My main carry is a Springfield XDS .45. I have kept it loaded with 185gr Barnes TAC-XPD. The other day I picked up a couple box's of ammo one of which was Remington Ultimate Defense 230gr BJHP. It says it's made for short barrel "compact Handguns". Has anyone done any testing on this ammo...just curious.

The Hornady Critical DUTY is 220gr FlexLock

I guess not...

Haven't tried that ammo, but my XDS really likes the 185 gr +P Remington Golden Sabre, and the Speer 200 gr Gold Dot ammo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qB0k1iqAvk

I found this test on youtube, thr Rem Ultimate Defense didn't do too good..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBkyvOZ7Awo

The Hornady Critical DUTY did good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZObknkfoq0

If your piece functions 100% with the 185 Barnes no need in taking a step backwards fooling with anything else.

You're probably right but I'm always looking to find something that might be a better choice.

Here's the Barnes test
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI4YsRO_f_Q

It is fun to experiment, but hard for me to steer clear of the 185 Barnes.

When I've carried a .45 ACP for self-defense, I almost always carried 230 grain ball ammo & never felt vulnerable.

Apparently I am a fossil and still use the Federal 230 gr Hydra-Shok in my 45's.

I carry a mag or two of 230 fmj flat points also, those along with the momentum of a +P loaded 230 gr bonded bullet cant be denied.

The old hydra-shoks are no slouch either ED, damn sure wouldnt wanna catch one.

True, they just don't do car door/windshields and Navy P-coats very well.

They'd be stellar on crackhead hide up in ferguson.

I never met a Sailor I thought I'd have to shoot...

I'd guarantee it.

True but the hoodrats up north once had an affinity for them. A Bluejean jacket can supposedly clog some smallish HP's an keep them from opening so they say. The new Barnes stuff looks like the load to beat. That or the 127gr Ranger.

The 230 gr. .45 ACP HydraShoks tests I've seen did very well on car doors and windshield glass. That's the big difference between it and anything out of a 9mm. E

.45 ACP hardball, the classic round nose ammo, has been over rated for years. That's why everybody that understands anything carries expanding ammo. Unlike the 9mm stuff, it's pretty tough to get .45 ACP HP ammo that doesn't do well.
However, the better 9mm HP ammo apparently works better than the old hardball .45 ACP. E

Wow. I feel so much better with my choice of the Federal load.

I've got a couple box's of Hornady ZOMBIE MAX, 185gr Z-Max. I keep a clip loaded with those... just in case.

Nor a car, either.

They don't factor much into my self-defense planning.

Tjm cars can pop up at very inopportune times but I have not seen a p-coat in Montana yet.

I guess I pick defensive ammo the same way I pick out hunting ammo. I dont want ammo that will be spectacular under one scenario and will not perform acceptably in other scenarios.

As someone else mentioned, about any current generation HP in a .45 will work but if pushed to picked one I would go with the 185 barnes as loaded by corbon or the Federal 230 HST.