weapons Cartridge preference for your concealed carry pistol?

[Marshall Veteran]

As the title states, what is your preferred cartridge for your self-defense concealed carry pistol? There are a lot of controversies among different manufactures of ammunition and more importantly their reliability or lack thereof.

My concealed carry weapon of choice is the Kahr PM9. I chose this particular pistol based on its reliability, it's compact package even for a 9mm round and it's accuracy. Also the comfortability factor has a huge significance, a 9mm subcompact that weighs just over a pound (loaded) makes for a great choice in an every day concealed carry weapon.

Now to get into cartridge choice. Many will say a bullet is a bullet, but with the advanced technologies of today's rounds this point fails epically. Many factors are involved, such as muzzle velocity, penetration that extends beyond the chosen target and expansion (attributed to the hollow point bullet.)

After many of hours of research and reading reviews and articles, I have decided to go with the Hornady polymer tipped 115 grain JHP FTX bullet. The polymer tip allows it to go through thick clothing and still allowing maximum expansion after doing so. And they also look quite cool sitting in the mag. :D

Anyways, what's your cartridge of choice in your pistol?

[Stokkolm]

Right now, 45 ACP, but I'm thinking very seriously about picking up an FNH Five Seven. If I do, that will become my everyday carry weapon, so obivously, 5.7x28mm will be my preferred cartridge.

[Marshall Veteran]

Right now, 45 ACP, but I'm thinking very seriously about picking up an FNH Five Seven. If I do, that will become my everyday carry weapon, so obivously, 5.7x28mm will be my preferred cartridge.

I'm specifically referring to what brands you choose and hold as trustworthy, e.g. Remington, Hornady, Cor-bon, PMC, Federal, etc. Cheap Japanese ammo can get you in a bind.

[Stokkolm]

Well, I plink with American Eagle or Blazer. When I'm actually carrying I do like Hornaday or Federal. I have heard a lot of good things about the polymer tipped hollow points.

[DocM]

My main CC's are .40 S&W; SIG P250sc and P239. Loads are Federal HST, either 135 (the $23/50 Walmart DHS surplus round which was designed for <4" barrels) or 180 grain. Target is Federal Champion 180 FMJ ($25/100 at Walmart.)?

My secondary or backup pieces are Ruger LCP (.380 Federal Hydra-Shok 90 grain) and LC9 (9mm Federal HST 147 grain.)

Which depends on my outfit.

Why HST? Brutal expansion.

[xendrome]

[DocM]

Picture says it all....

[IceBreakerG]

Picture says it all....

<snip>

Sucks for whoever gets hit with that lol. I use Federal Hydra-shoks in my HK USP .45 Compact. Thinking about switching up to something that expands better though. I've been hearing that Hydra-Shoks aren't that great anymore.

[DocM]

Hydra-Shok's are good, but HST is Federal's 'next-gen' tech from them. I still use H-S's in .380 because there is no HST in that caliber; 9mm and up. Federal makes a 'regular' and a +P .45 HST in 230 grains.

BTW: did you know that Federal is made by ATK - the outfit that made the space shuttle solid boosters? They'll also be making solid boosters for the new Space Launch System (SLS.)

http://le.atk.com/general/federalproducts/pistol/tacticalhst.aspx

[DocM]

Re: H-S v. HST expansion - these are .40's. The bullet with the peg is a Hydra-Shok and the other HST.

[Gerowen]

180 grain jacketed hollowpoints. Winchester "Ranger", .40 caliber. Smith & Wesson Sigma SW40GVE with a self-modified trigger.

I bought these because they looked like well made rounds, the brass wasn't tarnished and beat up and they look consistent, which tells me that the production process is well maintained. I haven't tested them on ballistics gel or anything myself, but I've heard generally good things about them from those that have tested them out on various targets.

I use the pistol because it was the first pistol I ever bought and I just got attached to it, and got used to the trigger pull. I've fired hundreds of rounds out of it consecutively and never had it offer to jam or malfunction. I've now modified the trigger pull so it is down to about half the tension of a stock Sigma series pistol. It's like my first-born kid, I just can't get rid of it, :-)

20 rounds are missing because I keep 10 in each of my magazines. One mag in the pistol, and one additional magazine in my "Get Home Bag".

[DocM]

SIG Sauer P250 2-Sum in .40 S&W

The kit comes with full and subcompact handle and slide modules and a fire control module that can be swapped between them in <2 minutes with no tools. The fire control module is the only part with a serial number, so only a single registration.

The kit can also be had with different calibers in each config, so you can have .40, .357 SIG, or 9mm for concealed carry and .45 for the full size. Going between .40 and .357 SIG in the same size ?only takes a <1 min. barrel change as the mags and basic slides are the same. Smoothest double action trigger I've used in an auto.