What type of ammo do you use for carry/home defense?

[Kreyzhorse]

I use either Speer Gold Dots or Federal Hydroshock HP ammo depending on what gun I'm using.

I have zero concerns about explaining my ammo choice to a jury. If I shoot someone it will be because my life was in danger and I needed to stop the threat. The ammo I used simply helped me to do that.

 

[sigcurious]

I use Federal HST, never was concerned with what a jury might think. I chose it because it works in my pistols and it can be had at reasonable prices compared to the other SD ammo choices at my LGS.

 

[beex215]

i use rusty titanium poison tips. i dont care about the jury as long as im alive.

 

[Stressfire]

i use rusty titanium poison tips

Nice! I didn't know they still made those. Isn't that what Roy Scheider was cooking up in Jaws?

 

[Drudge]

I'd rather save my life with hollow points and face the jury then face my maker.

 

[Marquezj16]

There only person on record for getting in "trouble" in a criminal prosecution for using a particular type of ammunition, was someone using a 10mm as it was more "powerful" than what the police used in Phoenix.

That was a mess. He did win his appeal, although it took three years later.

So, alot of people say the smart choice would be to find out what your local PD use, but what if you don't have the same caliber, for example, local PD uses .40 cal and you have 9mm or 45 ACP. Would you then just choose the same manufacturer?

Also reloads were mentioned as a no-no. Does anybody have the other side to that argument? For example, I had some Fiochi 45 ACP with 230 gr XTP and I loaded some ammo using the same 230 gr XTP into the once fire Fiochi shells. How would they know if the round I used was a reload?

 

[Father Time]

I carry these in my .40 ( http://www.extremeshockusa.com/cgist...d=3472900.7552) with 2 backup mags of Hornady "Zmax". My carry pistols are loaded with Hornady Critical Defense. Undoubtedly if in a SD situation I would be most concerned with removing the imediate threat. Also there is a concern of overpenetration that by using HP's or the like would be a better option than FMJ ball load.

Every test I've seen of that "extremeshock" garbage ammo shows that it is a poor preformer.

Here is the .40
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-o2owhC_Cgc

Just stick to traditional HP's

I use Gold Dots and Winchester Ranger's

 

[Blindmike]

I have the best answer to this question

First, I only use a 9mm pistol for CCW and Home defense. In that pistol I use Speer gold dot 124 gr +p ammo that has been dipped in a little pig grease then rolled in silver dust and last of all sprayed lightly with raw sewage. I guess you want to know why? Simple the pig grease is in case the attacker has some wild belief that and hog product will make them unclean and they would not get to heaven if defiled by a little pork. The silver in case of werewolfs. Now comes the raw sewage, that I got in the mix in case they live through our meeting, so infection will set in and the rest of their life will be spent in great pain. Last, are the Speer gold dots that is due to the great testing results and the large hollow point that gives the room I need for my toxic mix

 

[serf 'rett]

Got to go with Spats' earlier comment:

There are a variety of different bullet designs within what I think of as the "acceptable window of performance." Of those, I try to stick with those that perform best in my carry pistol.

I test 'em. Carry the ones that produced close-together-holes-closest-to-point-of-aim. And that may (often does) vary with different pistols.

 

[L_Killkenny]

I generally don't use handloads, I don't use ball or FMJ. Other than that I wouldn't sweat having the perfect ammo for SD. Reliable, acceptable bullet design, good weight for the job at hand, all equals good to go. Personally, I'd hate to live on the difference in effectiveness between "designer" SD ammo and good ol' standard HP/SP's. If I'm buying factory ammo I'm looking for stuff that comes in 50 rounds boxes not the minuscule 20 round boxes that cost about the same. Is the "designer" ammo more effective? Maybe, heck even probably. But you'd have a hard time convincing anyone that you were unarmed having a round like the less expensive 125gr SP Remingtons shoved in your .357. Same for comparable rounds in .38sp, 9mm, .45 acp, etc. Like I said, I'd hate to try to live on the difference.

 

[medic15al]

My carry/defense ammo:

.45 ACP- 230grn HST or Ranger-T
357sig- 125 grn Cor-Bon or Ranger-T
9mm 9BPLE or Ranger-T 127 +P+
.38 Spl. Buffalo Bore 158 LSWCHP +P
.45 Colt- 225 grn Silvertip HP
5.56 M-193 55grn Lake City

I have carried all these in LE or a security job at one time or another

 

[zincwarrior]

Carry: currently Remington golden sabre .45 ACP and 9mm (wife)
Home: Remington 00 shotgun shells and Winchester 110 roundnose M1 carbine rounds (oh and home loaded .44 mag in case bears or aliens attack the suburbs).

No worries about a jury are not concerning in the least.

 

[aarondhgraham]

How would they know?,,,

How would they know if the round I used was a reload?

They will ask you under oath in deposition,,,
Perjury is also a felony so you wouldn't want to lie about it.

Depending on how aggressive the prosecutor or the plaintiff's attorney is,,,
They will have your weapon (and probably ammunition) inspected,,,
That pretty blonde in CSI Miami would know in seconds.

Aarond

.

 

[Marquezj16]

Good point aaron.

I think if your load was developed to perform as the manufactured ammo (published load, chronographed and tested side by side on gel medium) your lawyer could argue that your ammo is no more deadlier than the manufacturer ammo. And what if you load it for lower than manufactured load?

 

[sigcurious]

How do you prove that those rounds used were loaded to one spec or another? What you do and what can be called into question because you can or cannot prove it are two separate things.

 

[jasmith85]

I like to use Winchester PDX1 in my guns.

 

[mySig229]

This is my EDC ammo, I always carry the same type day or night. Plus a 100 pound white German Shepherd for home defense

 

[Steviewonder1]

I'll let the Prosecution try my ammo after they figure out what it is as I am only talking to my attorney after any shooting I am involved in. Go find out what I shot with as you have my gun and ammo used. After the arrest I will go to the trunk of my car and get the twin of what was used and holster it CCW and go home. The ammo will likely be Cor-Bon DPX in 9MM or Winchester Ranger T 127GR +P+. I will always carry what I believe works to shoot the BG to the ground in the fastest manner. Yes I may spend a night in the jail before getting out, but that is the least of my worries. And yes, I have an attorney on retainer.

 

[Marquezj16]

How do you prove that those rounds used were loaded to one spec or another? What you do and what can be called into question because you can or cannot prove it are two separate things.

Elementary my dear.

I load in batches of about 200-300 rounds. A sample can be taken from the rest of the reloads and tested at a balistics lab and compared to the standard manufacturer load.

A few bullet can be pulled to see the amount of gun powder. A few can be shot into a gel block. Compare.

It would cost money but hey it would be my defense.

 

[Marquezj16]

This is my EDC ammo, I always carry the same type day or night.

What ammo brand is that?