Gun Directory

I've got several "favorites" that I have and am certain that under any circumstances any one of them is going to "work". I'm a firm believer in old school ideas. When fired from say a 3 or 4 inch barrel, a standard load FMJ should provide deeper penetration, regardless of weight (than a JHP will). A JHP should penetrate less, and expand in the target better than the FMJ will. That's as basic a comparison as can be made regarding these two rounds. I'm not figuring in different manufacturers, handloads or hotloads (+P, +P+, etc). One thing I see everyday and I'm included is that there are so many new offerings released almost quarterly that I simply can't keep up with them. I can't afford to test every new product placed on the market either. I gave up trying a long time ago too. As Will stated, buy quality ammuntion and trust them. There is no "MAGIC" bullet, quit looking for it!

I like Hornady XTP +P and Corbon Pow'r Ball +P for my carry loads. Both have ballistic tip with most expansion for max energy transfer (aka 'stopping power'), which is nerve damage and pain inflicted.

They are tried & true. Lighter weight bullets usually deliver better terminal performance.
for practice, it is only important to use the same weight bullet, not the same TYPE bullet, that you will be carrying.

In real life, the max self defense range is 20 ft. Even 20 ft will be difficult to sell to a jury.
The national average self-defense range is 1 to 6 ft. About the same as a 'good' LEO shoot with a sidearm.

As an LEO, I always had to qualify out to 60 feet, though... not a bad idea to compensate for the 'stress' of a real shoot.

I continue to use the 124 grain HP Golden Sabre from Remington. It is as perfect a load as I have found for defensive purposes. There are of course several very high quality, defensive 9mm loads currently available. Some individual research and attention to that detail will provide most individuals with a more than adequate round for their needs.