What is Best 9mm Ammo for Self Defense?
With hundreds claiming the best 9mm self-defense ammo, how do you know which one is right for you? Most first-time gun buyers will overlook the kind of ammunition that they are using, with many picking round nose full metal jacket rounds. These are sometimes not the best choice for self-defense.
Surviving a firefight can come down to the type and caliber of ammunition that you carry. Previously there was quite a hot and heavy debate over .45 vs .40 vs 9mm. However, with the advances in ballistics and bullet construction, the 9mm has pulled away from the pack 9mm ammunition offers a good balance of stopping power with lower recoil, and the added benefit of a larger magazine capacity.
Hollow points are nearly always the correct choice for self-defense ammunition widely used by law enforcement throughout the United States and private citizens in their own homes, 9mmis the best ammunition whether it’s for LAPD SWAT or your mother-in-law.
Top Five Choices for the Best 9mm Personal Defense Ammunition
Federal Hydroshock 9mm
Federal Hydroshock 9mm has been around for years serving everyone from law enforcement to everyday Americans with a cost-effective round that has the stopping power needed to neutralize the threat. Hydra-Shok has a center-post hollow-point design that optimizes the penetration after the hollow-point expands. The Hydrashock round is 124 grains with an 1,100 feet-per-second muzzle velocity and approximately 20 inches of penetration with a half inch expansion. One of the best concealed carry 9mm ammo choices out there.
Its $1.25/round, $25/box and worth every penny.
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Hornady Critical Defense
Hornady designed this round to mimic the ballistics and quality of hand-loaded match-grade ammunition, of which it does a fantastic job. The round I s 124 grains with an 1,100 foot-per-second muzzle velocity. The round will penetrate just under 20 inches with .44 inches of expansion. This round offers similar performance to that of the Federal Hydra-Shok but at a lower price point. Considered one of the best 9mm defense ammo choices.
Its $.72/round, $18/box available at most ranges and big box stores.
See also: Glock 17 Gen 4 — Hit or Miss?
Remington Golden Saber
This 124 grain 9mm round has been a staple of Remington’s ammunition production for many years and was recently reintroduced with the Black Belt series The expansion and penetration are both reliable through a variety of materials with minimal deviation between individual rounds, with Golden Saber 9mm you always know what you’re going to get. The muzzle velocity is 1,125 feet-per-second with just over 17 inches of penetration and an expansion of .38 inches. Although some of these stats are lower than other rounds on this list, it is worth remembering that the FBI recommends 12-18 inches of penetration for a self-defense round, this prevents over-penetration in an active shooting environment.
$1.05/round, $21/box available at most all big box stores.
More Good Quality Ammunition: Winchester PDX1
This round is a heavy hitter! It’s a 147 grain 9mm self-defense round with high expansion numbers we will be reviewing today. The muzzle velocity is 950 feet-per-second and an average penetration depth of 20 inches with an expansion of .52 inches.
$.85/round, $17/box.
Top Self Defense Ammo: Speer Gold Dot
The Gold Dot is another 147-grain load it has a hollow point design with a penetration depth of 17 inches, a muzzle velocity of 985 feet-per-second. The average expansion of .424 inches is great when considering Gold Dot’s cost.
$.46/round, $23/box of 50
Are these your choices for the best 9mm self-defense ammo? Let us know in the comments below:
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Why haven’t I, as a member, been told about this discount. I’ve been a member of U.S. LawShield for years.
I’m a retired police officer. Have been using the top five for years both on and off duty. Never a problem.