Hey Guys,

My shelves are basically empty of .45 caliber shells...and I'm going shopping....

I want to see if you can provide some information on brand selection (caliber really doesn't matter):

1. What brand do you shoot at the range?
2. What brand do you shoot for accuracy?
3. What brand do you shoot for defense?
4. I'm shooting a H&K USP Compact.45 - What grain bullet do you suggest?

Barrel Length: 91 mm (3.58 in.)
Sight Radius: 136 mm (5.35 in.)

Thanks in advance for your good suggestions!

If I had an H&K USP Compact these would be my choices:

1.  S&B 230 gr. FMJ.  $8.10/50 at Natchez
2.  Federal 185 Gr. Gold Medal
3.  Winchester 230 gr. Ranger T or Speer Golddot in 230 gr. or 200 gr. +P

You can see that I personally prefer the heavier bullets, however that's a personal preference.

I carry and shoot a Colt Gold Cup National Match in .45ACP.  Ammo I use:

1. (Range) Either standard military ball (230 gr. FMJ) from a reputable manufacturer, or my own reloads that duplicate ball ammo.

2. (Accuracy) Federal Gold Medal Match or Remington Target

3. (Defense/Carry) Federal Premium Hydrashock (230 gr) - NOT the Personal Defense load (165 gr.)

Just my $0.02.   Good shooting!

I had--repeat HAD some of those 185 grain .45 HydraShoks until I tried to shoot a gallon jug of water from twenty feet away and missed not once, not twice, but five times.  My last three rounds were 230 grain Remington UMC FMJ and I hit the thing three times with it (it exploded the first time but it was hanging from a wire so I shot the carcus twice).

I now carry Hornidy XTP self defense load.

For everything else, I really like the Winchester WinClean but I usually buy whatever the gunstore has on special (This month its PCM 230 grain, in September it was UMC 230 grain FMJ) for $10.50 a box.  The only round I've had problems with is the Wolf, and I can hit with pretty much anything I've tried at twenty yards except those HydraShoks.

I usually use UMC 230 gr and WinClean 230 gr because they have it at Wal-Mart.
The PMC shoots good but has a lot more smoke and gets your gun dirty.

I have a Kimber Pro CDP and have never had any malfunctions with any ammo that I have shot.
For personal protection I use CorBon's but have some HydraShoks also.
They are both good rounds as are some of the other brands like Winchester and Remington.

Hope you get to do some good shooting and let us know how it comes out.

BigDozer66    

1.  At the range I shoot whatever is cheapest - last time around it was Speer Lawman 230gr. FMJ
2. For accuracy, Federal Gold Medal
3. For defense, Federal 230gr Hydrashocks. They are nearly as accurate for me as the Gold Medals.

Federal 230 hydroshock is what I've shot before, and is my choice for defense load.  It seems others have/are doing the same.  

Any opinions on 185/200/230 grain?

In the first message of the thread I listed the handgun.

Thanks.