Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns What ammo do you carry in your 9mm?

I started off with Fiocchi 9mm 124 grainers as a model. They use Hornady XTP's. These shot well in all my 9mms. I chronographed them, and then duplicated the load using Hodgon Universal powder. I also ran off 500 rounds of the same load topped with Lee 358-125-RF's to use as practice ammo. When I'm around the farm, I carry the cast lead. You just never know when a stump (or coyote) is going to need killing. When I'm out and about in the truck, I switch to the XTP's.

I have a similar thing going with my Ruger LCR. Again, I started with a Fiocchi load in 357 Magnum. However, the full-house 357 Mag was rather unpleasant. I knocked it down a little and used Universal for a powder. I ended up with a load that is considerably stiffer than a 38 Special, but not punishing to shoot. I knocked it down for KYHillChick's load a bit more. She carries a SP-101. Again-- XTP's for normal carry, and Lee 358-125-RF's for practice.

If velocity increase in revolver do it increase damage, then why is the 357 mag more effective than the 38 Special?

There's nothing trick or gimmick about Lehighs or Underwoods. Some smart people spent a lot of time and money on research to prove their idea. And, there are 100 youtube videos to prove it, too.

I know. You don't watch youtube. It's fake. Right?

Someone asked me once about my Faith, and I responded that I didn't need a God that was Omnipotent and Omnipresent. I could put up with a mediocre God. He could be right most of the time, and powerful under most circumstances and as long as He didn't mean me harm, I'd follow his commandments. That's kind of how I feel about CC guns and their effects on human beings.

Do I need the best penetrating, deadliest round? One shot kills? Dead right there? No. If I get motivated to shoot someone, it is because they are doing or about to do something really, really bad. All I want them to do is stop doing it. Death? It's an unfortunate side-effect, but it's sometimes for the best. When I shoot someone, all I care about making them worry about someone else besides me and mine. If he falls over dead? Fine. If he grabs himself and runs off? Fine--maybe even better. If he just falls down on the ground? That's cool. If I want ground meat, I'll stop by Krogers on the way home. That's not why I pulled the pistol in the first place.

That's not to say I'm a big fan of mouse guns. I stick with proper known effective chamberings-- 357 Mag, 9mm, 45 ACP. I use expanding bullets. I aim for the center of mass. Whatever happens, that first round is probably going to be the number one thing on the mind of receiver for the rest of the day-- possibly the rest of his life. If not, he gets another one and the process repeats until he is fully convinced of my sincerity.

I really didn't think hard about this for a long time. I didn't feel the need to carry concealed. I did have one need, and that was that when I drove down to deer camp on Friday nights, I really never knew who or what was inside camp until I'd gotten in and put on the lights. Just to be sure, I started carrying a P1-P38 with military ball ammo. Did I think this was the best self-defense gun? No, It was just what I had at the time, but I figured it would get me by. Perfect or not, I've been opening that door for 19 years and the Good Lord has protected me so far.