Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Personal defence load in 1911

I want to know what bullet you woul;d recomend. I am not looking to pierce bodyarmor, so HP is the way to go. So the the question is flying ashtray or completely covered steel jacketed?<P>Thanks<BR>

The best results seem to come from certain HP loads. The Federal Hydra-Shok, the Remington Golden Saber, the Cor-Bon ammunition, and the Speer Gold Dot ammo. The stuff to stay away from would be the target ammo, and the cheap reloaded stuff. Even the standard round nose, 230 gr. stuff will work. I, personally, don't like the FMJ ammo because it tends to ricochet badly. It's fine for practice. Whatever you choose, be sure to test it in your gun throughly. E

I carry 200 grn Gold Dot's Plus-P's. They seem a good middle ground between size and speed, then again , I carry a compact 45, not a full size or long slide.<P> The 230 grn Hydra shock is a good load. Like Erimicus say's make sure your 1911 will cycle HP's reliably.......10

I love the Winchester Ranger Ammo (aka son of tallon) Good weight retention as well as excellent expansion. It also retains the sharp cutting edges like the Black Tallon. All in all a very devistating round.

Caz,<BR>Gold dots,and Golden sabers are getting lots of attention these days.<BR>The Golden Sabers are a bonded core expanding bullet that penetrate like crazy after expansion.<BR>Steer clear of the Aguila and triton stuff as they are known to underpenetrate.<BR>Check out <A HREF="http://www.firearmstactical" TARGET=_blank>www.firearmstactical</A> for one side of the story and <A HREF="http://www.evanmarshall.com" TARGET=_blank>www.evanmarshall.com</A> for the other side.Mr Evan Marshall is a no BS guy and bases his recommendations on actual results and lean his way rather than the lab stuff.But you may find the science more supportive than the morgue.It's all personal preference in this matter.<BR>Use good ammo that your pistol will feed reliably first,then worry about the terminal side of things.Placement is 90% of the effectiveness of any given bullet,and that part is up to the shooter.<BR>Good luck!<BR>E4E

Federal Personal Defence gets my vote, cycle well and besides, what a name...

When I carried a .45 or just kept it around for whatever I chose the Federal Personal Defense Load. I did have one bad round round out of all the boxes I fired. I mention this only to prove that it can happen to the best ammo and companies. We were lucky a friend shot the round in his new Rock River that he had just built. The bullet just barely made it into the rifling. The next round luckily did not fully chamber. He thought at first that he had a stoppage cleared it and the next round didn't chamber so then we saw the problem. <P>Sorry for the rambling. I would again choose the Personal Defense load though. Sean<P>------------------<BR>People like you are the reason people like me need medication.

I personally like the Federal Hydra-Shoks in all my handguns,in all calibers. For the reliability factor. They always work in my guns! Not to say the others won't I just like them.<P>------------------<BR><B>T LEE</B><BR>Remember: There is no such thing as OVERKILL. Just a generous margin of SAFETY! <P><B>APATHY.....Freedoms greatest enemy!</B>

I can't say first hand, as I have been priveledged to have never shot anyone, but just in case, I am always looking for a good load.<BR> I have shot many brands and styles, and will undoubtedly try more. But, I am now usinf, first up, the Glaser Safety slug, blue 45+P. I guy told me about a rancher up in Randolph who used a couple on big angus steers. He had hand ready with a rifle to finish the animal so it wouldn't suffer, and shot them behind the shoulder ( a head shot would have proved nothing). He said they fell like the Hand of God hit them, and during butchering, the lungs ( which are sizeable in a big steer) were just shredded, massive damamge from all those shot pellets. Now, it is lightweight, so no good for long shots, but if its past 60 feet, you are going to have a tough time in court expaling your shoot. I also like them for the added insurance against over penetration. I have my Security guards use them where I work in 40 S&W just for this pupose.<BR> I also like any +P 230 grainers whether CorBon, Hornady, whatever for all around carry (say at night time, out in the city)or shoting a nuisance animal, etc.<BR> I like hardball for practice, and would not hesitate to use it in defense, if its what I had in the pistol at the time. I really think too much emphasis is put on "overpenetration", as most shots fired under duress miss their intended target anyhow, according to most stats. I think the "Matt Dillon" approach is better. He was sort of slow, but he was always accurate! Ha.<BR> I just hope and pray I never have to find out what works and what doesn't. I have no illusions about a handgun 'stopping" any determined attack with one shot. Jim

If what you're looking for is a personal defense load that you will carry in your legally concealed handgun on a regular basis then there is only one primary answer. Find out what your local law enforcement folks carry on duty or backup and carry the same. Reason is, that, God forbid, you ever have to use them against another human, and the circumstances go to a grand jury, then you have an answer as to why you carried those "man killers" in your firearm. Forget the cost, 100 rounds will tell if they feed reliably and that won't break you. As an NRA instructor and a state certified CCW instructor that is the advice I always give during classes; that is the advice the instructor of the legal portion gives, too. He is a local lawman. In the Anchorage area that meant,last time I checked, Federal Hydra-Shok or Remington Golden Sabers for 9mm or .40 but that is always subject to change. Even if those aren't your calibers, the reasoning is the same for any other caliber. However, if you mean against four legged critters then all bets are off and you carry for what might be encountered. Up here that might be bears, even in town. Few years back a jogger nearly lost a leg to a grizzly on the bike path which was between town and the highway. I carry a Glock 29 which covers both fairly well with an ammo change. I carry HPs and solids in my vehicle in marked magazines but carry the HPs in the gun, if in town. Good questions and asked before you need an immediate answer; keep thinking and planning.<BR>batch

Yes indeed. Love those Federal 230 HydraShok +P's!<P>Jonesey