What Factory Ammo Do You Run In Your Carry Gun

jtischauser

I'm addicted to kicking ass
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Sep 11, 2010
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Guthrie, OK
I decided to stat carrying my Ruger LCP regularly again. Just curious what the popular self defense ammo is nowadays.
 
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Hornady Critical Defense (Polly tip hollow point) 9mm - Anything else is just crazy. ;)
 
Caliber: 380 Auto
  • Bullet Wt. 90gr CORBON Self-Defense JHP
  • Velocity: 1050fps
  • Energy: 220ftlbs
  • Test Barrel Length: 2.5 Inches
The corbon is the only .380 round to reach the 10" FBI penetration test in ballistic gellatin the last time I looked. Some of the newer stuff may have caught up, but I'm not currently aware of it.
 
There are some good YouTube videos out there...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H9M6cZGd18&sns=em
 
Gold Dots or Ranger-Ts here for most of the year, but as it is getting colder I may start carrying Critical Defense. As was said previously, you'll ultimately need to shoot some of what you're going to carry to ensure that your gun likes it. Also, shop around first for performance data on a few loads specific to your caliber (all the gelatin data in the world won't do you any good if it's in 9mm, .40, or .45).
 
I used to carry an LCP (before I got a real gun) and it was finicky with hollowpoint ammo. The Hornady Critical Defense was the only ammo that fed consistently.

I shot a lot of ammo through that little gun trying to find the right stuff.

Hornady Critical Defense
 
Doubt that will shoot from a .380

Thread title asked about "your carry gun," not "your 380 carry gun."

I have 147gr Ranger SXT in both the M&Ps. Every once in a while I get bored and shoot through a mag of carry ammo to see if it still works (it always does), so when I run out I'll probably switch to Ranger-T because that design was updated to deal with heavy clothing better.

230gr PDX-1 in the 1911 because it's what they had at Wal-Mart, I like how it shoots, and it feeds well. It's also the same stuff as Ranger Bonded; I'll probably start buying that in 50-rd LE boxes because paying $20 for 20 rounds is for suckers.

125gr Nyclads in the 38 because...Mas Ayoob recommended it one time? There's not really a good option for a snubnose 38. I looked at the Buffalo Bore 158gr LSWCHP but they're expensive and shooting hot ammo out of an Airweight revolver sucks.
 
I carry what ever the last department I taught at lasts ammo. I got so much of everything I like to mix it in the magazine. 4 months ago I shot the okcgunclub match with Ranger 180 grain 40 s. I got Gold Dots HydraShocks, Ranger, Golden Saber. WINCHESTER Bonded, you name it.
 
Gold dots in the department gun, last years gold dots in my carry guns. Short barrel gold dots in my j frame

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Thread title asked about "your carry gun," not "your 380 carry gun."
Yep, you're right
Just blazed past that & into the post about ammo for his LCP.


In that case..........14X .45 Gold Dots (per mag)
 
Gold dots in the department gun, last years gold dots in my carry guns. Short barrel gold dots in my j frame

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I talked extensively with a guy that owns a training facility in Ok. His comment was that the Gold Dots were the only round they had fired through a windshield, that maintained its trajectory from a pistol round.

Your opinion?
 
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