIES. Seriously. Upon reassembling the G3C using the G2C barrel, same length, they look identical as far as the barrel goes, the problem ceased to exist. Handgun Ammo Shop All. I have shot it in most calipers it is available in and I like the way it reacts in every gun I'v tried. Please rewrite this article. I love the 9mm round because it shoots clean and reliable. It would be good if you listed all of the ammo you tested at each bullet weight. Only have a single 9mm - my CZ P01. Reduced recoil in small guns is especially good and getting off a second shot is much easier. For me, thats all I care about using a mag reloader. What stops an attacker is shot placement, pure and simple. Also funny is how you seek to belittle folks and projectile vomit generalities, but offer zero examples of what works better and why. When it gets more "experience" under it I think it will be One of the three best absolutely and I am the one who left you the plus review I was surprised to see you knew what Fort Scott Was I seriously doubt the writer of this post has a clue what it is lol. So I said, what about that hydro-shock stuff and that 2.5" wound channel it's suppose to create? I dread risking what I have left in hearing in a self defense shooting. If the ammo is subsonic, it will be a touch quieter but still no where close to hearing safe. Nosler Defense ammunition is an excellent self-defense load featuring the new Bonded PERFORMANCE bullets. Shop Clearance Shop New . FPE is the most overrated statistic talking SD ballistics. It is lightweight, accurate, and easy to handle. Almost everything you wrote is, to some significant degree, wrong. We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe. You can wash your best item in . Lol. Too bad you dont really know what you are talking about, Eric. Taurus assembles the GX4 in the U.S.A., right in Georgia. So I pulled my pistol out loaded with said rounds, and placed a kill shot at point blank rage for what should have been a perfect heart/lung money shot only, it made things worse. Eighteen inches is clear through the average bad guys shoulder and chest sideways-or through the average male chest cavity (10) from the front, and six or eight inches into the innocent beyond. These sights were well suited to a personal defense handgun. One SWAT Sergeant wanted to sell me a service pistol and offered a few boxes of frangible as part of the deal. You may want to review the testing, Hornady has very good 9mm, .45 ACP, and .380 offerings. Until recently, HST bullets, which have a copper jacket and lead core, were only available to law enforcement professionals. However, here are my picks of my favorite self-defense rounds. I still enjoy the 40 but as I get older the shootability of the 9mm has its merits. Hope that helps ya Bennett. anything extra and your Feder hydra shok comes in hollow point too. The best ammo is what works most reliably in your gun. John Blair (Cpl USMC 5811 '77-'81; credence ), Hello, I live in S. CA and recently bought my first pistol, a S&W SD9VE with several hundred rounds of Winchester Ranger 9mm Luger T-series 147g (HST type for home defense) and 100 rounds of Winchester Luger FMJ for target practice. kel tec p17 Absolutely, This must of been what I'm guessing there personal test, NO TESTING WITH THE CIVIL DEFENSE ROUNDS BY LIBERTY ? Wait for it - as soon as the infatuation with "new bullet advancements" smacks up against reality, we'll see agencies once again picking up .40 S&W and .357 Sig and the 9mm will be relegated to its place at the lower end of the "mid-calibers.". With its affordable price tag, you get serious bang for your buck - an accurate, reliable handgun that is serviced by a range of aftermarket accessories. The .380 ACP is one of the most popular calibers for concealed carry today. Just 6months ago i could buy 420rd can,in a very nice metal ammo can 30cal. And now I was soaked down to the bone, and starting to shiver like the cat I had just dispatched. Eric, was there any reason why you did not include Hornady Critical Defense? Greg, I'm already looking forward to people recognizing that 9mm is mediocre again. I have a Smith and Wesson Performance Center with a ported barrel. Federal HST 9mm 147 gr. Hornady Critical Defense 9mm 135 grain are crap and don't expaned worth a damn. When I'm putting one in the chamber it's popping out like its too small. UPC 7-25327-93655-8. In this article we'll take a look at the best .380 ACP ammo for self-defense. Look up shooting the bull 9mm AmmoSeek quest . And after checking several websites, I've discovered that my local range offers the best price. of energy. Buy On Amazon. Did you try any frangibles? Take a beginner class BEFORE you buy. The 9mm Luger is generally not thought of as a rifle cartridge, but we're seeing a proliferation of .