Best 9mm carry round

[mfcmb]

My first choice, CorBon DPX, doesn't feed reliably through my CW9, so instead I carry my second choice, Speer Gold Dot 124gr +P.

[Deputy]

LOL....I'm kinda surprised nobody has said "the best 9MM load is one in .45ACP or .40 S&W".

[Steelheart]

I'm carrying 124gr +P Gold Dots in my PM9. It's not the Short Barrel version but I got a good price on some a while back.

In the P9 that's around here I've tested Corbon 115gr +P and WWB 115 JHP's.

Steelheart

[Dietrich]

I carry Remington Golden Saber 124gr. +P in my PM9. I`ve had no problems with feed or function and the ballistic gel tests look great for the round. Check out the test findings at Golden Loki. Several rounds had great results in 9mm.

[shipwreck]

I just bought a box of critical defense in 9mm, but haven't tried it yet. I was gonna shoot some, and keep enough for 1 mag.

But on a couple of other forums, there is discussions about bad primers. Some of the ammo isn't going off. And, it's popped up enough to not be a quirk, from what I have read.

Some claim that the manufacturer claims that they switched from silver to brass colored primers to fix the problem - but there are reports of FTF even with this.

Except for 22 ammo, I have never had a failure to fire with any ammo I have ever bought. So, this bugs me when multiple rounds in the same box are not going off for some people (but not every round in the same box has reported problem so there is not way to tell)

[drober30]

I have three I like a lot Winchester Silvertip, Speer Gold Dot and the Hornady Critical Defense. I have the Critical Defense in my Rohrbaugh and LCP but have been unable to find them for the PM40 yet.
John

They don't make it in a .40cal yet.

[Dogman]

Speer GD, 124 grain, JHP

[johnh]

I carry Hornady TAP 124gr in my nines. It has worked reliably for me in several different platforms. I tend to go first by what functions reliably, then look at terminal peformance. One nice thing about 9mm, from back when I started shooting to now the quality of ammunition has gone through a revolutionary transformation. There are many, many good choices out there for defensive use.

John

[proudtoshootpentax]

My choices

I have both the Remington Golden Saber in 124 +P and the Ranger in the 127 +P+, I'm very happy with both. The Ranger is a little tough to find. I don't have a chrono, but according to this article on the Kahr review site: Kahr Arms | Product Reviews the Ranger should be in the 1170 fps range and the Golden Sabre about 100 fps behind. That's the kind of speed I like in a carry gun. It's especially good for a 3" pocket gun!

[Deputy]

I just bought a box of critical defense in 9mm, but haven't tried it yet. I was gonna shoot some, and keep enough for 1 mag.

But on a couple of other forums, there is discussions about bad primers. Some of the ammo isn't going off. And, it's popped up enough to not be a quirk, from what I have read.

Some claim that the manufacturer claims that they switched from silver to brass colored primers to fix the problem - but there are reports of FTF even with this.

Except for 22 ammo, I have never had a failure to fire with any ammo I have ever bought. So, this bugs me when multiple rounds in the same box are not going off for some people (but not every round in the same box has reported problem so there is not way to tell)

If you read the newest issue of American Rifleman, they talk about Critical Defense. I wouldn't put much stock in forums for ammunition information as far as reliability, etc. Too many guys have "brand loyalty" in ammo and they hate to hear that something has come out that might be better. Do your own testing and if you have problems, then contact the manufacturer with lot # and description of problems.
I've had failure to fire problems with Remington .44 Special round nose and Winchester .44 mag Silvertips. Turned out not to be an ammo problem but a gun problem with my S&W 329 Nightguard. A new firing pin and crane from Smith resolved it. Fix was free too. I have also experienced "hard primers' with surplus import ammo. It's not something rare or unusual.

[sharpetop]

My CW9 is currently stoked with Federal 124gr HST +P.

[shipwreck]

If you read the newest issue of American Rifleman, they talk about Critical Defense. I wouldn't put much stock in forums for ammunition information as far as reliability, etc. Too many guys have "brand loyalty" in ammo and they hate to hear that something has come out that might be better. Do your own testing and if you have problems, then contact the manufacturer with lot # and description of problems.
I've had failure to fire problems with Remington .44 Special round nose and Winchester .44 mag Silvertips. Turned out not to be an ammo problem but a gun problem with my S&W 329 Nightguard. A new firing pin and crane from Smith resolved it. Fix was free too. I have also experienced "hard primers' with surplus import ammo. It's not something rare or unusual.

I hear ya. But, it's come up on more than 1 forum, and I kinda believe what I am reading.

I don't want to spend a fortune on it to shoot a bunch to see if I have a problem, though. I'll probably just throw the box I have in the back of the safe for now. and, I ordered some more hydrashok 124gr. I'll just keep using that.

[G20-IWB24/7]

Of the ten or so Kahr's that I've had (three were .40's), I have yet to have any factory ammunition failure of any kind, so I'd use whatever was available. Having said that, I like to find defensive ammo in the 50rd Law Enforcement packs, because $26/50rds is much better than $19/20rds. Because I only have STEEL framed guns now in 9mm, I've settled on the Winchester Ranger 127gr +P+, and both the K9 Elite and the MK9 gobble it right up. Its a little more peppy than the WWB that I usually practice with, but it's nowhere near the recoil level of the .40 caliber guns of the same size. Plus, you get an extra round of capacity in the 9mms, so there's no real reason to go to a .40.

[Deputy]

Plus, you get an extra round of capacity in the 9mms, so there's no real reason to go to a .40.

I think the majority of law enforcement agencies in the USA might disagree with you.

[Raptor77]

I don't think there's a big worry about shooting through car windows. That's a pretty specialized situation and not something a normal citizen would be doing. Shooting at someone who is fleeing in car is generally discouraged. Hard to defend if you are brought into court.

I would agree if car jacking was not a possibility. If your in a car and need to defend yourself from someone outside the car it is best if you can count on your ammo to get outside where the bad guy is. It is true that it is pretty specialized situation but we train with hope that none of this will be necessary but ready if it does. And, obviously shooting at someone fleeing in a car is not good self defense.