What's your factory carry ammo, and why?

Winchester Ranger 45 ACP +P 230 grain T series in my G21 and 1911's.

In the 9mm's I carry:

124 grain Golden Sabre +P
Hornady 135 grain +P Critical Duty
Federal 115 grain JHP 9BPLE
Man, those are extra nasty when they expand! Over an inch (1") in diameter when they expand. :devilish:
These were my EDC in my TISAS 45 and my G21.
+P 45.jpg
 
In my case, I'm getting into 9mm firearms late in life, and after all the pandemic shutdowns and low production rate. If I want practice, I have to buy ammo, and I have to pay the prices I find. It won't do me any good to wait, hoping for a return to pre-pandemic supply and demand. But I completely agree with you. Ideally there'd be plenty of it, and we'd be paying low prices. Unfortunately we're living in times that are anything but.
This online dealer sells to LE only. Our local police chief is a great family friend (30 years +). He buys from here sometimes (Ranger T-Series only). He bought me a few boxes in 2018 for $24.99 per box of 50.
 
An SP101?
I read your earlier post . A snub nose .38 S&W.
My friend's wife has a Colt Detective Special. She really likes it a lot and does very well with it at target practice.
Only Ruger’s I have are long barrel … aka NM Blackhawk - got the ladies S&W look a-likes …
 
Only Ruger’s I have are long barrel … aka NM Blackhawk - got the ladies S&W look a-likes …
I just recently sold a 1986 Ruger Postal Inspector 9mm SS Speed Six with a 3" barrel. I started at $700. My cousin had a friend that wanted it really bad. We settled at $650. I needed the money very bad and knew what I could get for it. I do miss it. ☹️
I am a Ruger Nut when it comes to revolvers. My SP101 .357 is a real tack driver! I bought a SP101 .38 back in 2009 for $200. I didn't really like .38 caliber (only in my .357's for target practice) but it was from a woman that I knew very well. It was more like a loan, and she was going to pay me back. She never did so the gun found a new home with me.
I have shot a few S&W revolvers but never owned one. They're very nice, but too rich for my blood. Same with Colt.
I also own a Taurus and a Rossi. Yeah, they're not a S&W or Ruger, but are good to have.
One of these days (when I win the Lottery) I want a Colt Python! 😉
 
This bullet is what the military is using. It looks just like a Black Talon on expansion. It also looks like my EDC in one of my 9mm's. I am EDC a Winchester Ranger T-Series 147 gr. JHP. It's the new Black Talon, just Gold without the black Lubalox.
Go to the 7:00 minute mark of the video to see the expansion.

 
I just recently sold a 1986 Ruger Postal Inspector 9mm SS Speed Six with a 3" barrel. I started at $700. My cousin had a friend that wanted it really bad. We settled at $650. I needed the money very bad and knew what I could get for it. I do miss it. ☹️
I am a Ruger Nut when it comes to revolvers. My SP101 .357 is a real tack driver! I bought a SP101 .38 back in 2009 for $200. I didn't really like .38 caliber (only in my .357's for target practice) but it was from a woman that I knew very well. It was more like a loan, and she was going to pay me back. She never did so the gun found a new home with me.
I have shot a few S&W revolvers but never owned one. They're very nice, but too rich for my blood. Same with Colt.
I also own a Taurus and a Rossi. Yeah, they're not a S&W or Ruger, but are good to have.
One of these days (when I win the Lottery) I want a Colt Python! 😉
BiL has a sweet Colt Python - had it for many years …
 
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This online dealer sells to LE only. Our local police chief is a great family friend (30 years +). He buys from here sometimes (Ranger T-Series only). He bought me a few boxes in 2018 for $24.99 per box of 50.
The rangers might be on my list of ammo to try. Do the most current ones still come in a box of 50, or have they cut them down to 20-25?
 
In my 9mm and .40 carry guns, any of the premium brands such as Federal HST, Corbon, Ranger, etc.
I have mountains of various boxes of these. So it's whatever I happen to have closest and most convenient.

Folks way way way over think this. Nobody is going to flinch off a Corbon but otherwise be dropped by an HST, etc. They're all practically equally effective IMO. But the main reason I would stray away from relying on target loads is lower quality control = worse reliability.

Reliability is king, shot placement is queen. The rest is academic.
 
I’ve tested carry ammo extensively in each of the intended guns.

Generally, good quality defensive ammo runs great on every gun, but I found that my wife’s Walther CCP didn’t like 9mm +P.

The Walter has a recoil management system consisting of a soft spring and a gas cylinder under the barrel. Walther calls it “softcoil” and it really works. The gun has much less recoil than any other 9mm single stack.

I believe that the higher pressure of the +P ammo actually caused the problems in the recoil system.

Federal HST 124g ran perfectly.

This underscores the importance of testing each gun with your intended ammo.

Never trust your life to an untested combination of ammo, magazine, and gun. Verify that the three “play nice” with each other, particularly where bullet shapes (like hollow points) and pressures vary.

1911s can be picky as well. I had a 10mm Springfield 1911 that just didn’t like certain ammo. A microscopic radius on the feed ramp/chamber interface fixed it but no gun’s performance is a certainty until you’ve tested it.

For carry:
Federal HST 9mm 124g
Speer Gold Dot .40 165g
Buffalo Bore 10mm 180g JHP
Buffalo Bore 10mm 220g hardcast
Speer Gold Dot .45 ACP 230g

All tested and verified to work in the guns and magazines in which they’re carried.
 
I’ve tested carry ammo extensively in each of the intended guns.

Generally, good quality defensive ammo runs great on every gun, but I found that my wife’s Walther CCP didn’t like 9mm +P.

The Walter has a recoil management system consisting of a soft spring and a gas cylinder under the barrel. Walther calls it “softcoil” and it really works. The gun has much less recoil than any other 9mm single stack.

I believe that the higher pressure of the +P ammo actually caused the problems in the recoil system.

Federal HST 124g ran perfectly.

This underscores the importance of testing each gun with your intended ammo.

Never trust your life to an untested combination of ammo, magazine, and gun. Verify that the three “play nice” with each other, particularly where bullet shapes (like hollow points) and pressures vary.

1911s can be picky as well. I had a 10mm Springfield 1911 that just didn’t like certain ammo. A microscopic radius on the feed ramp/chamber interface fixed it but no gun’s performance is a certainty until you’ve tested it.

For carry:
Federal HST 9mm 124g
Speer Gold Dot .40 165g
Buffalo Bore 10mm 180g JHP
Buffalo Bore 10mm 220g hardcast
Speer Gold Dot .45 ACP 230g

All tested and verified to work in the guns and magazines in which they’re carried.
That's one of the most important things is to test your ammo before it becomes your carry choice. Expensive ammo is cheaper than a funeral. 😬
 
The rangers might be on my list of ammo to try. Do the most current ones still come in a box of 50, or have they cut them down to 20-25?
50.
PDX1 has always been 20-25. But they're a bonded bullet that still has the nasty talons exposed.
In .357 SIG the PDX1 are 20 ct. The Ranger T-Series .357 SIG can be found in 50 ct. as well.
I put a mark on the PDX1 so I know they're the bonded bullet in my .357 SIG magazines.
Winchester.jpg
 
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Extreme Defenders because Shootingthebull410 on Youtube says it's the best 380. There's plenty of rave reviews for other calibers on YT as well.

I carry it in 9mm and 38 Special as well.
 
I dont do HPs and the like in my carry ammo.
Why? Because to have confidence in a round my gun needs to see at least 500 flawless shots with it.
Something that is unaffordble for me to test with premium ammo.
 
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