I would like to know if someone experienced can offer me advice as to which type of 9mm ammunition I should focus on for personal protection. I carry a Kahr CW9 and am currently stuck between 2 brands of 9mm. The first is Hornady's TAP with 124gr bullet. The other is Corbon's 90gr. +P JHP bullet.  I would like a bullet that would be ideal for personal protection. I am trying to stick with a smaller gr. bullet as to keep the pressures lower and reduce the kick of the gun. Corbon is known to produce a high velocity bullet but I am hoping that the smaller gr. will lessen the kick. Am I wrong on this? Can someone suggest if I should be going with a higher or lower grain bullet and with less or more P.  If the situation calls for it, I would like to fire my weapon rapidly without losing accuracy because of a strong kick. Thanks!

Win Ranger 127+p+/147gr (i use 147gr) JHPs
Speer 124gr JHP (2nd choice for me)

corbons are usually disputed--some say that they use older technology HPs that dont reliably expand or suffer from frequent jacket/core seperations
also, the high speed/low gr. bullets tend to lack the "sufficient" penetration of 12'' in gel....

as to the rule of light gr./high vel. vs. high/reg. gr. vs moderate velocity, well i tried some 135gr corbon 10mm, and they kicked a lot more than the Win 175gr silvertips....

for 9mm: i would stick to either the 124-147 gr JHPs for sufficient penetration; the latest, tested gen of bullets for consistant and reliable expansion

as to recoil, PRACTICE--constant use of a cartirge and w/ time, you will become accustomed to it; also, stick w/ the non +p/+p+ for less kick and muzzle flash if they really bother you

i use speer gold dots but in .40 180gr.

gold dots in 147

Quoted: gold dots in 147

For 9mm I have to give a +1 here.

Quoted: Quoted: gold dots in 147 For 9mm I have to give a +1 here.

+2
I'm using TAP in my 45acp

The 90gr CornBones are going to kick as much or more than anything else.  They kicked more than any of the other ammo I fired this summer.  I had a few left over from a few years back when I carried them in my KelTec.  Lighter bullets can recoil more due to more powder behind the bullet.  

The Gold dots have a solid rep here, as well as the ranger "t" and the Federal HST's.  Right now I am carrying (and expect to be flamed a little) Federal EFMJ's.  It is cold here and HP's can clog and not function in heavy winter clothes.    I actually like Winchester 115gr silvertips though.  I know there are better rounds available, but they hit point of aim with my Beretta and feel/sound like they are pretty hot.  

Get what functions best in your gun though.  The best high speed lazer death ray of a bullet ain't worth jack if it don't feed.  IF you feel the gun kicks too much, practice more.  Keep shooting to the point it just starts to get uncomfortable and then give it a rest.  Recoil is subjective and really should not be a big deal for a 9mm, and isn't a major consideration to me.  

Generally speaking avoid the 147's (generally poor performers-but better than solid points) and 115's (in relation to your Kahr barrel length).

CCI/Speer makes state of the art stuff, to include a +P designed for barrels less than 4 inches-though there are others here that are very effective.  I also would not be concerned in recoil in a defensive firearms since you would never even "percieve" recoil if you actually had to use it and in 9mm +P, +P+ it still should only affect followups shots marginally.

What is critical is you only have a limited amount of rounds, so it is important that your rounds are effective and work rapidly before you find you needed your magazine to put one attacker down, leaving little for "missing" or a an additional person (though this is of course less likely in a real world non-LEO/Exec Protect.

In 9mm I carry Win. Ranger SXT 127gr +p+
.40 Win. Ranger SXT 165gr

For cheap, readily available and accurate, the Winchester white box "personal protection" 115 gr. JHP always interests me.   The quality of brass is top notch.

HST 147 is my #1 pick, 124 beind 2nd

Ranger T 147 or 127 +p+

Gold dots 147

if your on a budget or dont want to have to mail order speciality ammo, the winchester white box 147 at Wally is actually pretty good.

I've tested all of the above into wet phone books and they all work pretty good.

Avoid anything really wierd like 90gr stuff, or Hydra-shoks (bad habit of not expanding and over penetrating).

In my personal Kark PM9, what I carry is Speer's Gold Dot Short Barrel 124gr +P.  

It has a bonded core and is specifically engineered to give good penetration and expansion (with max weight retention) out of short barrel pistols (3.5" and less).  I don't believe any other manfacturer makes a round optimized for performance from short barrels.  

My Kahr PM9 weighs only 14oz and is completely manageable with this load.

Using bullets designed to be fired from 4" or longer  barrels often results in limitd expansion as they are deisgned to resist over expoansion in order to hold together under higher velocities that those barrels produce.

Quoted: Generally speaking avoid the 147's (generally poor performers-but better than solid points)

Care to back this claim with facts?

Back in the 1980's the above statement was true,but now in the 21st century things have changed a bit.  The best performing 9mm round is a 147 gr.  It is the Winchester Ranger RA9T.  It is maked and sold "law enforcement only" but is legal for anyone.  There are sites on the internet to get it.  It is a standard pressure load, so recoil is no problem.  It performs well out of short barrels.  Minimal muzzle flash.  Passes all the FBI tests for penetration/expansion on bare gel, through barriers, and through 4 layer denim.  Many police departments use it and it has a great track record of putting down bad guys.

The 9mm Ranger T  in 127+p+ works just as well, but more recoil and flash.

2nd place goes to Speer 124 Gr +p.

Quoted: Back in the 1980's the above statement was true,but now in the 21st century things have changed a bit.  The best performing 9mm round is a 147 gr.  It is the Winchester Ranger RA9T.  It is maked and sold "law enforcement only" but is legal for anyone.  There are sites on the internet to get it.  It is a standard pressure load, so recoil is no problem.  It performs well out of short barrels.  Minimal muzzle flash.  Passes all the FBI tests for penetration/expansion on bare gel, through barriers, and through 4 layer denim.  Many police departments use it and it has a great track record of putting down bad guys. The 9mm Ranger T  in 127+p+ works just as well, but more recoil and flash. 2nd place goes to Speer 124 Gr +p.

The Ranger T is a good round and I used to carry the 127 +p+. Over time, I saw too many rounds where the jacket seperated from the core. Jacket seperation is very bad for penetration and wound channel damage.

I have switched to the Speer 124 +p Gold Dot, which does not have the seperation issue, and seems to be more consistant and uniform in expansion.

I use cor-bon 125 gr. +p JHP

Win Ranger 127gr +P+ JHP
Speer 124gr +P GDHP

MOST IMPORTANT is practice and dry fire a lot!!!
I use Winchester White Box (WWB) 115gr Value Pack for low cost practice (about $11/100)..

What about this stuff?





I just ordered a couple of boxes to try it out.

Shok

Quoted: What about this stuff? www.ammoman.com/images/NEW_45+P.jpg I just ordered a couple of boxes to try it out. Shok

From what I've read it doesn't reliably expand.

Federal HST in any caliber offered.

Here's my reason why:




op row from left to right: Federal HST Corbon Gold Dot Ranger SXT

Bottom row from left to right: Federal Hydra-Shok Golden Saber Federal EFMJ

All are .40 S&W fired into calibrated ballistic gelatin.
Weapon used: Ummmm.... Glock... what else?

(As long as folks keep asking, I'll keep posting.)

Right now I carry .40 cal Speer GDHP 165 gr in my duty weapon and my concealed weapon. In my wife's 9mm I have 124 gr Starfire.

I know a lot of guys don't like starfire, but I know of 3 shootings with the .40 180gr, 2 were one shot stops.  Saw the bullet on one of them, hit the guy in his chest through a coat/shirt and did not exit his back.  The expansion was pretty wicked looking...... Other was a neck shot DRT, the other a leg shot, tore a pretty go hole........

Someone (Aphalghost?) I think said something about pratice.  We all have our favorites, but getting the bullet into the target is the crucial first step that has to occour before all the bullet expansion, wound path, and penetration take place.  I don't care what you miss me with, just don't shoot me!!

cool stuff here:
http://www.stevespages.com/page8f9mmluger.html

Quoted: I would like to know if someone experienced can offer me advice as to which type of 9mm ammunition I should focus on for personal protection. I carry a Kahr CW9 and am currently stuck between 2 brands of 9mm. The first is Hornady's TAP with 124gr bullet. The other is Corbon's 90gr. +P JHP bullet.  I would like a bullet that would be ideal for personal protection. I am trying to stick with a smaller gr. bullet as to keep the pressures lower and reduce the kick of the gun. Corbon is known to produce a high velocity bullet but I am hoping that the smaller gr. will lessen the kick. Am I wrong on this? Can someone suggest if I should be going with a higher or lower grain bullet and with less or more P.  If the situation calls for it, I would like to fire my weapon rapidly without losing accuracy because of a strong kick. Thanks!

first thing with a short barelled handgun is to keep the velocity up so the bullet in question will expand. I believe your choice of the CB 90gr. is a great choice, except it will be a shallow penetrating round.
as a good alternate choice you may wish to consider 115gr. Winchester Silvertips