Six Things to Consider When Choosing Self-Defense Handgun Ammunition

[edgehill]

You also have to consider the barrel length of your carry gun. Most factory tests are done with a long barrel. If your gun is a small barrel, a lot of really good ammo works very differently. I've seen some ammo tests that were perfect in a four or five inch barrel that didn't perform in a small barrel.

[Riverpigusmc]

I carry the Wilson load, .45 acp +p, 230 grain Barnes solid copper hollowpoint propelled by around 6 grains of VV N320. Low flash, low smoke, tested by Wilson out of a 4" barrel. ASYM makes about the same load.

[milkmanjoe]

Originally Posted by Riverpigusmc

I carry the Wilson load, .45 acp +p, 230 grain Barnes solid copper hollowpoint propelled by around 6 grains of VV N320. Low flash, low smoke, tested by Wilson out of a 4" barrel. ASYM makes about the same load.

Can you build those, Mike? Or can only get from Wilson? I like solid copper but gave 'em away......I'll only use 230grain.

[Riverpigusmc]

Wilson sells them, but they have went to the Hornady bullet for some reason

[Shark1007]

Did not know the barnes bullet was available in 230 grain, I have been carrying the 185+p, guess I will have to go shopping!

[Horse'nround]

So all good points to think about, and I have done so at nauseam. I have run quite a few trials for different rounds and have settled on one of my own build. I have a long and disgruntled history with factory ammo and never intend to carry with it. Gun of choice, commander series 1911, all day every day. Round of choice, 200gr. JHP in XTP or Gdot with 5.75gr of WIN 231 chrono’s in around 975fps. I like the feel of it out of the gun and I like the way it hits. Makes a mess of 2 gallon jugs of water but not so much the 3rd. 2 chunks of sheetrock and still kills 2 jugs. 2x4 and sheetrock kill 1 jug and #2 bleeds out pretty quickly and the 2 windshields I tried were no match. This is where I must bang my head on the wall (knock on wood) to date I have never had a squibber in one my loads, can’t say that for factory crap. My brass is mid 80’s lake city and TZZ (Israeli) got around 5 to7K rounds left of the 10+ I started with. So I’m pretty well set with 3000 rounds loaded and counting…

A while back I ran a thread about my summer time dilemma about what to carry when it’s too hot or your dressed to lightly to carry the “BIG DICK” after researching all the recommendations that everyone threw out there. Well I finally settled on a SIG P938 EQUINOX, yep a micro 1911. After running a spread of ammo I’ve settled on +P 124gr Gdot JHP. Seems to have a manageable jump when I pull the trigger and I can empty the mag fairly quick and keep them in the black at 7yds. As far as what they do when they hit… Hmmm, sounds like more testing. OH BOY!