[Bob Reed]

Hello,

When it comes to your carry ammo, must you have the "Latest & Greatest" that your favorite maker has to offer, or is their "Middle of The Road" line good enough for you?

In other words, do you "Trust & Choose" Hydra-Shok over Hi-Shok, SilverTips over WWB JHP's, Golden Sabers over Express JHP's, ect., ect.

Thanks & Take Care,

 

[Guest]

Graphics and marketing and fancy names,, It's all smoke and mirrors. Look at actual tests between the silvertip and whitebox JHP's... same velocity, same expansion, same penetration, oh yeah they are different colors thats why they are 3 times the price. Check out the actual projectile and it's actual velocity fired from a barrel like yours before decidig if the graphics on the box is worth it.

 

[pgm]

I voted for the middle-of-the-road choices, since that is usually what I shoot and I have confidence in my choices. However, I also offer the following for consideration:

While some of the differences may well be marketing and packaging, there could also be other differences invisible to the consumer. For example, control ranges may be tighter for specifications on powder charges, overall cartridge length, primer reliablity, etc., in the premium brands.

Additionally, investment in research and development for "new and improved" rounds must recovered at a profit, otherwise there is no incentive to conduct such research. If there were no such research conducted, we would all still be using lead round nose and FMJ bullets today. The marketplace will reward the innovators who deliver performance and punish the charlatans who deliver hype. The consumer wins in that we benefit from having choices.

PGM

 

[Josh Smith]

I voted "Top of the Line" but I really don't know.

I consider Gold Dot top of the line.

I currently carry EFMJ, which is likely top of the line.

I'll be carrying Remington Bonded Golden Saber at about a buck a round if I can't find more GD +P locally (and I hate to order off the 'net).

But... I don't consider myself unarmed when I carry WWB HP, which is just Silvertip without the coating, or 115gr Hi-Shok (c9bp). I do like to stay in the 124gr range though as that seems to be what my pistol is regulated for.

Josh <><

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. I didn't vote because for me, it just depends on the gun and caliber. At this moment, my defense-oriented .38 revolvers are loaded with "old technology" Remington 158-gr. LSWHP +P ammunition, while my 9mm pistols are usually loaded with either Winchester 127-gr. +P+ or Corbon 115-gr. DPX, +P, both of which are sort of "flagship" rounds for their respective makers. In .45 ACP I normally use either the Remington 230-gr. Golden Saber or Winchester's Ranger T in the same weight, also two so-called "designer rounds."

Having said that, I don't feel bad at all with the old Federal 115-gr. JHP in 9mm or their 230-gr. JHP ("Classic") in .45 ACP.

Best.

 

[Guest]

The problem is unlike most products, junk claims and hype arn't disproved because not many cosumers shoot very many people so basically rely on hype and outright lies printed in advertiser financed magazines.

 

[Chris Stephens]

Hi there,

I use both and so I didn't vote. I use Federal Hydra Shoks and Winchester Ranger HP's in 9 MM alone.

Locally, my ammunition choices seems to run in extremes, i.e. either very top end or low range.

Chris

 

[Josh Smith]

Ultimate carry ammo...







Just kidding ya'll... just funnin'!

Josh <><

 

[derek]

I think mid-level jhp's are fine overall but I am stuck on Cor-Bons in 9mm

 

[Guest]

To be quite honest, I use the Blazer 9mm 115-grain JHPs in my Ruger P95 for my defense load. I do this because:

1. CCI packs the Blazer JHPs in 50-round boxes and prices them reasonably.
2. Unlike the exotic or "20-pack" ammo, I can afford to buy significant quantities of the Blazer JHPs.
3. I can therefore afford to shoot lots of the Blazer JHPs so that I know they'll feed, fire, extract and eject reliably.
4.

 

[Guest]

Oops...must have hit the wrong button...

4. The bullet used in the Blazer JHPs is, I believe, a reasonably designed hollowpoint which will do its job.

The exotics are interesting, I will admit...I particularly like the EFMJ and have used them in the Ruger with 100% reliability...but they're expensive and it would be difficult to afford to shoot a large quantity of your personal defense load if you chose EFMJ...that notwithstanding, if I lived in New Jersey, I'd use the EFMJ, but I don't, so I'll stick with the Blazer JHPs. I freely admit that there are probably many more 9mm loads and bullet designs which are more effective than the Blazers, but I'm comfortable with them and I know quite clearly that they'll work in my gun...

Bob

 

[Guest]

Having read most of Stephen Camp's splendid website I settled on Winchester Silvertip ammuntion for my 3 Browning High Powers. Why?.. because they shoot great in them and won't wearout the pistols prematurely. I can buy the inexpensive "clone" of the Silvertip, the USA 115gr JHP "white box" by the case very cheap and practice like heck with it.

Sure I like the DPX load, but who can afford to buy enough of it to honestly practice with it in all their auto pistols? The Silvertip is a good non +P load and I think it will do the job if I do mine.

 

[Bob Reed]

Hello & Thanks for all the replies,

I pretty much just buy the middle of the road JHP's.

Thanks Again,

 

[randomman]

I pack Winchester White Box "USA" JHPs in my .45 and feel fine with Winchester Super X 147-grain JHPs in my 9mm. When/if I get a .38 I'll have to reconsider what I carry, but I suspect you'll find me carrying Winchester JHPs of some sort.

For me +P isn't even an issue, because I feel fine shooting standard pressure loads. The most important thing about your carry ammo is that it SHOOTS, YOU hit the target, and you can afford to shoot it. Being a budget concious person, WWB "USA" rounds simply work great. I can get them in many standard weights, I can shoot 115-grain FMJ for practice and 115-grain JHP for carry. Same thing in .45...life is just so much more simple this way.

-Rob

 

[erich]

Like Mr. Camp, I may use the "flagship" ammo in some guns (I use the 9mm ammo that he recommends in my Kahr and my Glocks), but I use the middle-of-the-road stuff in others. I feel fine with the regular stuff, though, so that's what I voted for.

Good thread!