Best 9mm defence round

[bear]

I have made up my mind that I am going to buy a 9mm pistol, ether the XD, Glock, or M&P. I am going to let the feel of the gun make up my mind on which one I pick.

I chose 9mm for the affordability of the ammo and I know that I give up knock down power by going this route.

My question is: What is the best 9mm round for home defence and all out knockdown power?

[apierce918]

Federal HST order them online you wont find them in stores

[AshyLarry]

Federal HST order them online you wont find them in stores


Thats what I use, and a lot of friends.

[bear]

Thanks, from everything that I have read on the HST they seem to perform very well

[greg'sgoat]

Federal HST, 124 gr. I have them in my Glock 19. "knock down power" is kind of a usless term anyways. Ballistics charts between a .45 HST and 9 HST is minimial. Slower moving heavier bullet does similar damage to a lighter faster HP.

[ct06gto]

1- Magsafe #9+p
2-Corbon 115+p

Energy Kills

[apierce918]

for what its worth -
this is my 40 SW round, the fed HST, i dont have a 9mm, but the uniformity should be very similar.
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e291/wizkid918/h p004800x600.jpg

i have tested several HP's (hydrashock, gold dot, silvertip, hornady TAP) and this was by far the most impressive and no signs of seperation from the jacket at all. corbons ive heard good things and i know people that swear by them, but the first shot i tested from my fathers .380 the core seperated from the jacket, some people say its good, ide prefer it to stay together especially if it has to go through a winter coat or something.

[machinistone]

+1 on the Federal HST, I just did some testing on this round on Saturday to make sure it would function in my new sigs and the expansion and weight retention is very impressive to say the least.

[Scurvy]

^^^

If...if you have to shoot someone through a winter coat, chances are the HP will clog with the material of the coat and not expand at all.

Just food for thought.

[machinistone]

i have tested several HP's (hydrashock, gold dot, silvertip, hornady TAP)

What was your impression of the TAP? I have a couple hundred rounds of it because it was on sale for dirt cheap - it feeds fine and the velocities are consistent, but I have not recovered an expanded round.

[apierce918]

it appeared to stay together completely, and expanded fully, but it wasnt as uniform, it looked like a big lead ball from one side, and the other side you could see the torn jacket. i didnt have a grain scale to check, but nothing really wrong with it. and ballistic charts ive seen showed the HST top be a little more powerful. they fed fine for me though.

and you are right, there is a chance the HP will clog through a coat anyway, i didnt take any old denim to layer it up on my test which might have been better.

[Pimp'n the 2004]

A little off the subject...Do yourself a favor and check out the Beretta PX4 Storm (9mm). I just picked one up a couple weeks ago. Feels great in your hand and very comfortable and accurate to shoot. I was also looking at the glock (because I have a glock g30), XD & the M&P...Hands down the Beretta felt the best.

[bear]

A little off the subject...Do yourself a favor and check out the Beretta PX4 Storm (9mm). I just picked one up a couple weeks ago. Feels great in your hand and very comfortable and accurate to shoot. I was also looking at the glock (because I have a glock g30), XP & the M&P...Hands down the Beretta felt the best.

I went to Bass Pro yesterday and held several guns (XD, Glock, M&P, and the PX4) from feel alone the XD was my choice it fit my had perfectly and I really like the grip angle. I am going to buy one of them friday after I hold all of them again to make my final decision.

BTW... Bass Pro has the XD priced at $549 and sportsman's warehouse has them @ $489 so I will be buying at sportsman's

[umphreak]

Federal HST order them online you wont find them in stores
Carry those in both my 9mm and .45

[Bandit]

Don't let anyone tell you that the 9mm round is not good enough for defense, it's simply not true. With today's quality ammunition, 9mm is indeed quite effective.

If you want the "best" it will be the most expensive, about $25 for 6 rounds. Magsafe frangibles. There are two types, the frangibles and the pellet loads... go for the frangibles. Highest velocity ammo, lightest recoil, and devastating when it impacts the target. One test showed a .45ACP Magsafe shooting a 10 point buck in the neck sheared the head from the body entirely... they are devastating.

Good news is that you don't need to buy a ton of them. I put my top 2 rounds (one in the pipe and top one in mag) as Magsafe and the rest a good defense hollowpoint. BUT practice this way if you carry this way because there is almost no recoil to the first double-tap (Magsafes) then the next rounds are full power.

I used to carry Cor-Bon (and still have a lot) because they have prven to be one of the best all-around, but I recently in the last year switched completely over to Hornaday TAP.

[RitcheyRch]

Going to have to check out these Federal HST's myself for my 9mm. Thanks for the info.

[shannonavionics]

^^^

If...if you have to shoot someone through a winter coat, chances are the HP will clog with the material of the coat and not expand at all.

Just food for thought.

Yep....In Alaska cops aren't allowed to carry 9mm's....

[apierce918]

Going to have to check out these Federal HST's myself for my 9mm. Thanks for the info.

you wont be dissapointed

[RitcheyRch]

Sure hope not.

you wont be dissapointed

[bear]

who would guess a bunch of car guys whould know so much about firerarms

[gametech]

Don't let anyone tell you that the 9mm round is not good enough for defense, it's simply not true. With today's quality ammunition, 9mm is indeed quite effective.

If you want the "best" it will be the most expensive, about $25 for 6 rounds. Magsafe frangibles. There are two types, the frangibles and the pellet loads... go for the frangibles. Highest velocity ammo, lightest recoil, and devastating when it impacts the target. One test showed a .45ACP Magsafe shooting a 10 point buck in the neck sheared the head from the body entirely... they are devastating.

Good news is that you don't need to buy a ton of them. I put my top 2 rounds (one in the pipe and top one in mag) as Magsafe and the rest a good defense hollowpoint. BUT practice this way if you carry this way because there is almost no recoil to the first double-tap (Magsafes) then the next rounds are full power.

I used to carry Cor-Bon (and still have a lot) because they have prven to be one of the best all-around, but I recently in the last year switched completely over to Hornaday TAP.

Most semi-autos won't even function with magsafe. Unless you are shooting a naked body with NO intermediary cover, they expand MUCH too quickly to penetrate any vital organs. Under IDEAL conditions, they may be devastating, but they just don't fit the bill for all-around defense.

[machinistone]

who would guess a bunch of car guys whould know so much about firerarms

I was shooting long before I was wrenching or driving. I bet the same is true for a lot of those people in the shooting section.

[bear]

I was shooting long before I was wrenching or driving. I bet the same is true for a lot of those people in the shooting section.

Oh me too... i hunted dove setting on my back porch when i was 6 years old

[Bandit]

Most semi-autos won't even function with magsafe. Unless you are shooting a naked body with NO intermediary cover, they expand MUCH too quickly to penetrate any vital organs. Under IDEAL conditions, they may be devastating, but they just don't fit the bill for all-around defense.


Please don't generalize to this degree because it is simply untrue. "Most semiautos" actually do cycle Magsafe perfectly fine.

Don't believe everything you read on the internet.

I was involved in some of Magsafe's ballistic testing back in the 90's. They cycle fine, and penetrate just fine. But you do have to pick the correct load for the situation (as with any and all ammunition).

[gametech]

Please don't generalize to this degree because it is simply untrue. "Most semiautos" actually do cycle Magsafe perfectly fine.

Don't believe everything you read on the internet.

I was involved in some of Magsafe's ballistic testing back in the 90's. They cycle fine, and penetrate just fine. But you do have to pick the correct load for the situation (as with any and all ammunition).

I was mistaking magsafe and glaser. I don't believe everything I read on the internet, but I do believe what I see at the range. As I said, however, I was thinking of glaser safety slugs. As far as I know, I haven't seen any magsafes being fired yet.

[Bandit]

Yes, this was Glaser's downfall honestly. I think they might still be made, but you never see them anywhere anymore.

[bbarnhill]

I like the Hornady TAP rounds. Carried them in my 9mm for a long time then I got rid of the glock 26 and got the Glock 36 ... Now I want a 27. But never mind that ... Id probably carry the Hornadys again in the 27.