Feb 26, 2019 it was not designed to test for the best self defense ammunition, nor have i ever seen any claims from the agency that it is a good test for measuring self defense loads. However, such a chart should include the most common bullets and ammunition for both military and civilian use, as well as the most common bullet. Mar 24, 2016 aguila aguila is a mexican ammunition manufacturer whose products you can find widely on shelves in the u. Location virginia beach va posts 252 glock armorer. Apr 25, 2019 we tested our lineup of hollow point ammunition, which includes 175 different loads, covering five of the most popular calibers 9mm. Best 9mm ammo for defense and bulk cheap range ammo for. Comparison of handgun calibers for selfdefense robert. Using the fbis standard as our guide, we can help you determine the best 9mm ammo for personal protection. The following is the first post in a multipart series on ballistics tests of the major defensive handgun calibers in use done by one of our site sponsors, ammo to go. A bullet size chart may not be adequate to show the importance or significance of popular ammunition used today.
This has caused a debate in the firearms community over whats better, a fast and light cartridge or a heavy and slow one. The best self defense ammo ballistic testing american. The best self defense ammo a massive handgun ammunition study. It would appear that the best selfdefense ammo for the.
One of the top choices is the federal personal defense micro with grain jhp bullets. Offering a highcapacity magazine and enough velocity to expand bullets, youll find more hightech 9mm ammo, from more makers, than any other cartridge. Extremely popular because of how cheap the cartridges, it is normally considered to be the bare minimum for selfdefense. Best 9mm self defense ammo 2020 concealed carry society. Fwiw, my wife ended up stoking her 9mm with federal personal defense hydroshock 5gr. The 9mm can fire between 1,000 to 1,350 fps feet per second, but the.
Theyre built for accuracy and the most consistent expansion at extreme distances. If you havent followed the news recently, concealed carry is on the rise with two. Apr 07, 2017 however, certain self defense 9mm loads can come closer to the. Some handgun calibers are too small to be consistently effective in a self defense situation. Mar 08, 2017 however, the bad news is that its really tough to pick a single load in particular and label it as the best 9mm self defense ammo. To me, a pistol is a tool to be used for self defense target practice, and some forms of hunting. The requirements for modern selfdefense am munition are. It includes a scientific background as to the selection criteria that is used to determine the choices presented. Obviously there are exceptions, such a bullet through the heart or a bullet through the eye. How to choose the best 9mm round for personal defense. While the answer to this is up to debate, one thing is certain. In this guide, well give you our picks for the best 9mm ammo for self defense and range practice. How to choose the best 9mm ammo for selfdefense gun digest. Again, 115 grain fmj 9mm ammo is fine for practice and plinking.
Handgun selfdefense ammunition ballistic testing data. Selecting proper defensive ammunition expert self defense. Usually for a first pistol for selfdefense, i would recommend a 9mm made by a major manufacturer and 124grain jhp ammo. It is the most streetproven man stopper available in this caliber. The best 9mm ammo in 2019 for self defense gun news daily. Welcome to the self defense ballistic test our effort to give you a ton of. I wouldnt bother comparing ammo capacities between shooting platforms for the. Why the fbi now says the 9mm is the best law enforcement handgun round in laymans terms jason blaha firearm enthusiast. Here is what we picked by gun news daily ive been a handgun enthusiast for a little over a decade now, and i love everything about handguns. Find out the best 9mm ammo for self defense based on ballistic gel tests that cover penetration depth and expansion. This document compiles the current stateoftheart of the best choices available for selfdefense ammunition.
We tested our lineup of hollow point ammunition, which includes 175 different loads, covering five of the most popular calibers 9mm. The price difference in ammo will allow you to spend more time in training, which for most means better comfort, accuracy, and proficiency. The 9mm has the advantage of higher capacity without enlarging a firearms grip. You can hit the target, go through him, then a wall and hit somethin. The good news for everyone who uses a handgun chambered in 9mm luger is that there are lots of great 9mm self defense ammo choices currently available on the market. The last few decades have seen phenomenal advances in ammunition design, testing, and production.
Data is provided for common handgun and rifle ammunition, and a small section on shotgun ammunition. The following rounds are fmj rounds that are not recommended for selfdefense except in cases of dire necessity when nothing better comes to hand. I dont believe this link has been posted here before, and sorry if it has, but taken in context, it think it gives a. Here are 5 of the best 9mm self defense ammo picks worldofguns. Apr 28, 2015 the approved list of selfdefense ammunition is your ammo on this. The approved list of selfdefense ammunition is your ammo. Remington umc 9mm luger 115grain centerfire handgun ammunition.
It may seem that is a comparison of apples and oranges. The best 9mm ammo for selfdefense the survivalist blog. Unfortunately, it is also likely to jam many older guns. While we mostly see aguilas fmj rounds at the range, the companys hollowpoint loads, available in 50round boxes at a comparative bargain price point, are often used for tactical training by those who want to ensure their firearms reliably feed hollowpoint projectiles. Please consider offering this in a pdf im sure many of us would like to print it out and. Top notch company with first class customer service and committed to showing you the very best, nobs data on ammo youre likely to be using. In a nation founded on the freedom of choice, the best choice is what works best for you. Im in the process of buying a springfield 1911 in 9mm for my wife because shes recoil sensitive to my.
Aguila aguila is a mexican ammunition manufacturer whose products you can find widely on shelves in the u. In the fbi protocol, bullets that fail to penetrate 12. Well also give you a breakdown of how we came to choose these picks. The below pictures and data are from a super indepth post from lucky gunner plus a few of our. The chart below specifies each brands ballistic performance factoring in. Plus the best range plinking ammo for bulk shooting. How effective has 9mm fmj proven to be in self defense. Just be sure you know how your chosen selfdefense ammo behaves.
The 12gauge is popular ammunition for hunting, skeet shooting, and home defense. The 9mm as a handgun caliber is a great option for self defense, and there are literally a ton of good 9mm ammo out there. Understanding the fbis data and comparison of the 9mm. It is a high velocity 50 fps and high pressure round, more effective than loads restricted to law enforcement use. This has resulted in an abundance of good quality self defense ammunition in all the major calibers. Federal premium champion 9mm luger 115grain pistol ammunition. Nov 23, 2015 why the fbi now says the 9mm is the best law enforcement handgun round in laymans terms jason blaha firearm enthusiast. Based on ammunition to go gel tests and tfbtvs andrews own data and experience, we cooked up. Were often asked, which would you choose for personal defense, the 9mm luger or 357 magnum. More cartridges of 9 mm ammunition are produced, sold, and fired than almost every other caliber in existence. However, certain selfdefense 9mm loads can come closer to the. The following gel shots by doug carr show that when comparing good selfdefense ammo from service. Jul 07, 2019 the following is the first post in a multipart series on ballistics tests of the major defensive handgun calibers in use done by one of our site sponsors, ammo to go.
Regardless of the cartridge you use, choosing the right kind of ammunition is just as important as. Choosing the best concealed carry ammo is important, so use this guide to narrow down your choices. Read on to see how we chose them and the best place to buy them for cheap. If youre interested in a particular branddesign and they were not covered in this article, do your homework. The approved list of selfdefense ammunition is your ammo on this. In the above picture the 22lr and the 32 auto are generally too small to be effective at stopping someone with only one or two shots to the main body area. Today, we focus on 38 special and how we can help you find the best. One area often overlooked by people new to defensive shooting is the importance of selecting proper defensive ammunition.
The 9mm also has a higher muzzle velocity than the. Like all cartridges, there are a lot of 38 special ammo options out there and they come from many different manufacturers. There are highvelocity and standard velocity bullets, and if one type does not cycle through your pistol try the other to see which performs best during practice sessions. If you have passed advanced pistol classes and shoot on a regular basis, you should be plenty lethal with a 9mm. Apr 11, 2019 the 9mm also has a higher muzzle velocity than the. Its important to use good quality ammunition if you plan on carrying a handgun for self defense. Best personal defense weapon just because its common doesnt make it wisdom. Compact pistols have never offered this level of protection. The chart below specifies each brands ballistic performance factoring. The best self defense ammo a massive handgun ammunition. While i will focus on 9mm self defense ammo in this article, you will also find that the brands listed also include. Weve gathered info on some of the most popular 9mm self defense loads.
This bullet was recovered after fbi testing though rolled steel. The approved list of selfdefense ammunition is your ammo on this list. This document compiles the current stateoftheart of the best choices available for self defense ammunition. However, they are inexpensive, reliable brands that should be your first choice when selecting ammo for practice or competition. Handgun ammunition comparison tests by doctor roberts. However, the bad news is that its really tough to pick a single load in particular and label it as the best 9mm self defense ammo. There is a complex formula for analyzing performance for suitability in a law enforcement context that is beyond the scope of this article. These are our choices for the best 9mm self defense ammo. We then analyzed and compared the data against the set of performance. Top 5 options for 9mm selfdefense ammo wide open spaces. Some handgun calibers are too small to be consistently effective in a selfdefense situation. It is not only used for home defense but also competition and game.
Bullet size chart of the most popular ammo gunforest. We did a recent comparison of the effectiveness of defensive ammunition versus full metal jacket target ammunition so we could show our students the difference the bullet design makes. Jan 03, 2018 how to choose the best 9mm round for personal defense. This information was gathered using a concealed carry sized pistol that had a 3inch barrel. Standardized ammunition tests are great, and the only real way to directly compare one load verse another in quantitative terms. Gun type goes a long way in determining the preferable load. There are different types of cartridges and ammunition for the 12gauge, however, there is a reason that this is very popular. You can click on the name of the load in the chart to see this footage, as well as.
This will be a gun that she shoots both for recreation and keeps beside the bed at night. Utterly reliable in our tests, low recoil, the brass didnt knock her in the head, and she shot it well. To research the best 9mm ammo for selfdefense, lets dive in deeper to our 9mm ammunition ballistic gel testing data. We did a recent comparison of the effectiveness of defensive ammunition versus full metal jacket target ammunition so we could show our students the. Browning fmj 9mm 124grain centerfire ammunition 150rounds.
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