Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Would you ever load hardball for defense?

^ ^ ^ pretty much it ^ ^ ^

As long as it's reliable in the pistol I'm using, I don't care if it's ball or hollow point, or SWC. I mostly shoot 200gr. SWCs and have faith in them to be reliable in the pistols I use. If not, I wouldn't have been using them for 40+ years without incident. I think the sharp shoulder of a SWC might, MIGHT, be a better stopper than ball, but I've got a whole bunch of them (a WHOLE bunch) loaded up from my old competition days, and they still shoot and feed reliably without a problem.

LEHIGH DEFENSE Xtreme Defense or the same projectile in Underwood offerings.

An interesting point GeorgiaBoy. Then I guess I would ask when is the threat actually stopped? I'm one of the few people on here who has actually had a home invasion. I didn't want to kill anyone either, but three guys were in my house and one of them had already pummeled me pretty good out in the family room with a floor lamp and an oak bar stool. One ran out, but two of them had their backs to me in my son's room when I went for a handgun in another room. Thank God I didn't need to shoot because they ran when they heard me rack the slide. Were they a threat running away? The police dog tracked them and DNA got one guy with a prior burglary and he served time. The judge told him that he was lucky that I didn't shoot. Hard to say what you would do if you haven't been in that situation. I have.

Were they a threat running away? NO. But had they squared up with you, especially so since they had just beat you with a lamp and a bar stool, if they had turned and squared up instead of run... bang, bang, bang until there is no more need.

Shoot to stop. Stop meaning doing whatever they were doing that put you in fear for your life or limb.

Decades upon decades in the military and I didn't run into a single soul who wished they had less lethal ammo when the chips were down.

Ok - I'll give it a go.

During a home invasion - anyone in your house is a threat - period.

Were they a threat running away. No, not to you.

That's the way I understand the law in the State of GA.




Now here is the law according to GeorgiaBoy.

When those individuals invaded your home they showed that they had malace and intent. They have to be stopped. If you were to have shot the two guys running away - you would definently want me seated on the jury.

Not only would I vote not to convict - I would argue that you did your civic duty. Your actions probably saved someones life. How? Because the best predictor of future behavior - is - past behavior.



It is easy to call the shots sitting in my recliner. Does anyone really know how they will behave in the moment? A controntation on the street is one thing - but a home invasion - I can't even imagine. That's a different kind of threat. The enemy in no longer at the gate - the eneny is in the house. You are at your most vanurable in that scenario.

I am thankful your son was not hurt and that you were not killed.

Have you considered paying a man to stay at your house when you are home?

My general rules for ammo:

1-Keep your gun loaded with something...
2-Use ratshot for varmints and stuff...
3-Watch Paul Harrel to see how ammo performs in your specific platform. Pick what Paul recommends, or what you can get under Democratic Presidencies.

Got a chuckle out of that, thanks!

Depends, apartment complex, maybe not.

Rural, possibly. 230 in a 45, why not it’s worked for decades. 40 and a flat point 👍, 9mm and a flat point 👍

4- stock up on your preferred carry round(s) and you will never have to worry about #3.

Ball is for economic practice.

I found the comment about the 2 bad guys running away when they heard the slide racked in a home defense gun interesting..... isnt a home defense gun supposed to be ready to shoot. That second or two to rack it can be deadly.

Why the hell would you need to rack the slide on your go to gun in your home?

Now do some of you understand why I suggested that he should pay a man to be in his home when he's there

My handguns are loaded w expanding ammo, but nothing elaborate,
Bullets are ball shaped.
Feeding has been 100% (Sig, HK and Colt).

Maybe he has kids, and for that reason has decided to keep the loaded mag outside the gun. I've heard of people doing this. Wouldn't be my choice, of course.

the first time that i ever fired centerfire firearms was courtesy of uncle sam in 1972. he gave me plenty of fmj ball ammo, gratis. it worked. i have never bought one round of anything else since, with the exception of 38sp wadcutters. anything else is a gimmick. this is my story and i’m sticking to it, ymmv, cheers.

They damn well wouldn't have heard me rack the slide.