[SimonTemplar]

HST is very good ammo but what gun, barrel length? A .45 will sometimes not expand due to the slower velocities. Shorter barrel .45's more so. I cary FMJ S&B in my Kimber 3" barrel and my XD MOD.2 3.3" .45 for that reason.

A lot of wisdom from a wise poster.

I never expect any bullet to expand. If it does, I'll take it. But I don't expect expansion. There are too many variables that can screw up a bullet's ability to expand.

 

[KW Gary M]

While I normally carry LE ammo, I'd be good with ball ammo in a .45 ACP and possibly a .40 S&W.

I like ball ammo in bigger calibers and smaller barrels. As I mentioned before, a 9mm JHP will most likely expand but a .45 ACP will never shrink. My favorite ball ammo is Sellier and Bellot. It is very reliable ammo for carry and cheap enough to use for range practice. Allows me to shoot a couple hundred rounds of the ammo I carry without breaking the bank. I reload most of my range/plinking ammo but when I buy it I like S&B.

 

[spokaneguy]

A lot of wisdom from a wise poster.

I never expect any bullet to expand. If it does, I'll take it. But I don't expect expansion. There are too many variables that can screw up a bullet's ability to expand.

I use Federal HST in my 9mm and 380's only because I was told that is the brand my local LE uses. If I'm ever involved in a shooting, that looks good from a legal standpoint.

With that being said, I will be switching to non-expanding solid copper cavitator type ammo once it start becoming more common in LE and not seen as experimental. Human's have bones, so I would prefer to have the consistency of non-expanding ammo that still creates a decent wound Chanel. I think if I ever used one of my 45's for self defense, I would just go with flat tip FMJ ammo. I don't buy into a lot of this expanding ammo stuff because I've killed a lot of animals. Penetration and shot placement are all that matter in regards to putting something down instantly. I'll take a smaller wound channel that makes its way to a bad guy's spine over a big wound channel that stops short of it.

 

[Motormouth]

I've been using gold dot for a lot of years as I think it quite manageable. But penetration without expansion in 165g 40 Smith gives me some pause to rethink
Might consider 185g or something else entirely. Don't downplay the manageability of lower velocity rounds. Still have to hit what you're aiming at (especially as we {I} age).

 

[SeverinR]

Good chart.
I like HST rounds. But my .45 didn't do well with them. Maybe I'll try XTP.

 

[ak47lover]

That chart is very helpful.

 

[Steyr Man 146]

Gel test "FBI COMPLIANCE" eh um here is what ya do have the best (wink-wink) bro-in-law swing by to er um ah well um take this can down range and see if you can hold it overhead while rocking it left to right my ah um er ah Target Actuator seems to be on the fritz yeah yeah that`s it see. Test the ammo when he starts rocking only true to the hydrostatic, bone, flesh test HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH....NO!! I would not do it Think about it yeah ok Guilty. I also know not worth it him for the Prison sentence Not worth it, Sides I is to pretty for prison

 

[tinytank]

Thanks for this, glad i is a sticky... I am a new member here and already finding this platform very informative..... the Federal HST easily looks like a top pick.

 

[deputy]

a nice read........

i was jumping from caliber to caliber looking for consistency.....and that was the problem.....consistency in a specific make/design varied somewhat from caliber to caliber.....sometimes a little and sometimes a heck of a lot.

brand x might work great in one caliber but the same bullet design might fail in a different caliber......

......as an example remington HTP 9mm seemed to be almost perfect..........on the other hand, the remington HTP in 40 cal was a total failure.

winchester ranger did great in the 38.....but was erratic in the 9mm....

Federal hydro shok seems right at home in the 10mm.....but not consistent 󠁮󠁧󠁿in the 45.

tweek the bullet weight with a specific bullet design and it could be a change for the better....or worse.......same goes with velocity....

one can not really say golden sabre is the best in every caliber......or xtp is the worse in every caliber......just too many variables.

there is no one single magic bullet design for every caliber despite the company's propaganda touting the latest and greatest super techno design that is superior to all others.....it simply is not across the entire board of calibers.........though i supose winchester pdx/ranger does come close...

 

[AlexRod]

Excellent! Great info! Thanks