What's a good 9MM defense bullet?

[BADRACR1]

Originally Posted by Mike Mercury

Hornady Critical Duty or Defense.

This.

[Nox]

When choosing 9mm defense ammunition, you want to choose the heaviest round that still has good terminal ballistics out of your chosen weapon. Most of your heavier bullets such as the 147 grain controlled expansion round are optimized for full sized duty weapons with barrels longer than four inches. Your compacts, subcompacts and micro 9’s often perform much better with lighter bullets with a faster burning powder.

There is no one size fits all. For best performance, you don’t go jogging in construction boots, and you don’t wear sneakers at the construction site. I’m sure that there are people who do, but for optimal results you use what works the best for a given application.

To that end, in my subcompacts and micros such as my P365, I prefer a lighter, faster round such as 124 grain V Crown which is optimized for short barrels, and for larger guns I prefer 147 grains, such as Gold Dot, SXT or HST.

Running non-optimal ammo in a subcompact will result in incomplete powder burn and resulting loss of velocity, and poor terminal ballistics. On the flip side, in a full size gun, you want to use the heaviest bullet for best results.

[Nox]

Originally Posted by 86RAG

I'm talking about reloading. I have plenty of 115 grain round nose bullets, but want to do some defense loads. I see mostly 124 or 147 grain hollow points. Is 124 better than 147, or vice versa? I want to have both home and carry rounds, so should I be looking at doing different grain bullets for each, or is there a round that's good for both? No way in hell am I paying these ludicrous prices for factory rounds right now.

124 grain works better in subcompacts and micros. 147 grain bullets work better in full size 9’s. Anyone who unequivocally recommends one over the other without due regard for the intended weapon has no understanding of powder burn rates, barrel lengths, velocities and terminal ballistics.

[86RAG]

Originally Posted by Nox

124 grain works better in subcompacts and micros. 147 grain bullets work better in full size 9’s. Anyone who unequivocally recommends one over the other without due regard for the intended weapon has no understanding of powder burn rates, barrel lengths, velocities and terminal ballistics.

What I have is a Ruger SR9C, so it's definitely not a long barrel. Sounds like 124 grain would be more suited to this pistol?

[Nox]

Originally Posted by 86RAG

What I have is a Ruger SR9C, so it's definitely not a long barrel. Sounds like 124 grain would be more suited to this pistol?

That’s what I would recommend. Are you reloading? If so, use a fast burning powder. Bullseye maybe.

[86RAG]

Originally Posted by Nox

That’s what I would recommend. Are you reloading? If so, use a fast burning powder. Bullseye maybe.

Yes, I'm reloading. I have plenty of Winchester 231, but no Bullseye.

[Nox]

Originally Posted by 86RAG

Yes, I'm reloading. I have plenty of Winchester 231, but no Bullseye.

Bullseye is a faster burning powder than 231. Ideally you use a faster burning powder in a short barrel/lighter bullet so that you get complete powder burn by the time the bullet leaves the barrel. Anyways, 231 is moderately fast so all I can say is try it. You will end up using more powder*than Bullseye, but it probably burns cleaner.

[Brett K]

Generally, i run 124 g Speer Gold Dots and Federal HST. Currently, i buy whatever I can find.

[Nox]

Originally Posted by Brett K

Generally, i run 124 g Speer Gold Dots and Federal HST. Currently, i buy whatever I can find.

Gold Dots are great because they are true bonded core. HST aren’t.. not to say HST aren’t a good round, but my preference is to use bonded rounds.