9mm carry ammo,

[Edwardteach72]

so im starting to think about changing my carry ammo, currently running 124grain HST prior to that was running 147g Gold Dots, only ended up with the 124HST because i couldnt find any of the 147g.

With that being said, after doing some reading (and now i cant find the article) on Gabe Suareze's blog, been thinking of going to the 115 +p DPX by cor-bon.

Advantages to both the HST and Gold dots, unbelievably consistent and honestly gold standard for carry rounds, HST's can be found for something like $20 a box of 50 and yet any time i see them for sale at a local gun shop they are just over $20 for a box of 20 that kind of sucks. but for a box of 50 at $20 that would be good to load up on say 200 or 300 rounds for a handgun class and not break the bank

While i dont 100% agree with everything Gabe says (pitting my expertise up against his of course) he highly recommends the 115g cor-bon I am also a big fan of Aaron cowan from sage dynamics so im at an impasse as he is a fan of the 147 grain Gold Dots and HST's

now to make a chioce that will probably never be needed in the future and change up the carry ammo or stick to what i got

 

[Bob]

I switched my carry load last year from Winchester Ranger 127gr+p+ to Federal HST 147gr+p
The Ranger was just too hot to run out of a subcompact Glock. The HST seems to run quite nicely.

If you look around, you can find the HST for between $20 and $30 for a box of 50. I paid $600 for 1k over a year ago, and I'm currently eyeing another 1k for about $450.

 

[Marine Cpl]

Those 115 gr Corbon +P's 'will give you a little better hard barrier penetration because they are going at about 1300 fps compared to the 124's at 1100 fps, and the 147's at 900 fps.

 

[Edwardteach72]

Those 115 gr Corbon +P's 'will give you a little better hard barrier penetration because they are going at about 1300 fps compared to the 124's at 1100 fps, and the 147's at 900 fps.

thats one of the things im liking about them along with the lead free

 

[MilesTeg]

You didn't mention the length barrel. I think this is a big driver of ammo selection in 9mm.

 

[Edwardteach72]

You didn't mention the length barrel. I think this is a big driver of ammo selection in 9mm.

3.75inch

 

[Edwardteach72]

i dont do any of those gross mouse guns

 

[NirvanaFan]

I've ran HST for years. They work well out of my M&P. Really, as long as your gun runs them well, any of the popular rounds will work.

 

[Marine Cpl]

I've ran HST for years. They work well out of my M&P. Really, as long as your gun runs them well, any of the popular rounds will work.

If you mean cycling, then yes. If you mean performance, then no. Some penetrate too little. Some expand too much. Some fragment and lose their jacket inhibiting penetration. Some are too slow and heavy and fail to penetrate barriers. Some are too light and fast that while they do well on hard barriers, they do poorly on soft tissue.

Not all bullets perform the same.

 

[Doc8404]

I use Golden Sabre +P for my 9, 38 and 45.

 

[NirvanaFan]

If you mean cycling, then yes. If you mean performance, then no. Some penetrate too little. Some expand too much. Some fragment and lose their jacket inhibiting penetration. Some are too slow and heavy and fail to penetrate barriers. Some are too light and fast that while they do well on hard barriers, they do poorly on soft tissue.

Not all bullets perform the same.

I mean, as long as they cycle, any of the popular SD rounds will work. Ranger, HST, critical duty/defense, Golden Sabre, Gold Dot, etc. They will all get the job done.

 

[MilesTeg]

I like to look at these results when comparing ammo.

https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self-defense-ammo-ballistic-tests/#9mm

The issue is everyone holds certain principals of ballistics with more priority than others. Some people think penetration out weighs everything and other people think expansion is the holy grail.

I agree with @NirvanaFan almost any modern day popular self defense round should be adequate for the given task.

 

[GTN]

BoneFrogAmmo
9mm hst
9mm HST $18 for 50 rnd box

 

[Marine Cpl]

I like to look at these results when comparing ammo.

https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self-defense-ammo-ballistic-tests/#9mm

The issue is everyone holds certain principals of ballistics with more priority than others. Some people think penetration out weighs everything and other people think expansion is the holy grail.

I agree with @NirvanaFan almost any modern day popular self defense round should be adequate for the given task.

Lucky Gunner is terrible when it comes to numbers. If you look and see, they'll average in the penetration numbers of bullets that failed to expand and over penetrated along with the ones that did expand and get a high penetration average.

Those over penetrators shouldn't be counted.

 

[MilesTeg]

Lucky Gunner is terrible when it comes to numbers. If you look and see, they'll average in the penetration numbers of bullets that failed to expand and over penetrated along with the ones that did expand and get a high penetration average.

Those over penetrators shouldn't be counted.

I disagree you don't get to throw out bullets that don't work as advertised in real life.

 

[Marine Cpl]

I disagree you don't get to throw out bullets that don't work as advertised in real life.

So if 4 bullets expand and under penetrate to 10 inches and one plugs up with denim and fails to expand and penetrates 20 inches like a FMJ, you can say that the bullet has an average penetration 12 inches and is an acceptable performer?

 

[MilesTeg]

I'm saying don't fudge the numbers and throw out rounds that didn't work as advertised, because in real life that one off round might be the one coming your gun. To me penetration isn't the holy grail, so I look at their graphical representation and look to see if all the rounds preformed in a similar fashion. I like repeatability, then you can make conclusions like does it penetrate to my standards? Does it expand to my standards? Did it retain enough weight for my standards? The median depth of penetration in a real number and should be there.

 

[Marine Cpl]

I'm saying don't fudge the numbers and throw out rounds that didn't work as advertised, because in real life that one off round might be the one coming your gun. To me penetration isn't the holy grail, so I look at their graphical representation and look to see if all the rounds preformed in a similar fashion. I like repeatability, then you can make conclusions like does it penetrate to my standards? Does it expand to my standards? Did it retain enough weight for my standards? The median depth of penetration in a real number and should be there.

Ok. Man.

 

[Marine Cpl]

Penetration to vitals is all that matters. Everything else is secondary. A body isn't going to care about retained weight, expansion from .355 to .589, or momentum or energy transfer. It either hits a vital and lights out or not.

 

[MilesTeg]

lol

 

[Podmonkey]

The Corbon DPX is one of the few 115gr loads that are considered GTG. They have enough street cred that I'd be comfortable using them. Just spend some time figuring out the change in POI from what you are used to.

 

[HighlandLofts]

Penetration to vitals is all that matters. Everything else is secondary. A body isn't going to care about retained weight, expansion from .355 to .589, or momentum or energy transfer. It either hits a vital and lights out or not.

Will
I totally agree with you, one good shot in the vitals and LIGHTS OUT.
A 22lr in the vitals will kill a person, no problem.

 

[gqllc007]

I have done countless hours of Ballistic gel testing of 9mm with Shield, G43 and G19. The HST 124 gr standard pressure outperformed all the others. It penetrated 16-18" through 4 layers of denim and other barriers beautifully. I tested 150 rounds of HST 124 gr and the only other round that was remotely close to the same performance was the Corbon DPX 115+P
For .357 Sig I carry the Corbon DPX 125gr. (for barrier penetration the Underwood 125gr bonded Jacketed hollow point was superb)
For 9mm I carry the 124gr HST standard pressure and would not hesitate to carry the Corbon DPX 115+P
For short barrel .45 Shield the Corbon 185+P and Remington Golden Saber 185+P performed excellent
For .40 G23 host all the different rounds and weights I tested functioned well. I preferred the 165gr Federal HST for overall performance

 

[S&W Fan]

Just curious here but has anybody tried out the new NovX polymer 9mm +p ammo ?

 

[gqllc007]

Just curious here but has anybody tried out the new NovX polymer 9mm +p ammo ?

I have tested Underwood Xtreme Defender in 9mm, .357Sig and .45 The 9mm and .45 penetrated to 17" routinely.
The .357 Sig went to 21-22"
The .380 Xtreme Penetrator penetrated to 17" routinely and is what I carry in my .380

 

[Marine Cpl]

I have tested Underwood Xtreme Defender in 9mm, .357Sig and .45 The 9mm and .45 penetrated to 17" routinely.
The .357 Sig went to 21-22"
The .380 Xtreme Penetrator penetrated to 17" routinely and is what I carry in my .380

I carry the 9mm+P version of the Lehigh by Underwood. No one knows the penetration depth since they cannot capture it.

 

[gqllc007]

I carry the 9mm+P version of the Lehigh by Underwood. No one knows the penetration depth since they cannot capture it.

This is what I tested 9mm Luger +P 90 Grain Xtreme Defender
(Select Count Size: 200)
That round routinely penetrated to 17"

 

[Marine Cpl]

This is what I tested 9mm Luger +P 90 Grain Xtreme Defender
(Select Count Size: 200)
That round routinely penetrated to 17"

That's why I carry that one. I want more than 17.

 

[gqllc007]

That's why I carry that one. I want more than 17.

That's why I carry that one. I want more than 17.

The one I posted penetrates 17". You want the Xtreme Penetrator version 9mm+p not the defender. Also Will I recommend the .357 Sig Underwood bonded jacketed 125 gr hollow point if you want the most penetration with the most kinetic energy. It literally rocks the block. And I mean rocks it.

 

[Marine Cpl]

The one I posted penetrates 17". You want the Xtreme Penetrator version 9mm+p not the defender. Also Will I recommend the .357 Sig Underwood bonded jacketed 125 gr hollow point if you want the most penetration with the most kinetic energy. It literally rocks the block. And I mean rocks it.

That's what I got. The 115 gr+P Xtreme Penetrator. I thought you were talking about the Penetrator but after reading, I see it was the Defender.

I like the Penetrator for a few reasons. Solid pistol bullets that don't expand have never had problems in the past with under penetration. I like more penetration than the 12 to 18 because not situations call for 12 to 18. IE, a fat guy wearing a leather jacket behind a car door and many other scenarios.