Help me choose my carry load

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I am torn on what ammo to carry. I need to cycle out my carry loads and I am looking at the following for the next magazine fill. Gun to be carried will be a gen 3 Glock 19:
9bple 115gr +p+
Critical Defense 115gr
Critical Duty 135gr +p
Remington HTP 115gr
Hornady XTP 124gr +p

On a side note, what are everyone's thoughts on the CorBon Pow'r Ball 100gr +p and the Hydrashok 124gr +p+??
 
I have a lot of ammo that I've picked up over the years on sale/clearance. I'm just trying to use it up. I have a bunch of 165gr .40 for my sig (v crown) that I got from wally world for 5 bucks/20 rounds
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: 2012AccentSE
I am torn on what ammo to carry. I need to cycle out my carry loads and I am looking at the following for the next magazine fill. Gun to be carried will be a gen 3 Glock 19:
9bple 115gr +p+
Critical Defense 115gr
Critical Duty 135gr +p
Remington HTP 115gr
Hornady XTP 124gr +p

On a side note, what are everyone's thoughts on the CorBon Pow'r Ball 100gr +p and the Hydrashok 124gr +p+??


You can see my vote.
 
Add all those rounds that you currently own to your end of world/zombie long term storage stash.

Then you go buy some good ammo.

Speer Gold Dot 124+P (in 50 round boxes from LEO dealers)
Federal HST 147 (in 50 round boxes from LEO dealers)
Federal HST 124+P (in 50 round boxes from LEO dealers)

Of the rounds you listed, the only two rounds I would actually load in my gun for defensive use are 9BPLE and Critical Duty 135.

Where to buy the good stuff:
https://www.streichers.com/federal-cartridge-9mm-hst-hp-duty-ammunition
http://www.sgammo.com/catalog/pistol-ammo-sale/9mm-luger-ammo
https://www.bonefroggunclub.com/collections/ammunition
https://www.targetsportsusa.com/federal-le-hst-9mm-ammo-124-grain-jhp-p9hst1-p-3546.aspx
http://ammunitionstore.com/products/9mm-...-round-box.html
 
Speed Gold Dot 124 gr

Federal HST 124 gr

I bought 1,000 rounds of the Federal here: SG Ammo

I can't use the +P in my wife's Walther CCP (gas blowback system doesn't like the extra pressure), so I've got all regular pressure that cycles well in every potential gun: S&W, G19, G17, Beretta 92, and CCP.

Skip buying carry Ammo in 20 round boxes for crazy prices. Get 1,000 rounds at a good price (and the linked example of $380/1,000 is a GOOD price) and then you can be certain that your gun/magazine/Ammo combination works flawlessly by shooting a couple hundred rounds.
 
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Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Add all those rounds that you currently own to your end of world/zombie long term storage stash.

Then you go buy some good ammo.

Speer Gold Dot 124+P (in 50 round boxes from LEO dealers)
Federal HST 147 (in 50 round boxes from LEO dealers)
Federal HST 124+P (in 50 round boxes from LEO dealers)

Of the rounds you listed, the only two rounds I would actually load in my gun for defensive use are 9BPLE and Critical Duty 135.

Where to buy the good stuff:
https://www.streichers.com/federal-cartridge-9mm-hst-hp-duty-ammunition
http://www.sgammo.com/catalog/pistol-ammo-sale/9mm-luger-ammo
https://www.bonefroggunclub.com/collections/ammunition
https://www.targetsportsusa.com/federal-le-hst-9mm-ammo-124-grain-jhp-p9hst1-p-3546.aspx
http://ammunitionstore.com/products/9mm-...-round-box.html



Any reason you don't like the majority of the rounds I listed? The HST is a fantastic round, but very hard to find locally.
 
Originally Posted By: Astro14
Speed Gold Dot 124 gr

Federal HST 124 gr

I bought 1,000 rounds of the Federal here: SG Ammo

I can't use the +P in my wife's Walther CCP (gas blowback system doesn't like the extra pressure), so I've got all regular pressure that cycles well in every potential gun: S&W, G19, G17, Beretta 92, and CCP.

Skip buying carry Ammo in 20 round boxes for crazy prices. Get 1,000 rounds at a good price (and the linked example of $380/1,000 is a GOOD price) and then you can be certain that your gun/magazine/Ammo combination works flawlessly by shooting a couple hundred rounds.

I can't see myself spending almost 400 bucks on hollowpoints. I just had a box shipped from SGAmmo with 50 rounds of 9bple for 15 bucks...
 
Your call.

But I think it odd that you're searching for boutique ammunition, looking for the highest performance, and not caring about any sort of reliability test with that Ammo.

So, you plan to trust your life to a single box of ammunition, that you just bought...

But you don't know if it works in your gun?

What did you spend on the gun? A few hundred dollars? Several hundred? Why? Did you want a good one? Reliable one?

But verifying the ammunition performance in that gun isn't worth half the cost of a new gun?

If you're serious about defending yourself with a carry gun, be certain that your ammo choice works, in that gun, with the magazines you'll be carrying.

Further, change out your carry ammo periodically. Put fresh ammo in your magazines and carry that. Don't just load and carry the same box forever. Chamfering a single round over and over can cause reliability issues. Old carry Ammo becomes part of your practice ammo.
 
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Research here. Then find a reliable one for your gun.

I wouldn't choose any that you listed. Federal HST, Speer Gold Dot, and Barnes TAC-XPD are my choices.

Currently have HST 124gr. in my G19 and 150gr. Micro in my G43
 
Originally Posted By: Astro14
Your call.

But I think it odd that you're searching for boutique ammunition, looking for the highest performance, and not caring about any sort of reliability test with that Ammo.

So, you plan to trust your life to a single box of ammunition, that you just bought...

But you don't know if it works in your gun?

What did you spend on the gun? A few hundred dollars? Several hundred? Why? Did you want a good one? Reliable one?

But verifying the ammunition performance in that gun isn't worth half the cost of a new gun?

If you're serious about defending yourself with a carry gun, be certain that your ammo choice works, in that gun, with the magazines you'll be carrying.

Further, change out your carry ammo periodically. Put fresh ammo in your magazines and carry that. Don't just load and carry the same box forever. Chamfering a single round over and over can cause reliability issues. Old carry Ammo becomes part of your practice ammo.


I've been carrying for over 3 years. I have tested every single hollowpoint that I purchase in all the weapons I'll be carrying them in. I have done extensive research on both penetration and expansion, as well as conducted my own testing in SIM media.
What boutique ammo am I asking about? All of the ones I listed can be purchased locally. I do cycle my carry ammo regularly, hence the original post. I'm not picking on you or your answer, it just seems that we have a lot of Speer and HST fans here. I'm not saying that they are not great rounds, but so are the ones listed. I make sure I trust the ammo I carry to do the job before it ever gets loaded into a magazine. I've carried the standard pressure HST 124 gr, and in all honesty, the ballistics aren't that much better than let's say the Critical Duty.
Maybe this will help let everyone know where I am coming from and my reasoning for this ammo:
9bple 115gr +p+ - HARD hitter, but not bonded. It will break apart inside the media, but I like that it is on the lower end of acceptable FBI penetration specifics.
Critical Defense 115gr - No more recoil than my range ammo. Never seen one fail to expand. Decent penetration.
Critical Duty 135gr +p - I've carried both the +p and the standard pressure. GOOD penetration. High antimony in the core to help with barrier penetration. I use this more now in my g17 home gun. However, it is heavy to carry compared to other loads. Never seen one fail to expand.
Remington HTP 115gr - Deep hollowpoint, great expansion (1.72 x), good penetration. Cheap to buy at academy, however, it is brass cased. Corrosion will eventually eat the brass if carried IWB, especially in the summer.
Hornady XTP 124gr +p - Good dual purpose hollowpoint. Cheap. XTP bullet is a pro. Downside is the lack of polymer tip that "MAY" see an issue with light cotton getting inside the cavity. However, in my tests and in tnoutdoors9's tests, never seen or had one fail to expand.

I am not new to carry ammo nor am I still green to CC. I listed the choices that I did because that is what I currently have in my 9mm collection. I don't need "stockpiling" like I do for oil LOL. I have my rifle and 12 gauge for that
smile.gif
 
I echo Bubba and Astro - Federal HST or Speer Gold Dot. You can pick up a box of 50 Federal HST for $18.25 or Speer Gold Dot for $21.00 at Bone Frog Gun Club and their shipping is reasonable. I would also run a lot of my chosen ammo through the pistol of choice BEFORE saying it was THE one. You should also look at TNOutdoors9 on YouTube to see numerous ammunition tests, usually in Glocks. He is a great guy and knows his stuff. Good luck!
 
124 Standard pressure HST or 124 Gold dots in +P would be my pick. The hst doesn't benefit from the extra pressure but the gold dot does.


I shot a couple mags of 9BPLE from my shield today, that stuff is ridiculously snappy. Definitely made it feel like a 40 cal. The smell from the powder was extremely unique and obnoxious too.
 
Federal HST in any flavor is the only defensive round I will use. Look up the YouTube tests... it is the most reliably expanding load available.

It is a little expensive and can be hard to find since it was developed as an FBI load to meet their testing procedures. Federal stockpiling keeps it a rarity. However, it is worth the effort and expense when your life is on the line.
 
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