Best Standard Pressure 9mm Defensive ammo in a Service Length Barrel.

[russc2542]

Nobody mentioned the lucky gunner tests yet?
http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self-defense-ammo-ballistic-tests/

Don't forget that whatever ammo you pick might be the perfect round...except your gun doesn't like to eat it. Run a few mags of whatever you end up with to make sure it works.

 

[aturk]

147gr non+P HST rounds here.

I've liked them the most in all the tests I've seen, plus they feed/shoot pretty damn good.

 

[in625shooter]

Nobody mentioned the lucky gunner tests yet?
http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self-defense-ammo-ballistic-tests/

Don't forget that whatever ammo you pick might be the perfect round...except your gun doesn't like to eat it. Run a few mags of whatever you end up with to make sure it works.

Problem with that is with any less than duty sized hi. You simply are disadvantage of getting the 12-18". The lucky gunner teas while good I am not really disco ting so.e that failed because when they come out with the same years in duty size guns so.e that didn't fair well will be within that 12-18".

As far as if it's farther than 18 to me that's not an automatic show stopper. 19-21-22 are OK if 1 or 2 out of 5 is all. That's called Murphy's law.

 

[Hop]

All the stuff mentioned above is great unless you are on a strict budget. Remington HTP is also a great performer + is a bit cheaper + comes in a 50 round box that is a bit easier to find right now than Federal HST or even gold dot.

 

[russc2542]

Problem with that is with any less than duty sized hi. You simply are disadvantage of getting the 12-18". The lucky gunner teas while good I am not really disco ting so.e that failed because when they come out with the same years in duty size guns so.e that didn't fair well will be within that 12-18".

As far as if it's farther than 18 to me that's not an automatic show stopper. 19-21-22 are OK if 1 or 2 out of 5 is all. That's called Murphy's law.

Had to read that a few times and I'm still not quite sure about a few points. Are you saying you don't like the test because they used compact guns/short barrels which gives a ballistics disadvantage and performance will change in a full-size (maybe more overpenetration or maybe more expansion thereby limiting overpenetration. I agree but would argue that since all the test shots (per caliber) were fired from the same gun/barrel length it does give you at least some basis to compare bullet performance. IIRC they even pointed out that their tests aren't the end-all-be-all, just a fair comparison of some common offerings. They don't don't buy it if they go past 18" just that they were marking the FBI 12-18" standard as a common metric.

 

[in625shooter]

Had to read that a few times and I'm still not quite sure about a few points. Are you saying you don't like the test because they used compact guns/short barrels which gives a ballistics disadvantage and performance will change in a full-size (maybe more overpenetration or maybe more expansion thereby limiting overpenetration. I agree but would argue that since all the test shots (per caliber) were fired from the same gun/barrel length it does give you at least some basis to compare bullet performance. IIRC they even pointed out that their tests aren't the end-all-be-all, just a fair comparison of some common offerings. They don't don't buy it if they go past 18" just that they were marking the FBI 12-18" standard as a common metric.

Had some issues with my phone apparently putting certain words in.

Basically I am saying since the LG test had shorter barrels there were a lot of examples of great ammo that didn't quite fall within that magic 12-18. It seemed to either overpenitrate (when it did t have enough speed to expand as intended) or under penitrate (when the round expanded but just didn't have enough speed)

So that being said I believe you will see more if the 12-18 with service diced guns at a future test.

I will say when I attend firearms I structure revert at FLETC they do mention the FBI emphasis is on penetration over expansion FWIW. And if it's 19-20-21inches I don't get to concerned, but that's just me.

 

[Alamo]

Depending on the actual "era" of your gun, the feed ramp may have the original-style "hump" in it which caused problems feeding hollowpoints in older Hi Powers. That "hump" can be removed with some judicious work at home (keeping in mind your budgetary status), google search should give you some leads on doing it.

As far as ammo goes, Lucky Gunner has some interesting comparisons here that might help. http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self-defense-ammo-ballistic-tests/
They used a MP9c, which has a shorter barrel than the Hi Power, but I think will not make a huge difference in performance - the HP barrel is about an inch longer, so probably adds some velocity and a little more penetration.

Otherwise, what BBI said.

 

[YoungMilsurpGuy]

Hahahaha due to need to unexpectedly buy a plan B, a parking ticket, and a textbook, and a IPSC match next week I am keeping ball ammo, but at least I upgraded to Federal bulk packed brass cased.

I think I when I get a sizable amount of cash together me and a buddy will make a bulk online purchase of ammo and I will get about 200 rounds of the federal 9bp and some wally world 147 grain standard pressure hollowpoints and head out to the woods and do some accuracy testing with a box to see if they shoot to point of aim, then blaze through 100 rounds of each quickly to function test the gun and magazines under stress as well as controlability in what I would concider "combat style shooting conditions, I.E. a FBI Q target at 7 yards and firing as fast as I can controlled using pairs and shots with a flash sight picture while still keeping rounds inside the Hit zone.

I did the same thing with ball ammo, half steel cased and half brass cased upon receiving the gun and got 4 FTEs, so I swapped out the springs and did the same testing protocol and it ran 100% and I fired a further 200 rounds with no problems.

^You can see why as a broke college student this kind of testing protocol is prohibitively expensive with premium ammo while also trying to keep any kind of practical training/competitive tempo. And because the hi power is such a well balanced and heavy service gun just shooting 9mm standard pressure rounds and with a good weaver stance, I feel comfortable using that as a home defense round. I live on a second story and have my door barricaded with a security bar and I drill to take up a postion with partial concealment covering the fatal tunnel of my front door, immediately ready to engage with my gun trained on the front door once it goes down. And honestly, with the shotgun as back up I feel confident I could defend my home against anything short of a trained tactical team with long guns and body armor

Does anyone know where a NRA personal protection in the home class is taught in south Central Indiana?

 

[VERT]

I dropped the PPITH course to move towards the Defensive Pistol Course. But if you have your heart set on PPITH I think I have some materials in the garage. There is no holster work in PPITH though.

 

[YoungMilsurpGuy]

I dropped the PPITH course to move towards the Defensive Pistol Course. But if you have your heart set on PPITH I think I have some materials in the garage. There is no holster work in PPITH though.

Ill be willing to grab some of those off you. Im now currently the vice president of Students for Concealed carry at IU this semester and next semester I will be president so any kind of basic instruction and material on self defense is useful to me

 

[VERT]

Ill be willing to grab some of those off you. Im now currently the vice president of Students for Concealed carry at IU this semester and next semester I will be president so any kind of basic instruction and material on self defense is useful to me

You can have the books. They are pretty dated though. Hope you appreciate 80s hairstyles and black and white pictures. PM me outside this thread.

 

[HGGMB]

Agree with those that suggest a name brand 124 - 147 HP. From most of what I've read they perform consistently the best.....when the intended target is hit.

HOWEVER, what I've noticed too is the broad range of accuracy that even these name brand rounds exhibit when used in different name brand guns.

I would've thought name brand ammo would perform pretty good across name brand guns. While this is loosely true, there's still a noticeable difference. Brand A shoots great in gun B, but terribly in gun C. Brand D shoots great in gun C, but...and so on.

I guess what I'm saying is pick 4+ different name brands/weights that were suggested here, go to the range and see what shoots the best.

 

[Old Bear]

Federal HST 124gr is the only defensive round I load into any/all of my 9mm's.

 

[AngryRooster]

Federal HST 124gr is the only defensive round I load into any/all of my 9mm's.

And if that doesn't feed properly or shoot to POA?


The HST is a good round, however it isn't the end all be all of ammo choices.

MOST of my guns get HST's, but not all of them. One of them is my Kahr P9, it didn't really care for them. The HST 147 didn't shoot to point of aim and I would get the occasional hang up with the 124. The Gold Dot 124+P shoots to point of aim and has been 100% reliable.

Make sure whatever you feed your guns is 100% reliable and shoots to POA in that particular gun. That takes several range trips in various conditions and several hundred rounds of ammo. Just because it works in someone else's gun doesn't mean it will work perfect in your, test & verify.

 

[T-Mann]

For standard pressure I like the 147gr Winchester PDX1

But I do load a variety of different ammo (in different magazines) once I've confirmed they feed and fire

 

[jimbob488]

I'd like to say I see the broke part is probably a big part. So although several members have listed good ammo none of its cheap and frankly with that gun you should probably run at least 200 rounds to make sure it's reliable. My vote would go for god ole federal 9BP. If you look around you can get it for 16 bucks a box. Standard pressure ammo and its decent. Just my 2 cents.

http://ammunitionstore.com/products...hok-jhp-federal-classic-9bp-50-round-box.html

 

[in625shooter]

I'd like to say I see the broke part is probably a big part. So although several members have listed good ammo none of its cheap and frankly with that gun you should probably run at least 200 rounds to make sure it's reliable. My vote would go for god ole federal 9BP. If you look around you can get it for 16 bucks a box. Standard pressure ammo and its decent. Just my 2 cents.

9mm 9x19 Ammo 115gr HI-SHOK JHP Federal Classic (9BP) 50 Round Box - AmmunitionStore.com

I am with an agency that use to carry 9bp. Through t shirts the expansion is t bad but penetration when it does expand (when it expands) is low. It usually fails and performs as ball. It almost always fails to expand in the IWBA test.

My point is while 9bp is better than ball more times than not, 50% of the time that's all it it. The 9bp in plus p plus is much better but good luck finding anything other than standard.

Totally understand the broke part but the days of having to run 200 rounds through a gun are gone. After you break it in with ball etc run about 50 through it and you will be fine with whatever your chosen carry load is. Order a one time case or half a case of quality JHP and that should last you a while.

 

[Microairman1]

I feel you on the broke but armed part lol. I like that

 

[YoungMilsurpGuy]

I am with an agency that use to carry 9bp. Through t shirts the expansion is t bad but penetration when it does expand (when it expands) is low. It usually fails and performs as ball. It almost always fails to expand in the IWBA test.

My point is while 9bp is better than ball more times than not, 50% of the time that's all it it. The 9bp in plus p plus is much better but good luck finding anything other than standard.

Totally understand the broke part but the days of having to run 200 rounds through a gun are gone. After you break it in with ball etc run about 50 through it and you will be fine with whatever your chosen carry load is. Order a one time case or half a case of quality JHP and that should last you a while.

True, though with 15 in a mec gar magazine, and with the excellent low recoiling shooting characteristics of the hi power and experiance from running alot of 3 gun and USPSA in the last month


Actually a good friend of mine in bloomington just had an attempted break in by a "Upstanding young urban scholar" who was carrying a Hi-point, and aside from a bruise in the head got out of it ok. We went out the next day and bought him a pump shotgun and trained him to use it. That with alot of trigger time on my shotgun and the fact that break ins are becoming all too common in bloomington has lead to me upgrade my shotgun from sitting under the bed with 6 round of 2.75" 00 on the stock but empty to being loaded crusier ready with 3" #4 buck in the gun and also another 6 rounds on the gun on a much much faster side-saddle mount.

I don't want to get in a gun fight lol, I want to put any home intruder down for the count and with 3" buckshot that is probably the best probability of a one shot stop and after running drills on a home invasion the power of a shotgun combined with taking cover/concealment with a bead on the door combined with the power of a shotgun and the reactionary gap means that unless your facing multiple guys with long guns and body armor and tactical training you will prevail