Best Personal Defense Load?

[MrRisto]

What do you guys think is the best load for personal defense? I know there are tons of options if you can tell me caliber and brand I would greatly appreciate it.

[GregAllen]

The best load for self-defense is, the load you have with you when you need it most.
Basically, science has taught me that with handgun defensive loads, the best results are usually obtained using lighter bullets with hotter loads. For example, the so called "King of the Street" back in the 1970s was the .357 loaded with a 125 gr JHP. 125 gr is certainly at the lighter end of the scale for .357 bullets. Later we saw pretty good results using 9mm with 124 gr bullets. The success of those loads helped to propel the development of the .357 Sig load with the idea that lighter and faster obtained better results than heavy and slow. Personally, I use custom loads. For .40 S&W I use Nosler 135 gr JHPs with a powder charge sufficient to give a muzzle velocity of 1300 fps. For 10mm I use a Nosler 150 gr JHP at 1350 fps. For .45 ACP, I use Speer Gold Dot 185 gr bullets at 1050 fps and 200 gr bullets at 1000 fps. Those are just a few examples that can help you understand what I am talking about. So, to recap, basically look for hotter loads with lighter bullets.

[MrRisto]

Thanks for the response.

[vn6869]

Originally Posted by GregAllen

The best load for self-defense is, the load you have with you when you need it most. Basically, science has taught me that with handgun defensive loads, the best results are usually obtained using lighter bullets with hotter loads. . . . So, to recap, basically look for hotter loads with lighter bullets.

The first line is the best answer, the rest is open for dispute, (sure to follow).
But back on subject, what you have - that you know works in your gun.
Don't suggest handloads, JMHO, supposedly very open to legal consequences.

I personnally prefer the Corbon DPX loads. But I also have my Home Defense Gun loaded with Glasers. YMMV

[tattedupboy]

Whatever you decide to go with, make sure that it's either a hollowpoint or expanding full metal jacket round. A non-expanding full metal jacket round will not expand upon contact with the target, thus passing right through and possibly hitting an innocent bystander and opening yourself up to a lawsuit.

[HK4U]

I would add also that the best load is the one that functions first time every time.It does not matter how hot it is, how much it expands etc if it malfunctions when you need it it is useless.

[KimberPB]

Originally Posted by HK4U

I would add also that the best load is the one that functions first time every time.It does not matter how hot it is, how much it expands etc if it malfunctions when you need it it is useless.

+1 HK4U. This is probably the only thing that everyone would agree on when it comes to the "What is better? A slower heaver bullet. Or a faster lighter bullet." debate. If it's a modern name brand jacketed hollow point like Remington Golden Sabers, Speer Gold Dots, Federal Hydra shok's, ect and you do your part it'll do it's. I've carried both 185gr and 230gr Gold Dots, Hydra shok's, and Golden Sabers in my Kimber but before I'd carry one brand I shot a lot of them. This way I was confident that it would feed properly.

On a side note I've been watching The First 48 and Crime 360 a lot lately and you'd be suprise how many people are killed with a FMJ 380.

[Desertrat]

Lots of good answers to this one....but if you want a couple of reliable brands of ammo....my favs are Cor Bon, Winchester Talon, Speer Gold Dot, and Federal Hydra Schocks....I have tested them all on the proverbial water jug and wet phone book method.....believe me.....they ALL qualify.

[MrRisto]

Thanks for all the replies. I ended up getting the CorBon DPX 38 SPL + P 110 GR. DPX 1050 FPS/ 269 FTLBS
Will be going to the range later on today.

[Wolfling68]

Originally Posted by KimberPB

On a side note I've been watching The First 48 and Crime 360 a lot lately and you'd be suprise how many people are killed with a FMJ 380.

Just to add fuel to the fire, how many are killed isn't nearly as important as how fast they were stopped :-) It kinda sucks when your (well armed) target has 5 minutes to have his way with you AFTER you have fatally wounded him.

On a side note, in the early 1900s, the US Military facing a drugged up foe (sound like something you might face?), detemined a .45 was required to stop them. My undereducated lay opinion is use the biggest gun you can carry and use proficiently. The bigger the bullet, the bigger the wound channel, and the greater the stoppping power is my understanding.