Best 9mm Carry Ammo Recommendations

[EDC_Minded]

I'm new to concealed carry and want to pick the right 9mm ammo for self-defense. What brands and types have you found to be the most reliable in real situations?

 

[Caribou]

I prefer Hornady Critical Duty. In the winter people wear layers of clothes and a regular hollow point tends to plug up and effectively become a round nose where the Critical Duty will still expand. I don't want to change my carry ammo twice a year so I carry the same all year around.

 

[Elkster]

Agree, Hornady Critical Duty. is good. I used to use that myself. I have since started using 90 grain Extreme Defenders in my 9 and 115 grain Defenders in my 40. The 68 grain Defenders also work real well in my little Ruger Max.

 

[Twizdd]

I carry Winchester Ranger T 147 +p+ ( they don't make it anymore, from what I hear). Hits hard outa my 43X, but still very manageable recoil

 

[BearBio]

Wife carries the Critical Duty in her 9mm. Functions best and is accurate for her. 147 gr HPs. Gun is a Sig P-365.

I carry Underwood P-365 174 gr HP. Most accurate for me and reliable. Also in a Sig P-365.

Lehigh 100 gr Extreme in my Ruger LCP for taking on short runs to the store, etc.

There is a slight advantage in both carrying the same model and pretty much the same ammo. She carries an extra mag in her purse (I'll start a thread on concealed-carry purses for the women next, I think!) and I carry an extra mag in the console.

Bedroom guns:
Critical Duty in her Glock 43 and Sig Sauer Self Defense in my SA XDM 45 acp.


As you can probably tell, I'm a firm advocate for shooting different premium loads for reliability and accuracy, the looking at all the you tube reviews for penetration and expansion. What works for me, my wife, or someone else probably will not be your choice.

BTW: My wife and I both carried G-43s for a while but we both had "stove-piping" issues. I asked Massoud Ayoob about this (on another forum) and he said to say away from lighter, +P loads in the lighter pistols. The ammo is a little to hot and cycles the slide too fast, catching the empty before it leaves the firarm. Don't know if he was correct but our jamming problems stopped after that.

 

[BearBio]

Wife carries the Critical Duty in her 9mm. Functions best and is accurate for her. 147 gr HPs. Gun is a Sig P-365.

I carry Underwood P-365 174 gr HP. Most accurate for me and reliable. Also in a Sig P-365.

Lehigh 100 gr Extreme in my Ruger LCP for taking on short runs to the store, etc.

There is a slight advantage in both carrying the same model and pretty much the same ammo. She carries an extra mag in her purse (I'll start a thread on concealed-carry purses for the women next, I think!) and I carry an extra mag in the console.

Bedroom guns:
Critical Duty in her Glock 43 and Sig Sauer Self Defense in my SA XDM 45 acp.


As you can probably tell, I'm a firm advocate for shooting different premium loads for reliability and accuracy, the looking at all the you tube reviews for penetration and expansion. What works for me, my wife, or someone else probably will not be your choice.

BTW: My wife and I both carried G-43s for a while but we both had "stove-piping" issues. I asked Massoud Ayoob about this (on another forum) and he said to say away from lighter, +P loads in the lighter pistols. The ammo is a little to hot and cycles the slide too fast, catching the empty before it leaves the firarm. Don't know if he was correct but our jamming problems stopped after that.

Can't see an option for editing . Obviously, that should be : "I carry Underwood P-365 174 147 gr HP. Most accurate for me and reliable. Also in a Sig P-365.