So much for buying online. Shooting through the material and busting through the bone THEN see the how the bullet holds up after busting through clothing Bone and traveling through the epidermis and tissue. -Price per round: Roughly 2-1 ratio which means I can buy much more ammo to train with at the range In this article we'll take a look at the best .380 ACP ammo for self-defense. Similarly, I'd like to know the power factors of the ammo as this matters in competition (USPSA, etc.). Just curious as to how you feel about the fluted defensive ammunition like the Underwood Ammo and the Black Hills Honey Badger. Eric, was there any reason why you did not include Hornady Critical Defense? Just purchased a S&W M&P 2.0 9mm and Im looking for range ammo, any suggestions on what to use? I am curious to know which 45acp rounds you would recommend and why you didnt mention the 45 for sd? Ballistic Gel Test. Type your email address and well send What's your EDC gun? #2) Barnes 115gr TAC-XPD + P do you have federal critical duty pistol ammo 147 GRAIN +P ON SALE. Reload as in reloading the spent brass yourself and making more ammo from it. Its why I carry Liberty Civil Defense in my EDC. Would you ??? I may earn a small part of the sale from links to any products or services on this site. Hes a complete moron. Nine to 12 penetration is adequate for civilian self-defense, less likely to keep going and hurt a good guy after youve (hopefully) stopped the bad guy, and you are using all of the bullets very limited energy to injure and stop your attacker, rather than wasting much of it on the landscape beyond. you a link to reset your password. Between Federal and American eagle., I'm there standard ie cheapest rounds since they are the same company? A bit costly for range use. The gelatin exists to provide a COMPARISON medium between different rounds, as it is neither practical nor ethical to test competing cartridges on living targets. The key advantage to pistols chambered in .25 ACP is obviously their size. It's the next generation of Taurus G-series pistols. Hi, Eric.Thanks for the article and all the information that Pew Pew Tactical posts. https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self-defense-ammo-ballistic-tests/. A little polishing of the ramp and breech by a gun smith should solve the problem. Also, the prices are stated to be accurate at the time of writing. For me, my soft spot happens to be dogs and cats. Great penetration, the biggest expansion, and velocity for those who like shooting the slightly heavier 124 gr rounds. Manufacturers such as Underwood Ammo loading cartridges with Lehigh defense projectiles consistently outperform jacketed hollow points. Fiocchi JHP. Is that the case? The best advice I got on this forum was to do the "drop and twist test" on any ammo before loading it in the G2C -- remove the barrel, hold it vertically, drop a round into the chamber, and . I carry Cor-Bon 115-grain +P JHP (1350 f/s, 4 bbl, maybe 1300 from my shorter gun) in my Kahr; 9 of penetration, one-shot stops with a hit to the body cavity ~90% of the time (about as well as you can do with the 9mm, which is the least-powerful fully-adequate cartridge for serious self-defense, in my long-and deeply-considered opinion), and good accuracyexcept that around home where I have neighbors in all directions to not injure, the magazine in the gun is loaded with Glaser Silver. My 9's will always be loaded with 147 grain bullets. But first, it is important to choose the right pink handgun for you. Wow! I'm really curious why the author was so focused on velocity and penetration and completely ignored energy. Wow! And what works best in 9mm seems to be: April 13, 2022 Searching for the best . Worked for them, just saying. Eric, I just read Kat's article on frangible ammo. Specifications: Taurus G3X 9mm Pistol. Penetration in the sweet spot zone, great expansion, and good velocity for the bullet weight. No pistol round (save maybe hot 10mm and .454 Casull) has "knockdown power" or "hydrostatic shock" potential. You may want to review the testing, Hornady has very good 9mm, .45 ACP, and .380 offerings. This is top quality proven JHP ammo with reduced felt recoil. From what Ive seen with this particular speed loader, it works properly, reloads my journal within just twenty seconds, and it is sturdy enough to become tough with it without having stressing if its likely to break or not. But the .38 caliber that was popular at the turn of the 20 th century can still be a viable option for folks looking for operational simplicity and dependability with enough persuasion to stop a threat. My father in law swears by it, but it is pricey! Thanks for the reply Eric. IMO Hornady is overrated, overpriced and over-marketed to gun owners who otherwise dont know any better. Using standard 38 loads in this light piece she can't hit the side of a barn. Your Defensive Coctail is amateurish and makes you look like a clown. Watch Paul Harrels 9mm vs .40s&w. Cor-Bon are longer than lead core bullets of the same weight. If someone dosent stop after being shot with one of those rounds it probably has less to do with the type of bullet than it does with the bullet striking a part of the central nervous system or enough blood leaking out of a vital organ. Old thinking. Hi John, they are the same round. I've used it but very limited amounts. The thing is, it was maybe only about six pounds so it should have died quickly. Hi Ellwood, you'll have to check the links, we don't sell any ammo or guns on our site. The excellent cause, fiber optic front sight and adjustable rear sight assist you to lengthen the P17s array. 140-165 are by far the best choices for performance. Hornandy critical defense not on this list. Be sure that you take a safety class with that gun. Remingtons fish lips JHP, Sierras, Noslers, and whatever Cor-Bon is using these days all work well. Excellent expansion, ok penetration. Your site is helping me a lot. of energy at the muzzle, making the 45-70 the most powerful cartridge in our bear-gun lineup. You can wash your best item in . That's just the way it is. A short reset promotes quick, controlled follow-up shots. That's pure imagination. Select what level shooter you are! Any idea what length PMC uses to test its 9mm ammo? Imagine if we could bring some of the Old West gun fighters and they saw all the nonsense over caliber, they'd probably take out their single action pistol and Pimp Slap you to death with it at tell you to quit your crying . FLUTED SLUG. It is a bad way to learn for me, but NEVER go for a heart lung shot on a wounded or injured animal. Shop Clearance Shop New . Thankyou. Self Defense & Police Gear Electronics Gifts Sale Items New Items Firearms Parts & Accessories Gun Care . The Taurus G3X featured low-mount low-profile sights. Prior to this I carried the Winchester Ranger T. Ammo Quest on You-Tube did a great 9mm comparison and the Ranger T outperformed the Speer, Federal HST, and all the Critical Defense/Critical Duty line. Would like to see a review of Lehigh Defense ammunition since the company was acquired by Bill Wilson, in particular the 90 gr "Xtreme Defense" round. Thanks Eric, very informative and with no bias. Click below for a FREE LESSON! Find the free shipping sellers to keep costs to a minimum. Buy On Amazon. And yes, I am now studying up on "better" 9mm ammo. My kel-tec sub 2000 is just fun to shoot and eats 9mm like candy. Very good articles on ammo testing. has the widest variety of handguns for sale online. 16" gelatin penetration should not be taken as a guarantee of it's practical human penetration; it should be taken to indicate that with proper shot placement, it will do the job on a grown man. Upon reassembling the G3C using the G2C barrel, same length, they look identical as far as the barrel goes, the problem ceased to exist. I have been using this ammo for about 3 yrs, it has alway worked in all of my pistols and it seems to run cleaner than other ammo I have tried but I keep going back to S&B, I like using the Winchester 147gr Train & Defend series. The G3 offers an extended 17-round and a flush-fitting 15-round magazine. I've found that the shipping cost negates the best of prices. And now I hope to answer some of yours! Both gun and ammo, I had not much of choices in the pandemic. When pennies countone of the most reliable and affordable brass cased 9mm. I never see Wilson Combat, Hornady, Remington, Winchester, or Atlanta Arms ammo reviewed. Copyright 2023 Pew Pew Media, Inc. All rights reserved. But sorry, John, O., you clearly are the one who doesn't know what your are spouting off at such length about. 9mm Largo/9x23 - This is an old Spanish cartridge. I recently purchased the CPX-3-.380 pistol. The brand is SIG SAUER 9mm. Dead is dead. I am not the least-bit recoil shy, but, I actually PRACTICE regularly. The reason you don't see tests like that is because of the difficulty of testing felt recoil. As I tried to scoop it up, it again reminded me that it wouldn't be trifled with. All dependably shoot all 5 types of ammo in this review. In that case, I would have to agree with the manufacturer you spoke with and go for a base of the skull shot. The development of these better projectiles is well documented at this point but I guess the big corps regurgitating old ideas and old cartridges wins the advertising war. It wasn't pretty to watch. I like the hst but the other three shouldnt be in this list. What's the cleanest subsonic ammo for target and suppression? 124 Gold dots or Hat's are my favs. I'm sorry you had to go through that, I actually had to deal with almost the same situation a few weeks ago minus the storm. But the improvements with powder and reliability has more than made up for it. First ammo that my hands are black after the range. These are my current CCW load. Take a look at our selection of high-quality handguns today and get . I agree, as a recently retied Deputy from South Florida and a big agency they decided to jump on the FBI train and make switch to 9mm. . we are of the similar mindset with our passion for firearms. Generally speaking, energy isn't as important when you're looking at rounds within the same caliber when they are at similar weights. Otherwise, it is just a scaled-up .380. The would cavity and penetration seem to our perform the other bullets. Consult a real expert, like Evan Marshall. $1.50 per round. Bulk 223 Ammo; Bulk 9mm Ammo; Bulk 45 ACP Ammo; Bulk 380 Ammo; Bulk 308 Ammo; Bulk 7.62x39 Ammo; Bulk 22 LR Ammo; . 1 Magtech Ammunition 9 mm 115GR FMJ Ammo. My opinion of 9 mm blazer brass is that it runs very dirty. On the range I'll need about .25 inch, and on OTHER; truthfully I'll only need about 4 to 6 inches which I'm positive that if they are cycling my keltec 2000 any of em will do! I think you left off 3 brands that outperform all of the 5 you selected. My clock sf21 is my nightstand gun. I am having a hard time finding ballistics on the Fiochhi. Hey how are you, I'm surprised not to see my favorite on your list ( hornady critical duty) 135, is it that it is not as good as the others. At a lot less than fourteen-ounces thoroughly loaded, and barely lengthier than a dollar bill, the P17 is concealable for essentially any one. The Taurus G3C is a 12-round handgun that is sized somewhere between a Glock 26 and a Glock 19. Median. It would be interesting to see db tests in say a typical room of 12x14. I got my hands on some "Target Sports USA" 118 grain 9mm fluted cartridges and it was a joy to shoot. Controls can be manipulated without changing your grip and accuracy is there for the expected closer-range self-defense scenario. Thanks. Have had to use this ammo in a real defensive situation and it worked just as well in the field as testing. Thanks for the advice. Howeverthe brass is a little difficult to reload. I loaded some 110 grain wadcutters with 3 1/2 grains of Bullseye. Hell, I could have done that with a rock! But I shoot everything in that gun when I am practicing at the range. Ive shot a lot of AAC this year since its been the most affordable and probably more importantmost available. the screw to achieve the tightness adjustment, to achieve the best extraction strength, and . If it is pistol ammo, it is nickel coated brass. Taurus G2/G2C G3/G3C PT-111 TH-9 Ruger P89 P95 KEL-TEC P-11 Walther PPS40; SCCY CPX-1, CPX-2, DVG-1; Beretta 92, M9; CZ 75, 85, SP-01, P-10 C Shadow 9MM Magazine Speed Loader, QL9Y NeonGreen Teal . Cats, dogs and other animals really suffer from that. Plus, the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw bullets are among the toughest in existence, and Federal says they retain more than 95% of their weight for deep penetration. With the best construction, you will get the ammo being reliable. Love to know where you're pulling that stat from. I shoot my glock 17 at the range and it is a great 9mm eater. The Sig V Crown and ball ammo run perfectly through all my handguns an pcc's. Best 9mm Self Defense Ammo. I understand you cannot be constantly updating pricing, but this is a 150% increase, making the information totally outdated and useless. Shotgun ammunition falls into three general categories: BUCKSHOT - A shell loaded with large-diameter lead balls (.24" and up) used for big game hunting and self-defense. It happens a lot with my moms Kimber Evo SP with wider self defense rounds. There are slews of reports of suspects hit multiple times with big stuff that keep fighting. Regardless, your meandering rant avoids the actual mechanism through which handguns incapacitate/kill quickly: central nervous system damage, or severe damage to crucial organs. Do you load 115, 124, or 147gr ammo? I think 2 or 3 hits with this light load would do more to discourage an attacker than all the sound an fury of bullets whizzing past his ears. Try these out if you dont like the super heavy 147 gr HST. BY FAR THE BEST 9MM ROUND AVAILABLE SMH ALL MY SPECIAL FORCES BUDDYS USE THEM FOR A REASON. Self Defense 4 item; Concealed Carry 3 item; Barrel Length. Taurus G3 9mm Luger Semi Auto Pistol 17 Rounds Black Taurus G3 9mm Luger Semi . I also own a kel-technical sub 2000 with glock 9mm reliever. They are standard pressure rounds where the FMJ Train round has the same shape and ballistic performance as the JHP Defend round, Ammoquest rated it as best 147. grain round they tested: You'll now receive newsletters of our best articles on techniques, Noob here and I'm looking to practice with what I plan to use for defense. The Winchester Ammo Silvertip is an excellent choice for Taurus G2C owners. Agreed. The below pictures and data are from a super in-depth post from Lucky Gunner plus a few of our personal criteria. It is lightweight, accurate, and easy to handle. But we recommend you try a couple of weights and make sure they cycle 100% in your self-defense gun. As a result I now carry 6 Fiocchi Frangible in each magazine, than top off with Hornaday Critical Duty, frangible on top of course. (I'll leave it to you to find more precise equivalents as you pursue your real education in terminal ballistics.). Because I have two of them at home, I immediately recognize it as a cat: one that had been struck by a car. Must be some REALLY good science happening in your lab. Ford vs Lincoln. Federal HST 9mm 147 gr. The .45 ACP was designed to "STOP" not kill the Moro, Muslims we were fighting in the Philippine-American War, because of the .38 Long Colt's failure to do so. It would he helpful if you could mention some other brands that get either "honorable mentions" or "didn't rate high enough.". Your wrong with the Gold Dots. Federal Premium Personal Defense HST. Choosing the appropriate ammo for taurus g3c can be tough. So go ahead tell your loved ones"HARUMPH you need a bazooka of a handgun". Kinda pathetic, if I'm being honest. My wife shoots a Ruger LCR. That is why now that I'm retired I carry Double Tap 124 grain 9mm +P bonded in my EDC. I was impressed by the G3's accuracy, especially considering the austere sights that are more appropriate for close-range, personal defense shooting than punching targets at 25 yards. By Corey Rawlins June 8, 2022. Modern HPs are wider now and can get stuck in pistols with steep feed ramps. Well the biggest problem i see is that "if" you can find it the prices are so damn high i can only order two boxes if im lucky but at least the prices are just high enough to get me free shipping. We suggest trying out both weights to see what you and your gun prefer. However, a semi-auto pistol will ALWAYS be more controllable than a revolver, because the slide soaks up a significant portion of the recoil. This way you can shoot the same weight of bullet as your more common rangeammo. Excellent price point. I just picked up a case of 1k rounds for like $185. Keep up the good work!!! This gives a less "snappy" recoil feel to the gun. and was curious as to what I've gotten myself into. It is a shame to see people wasting their time on junk "science". my FFL acquired almost everything in tact within the required time stated by this dealer, would unquestionably make them my go-to gunshop The compact, quick-handling frame is made of lightweight polymer, the slide is steel alloy, and the barrel is made of stainless steel with a matte stainless finish. I've only used the Magpul PMAG Gen M3 magazines to date. Until recently, HST bullets, which have a copper jacket and lead core, were only available to law enforcement professionals. And while some will surely say, "Dude, it was just a cat let it go!" IDK if im going to get a 50Beo since Bidens in office.I have already lost three companies that use to mail uppers to my front door stop that practice already.Their own company policies by the way not the law!It sux. The sig crowns are ok. The 5-shot group averages ranged from 1.61" to 2.35". Am I missing something? First of all, the penetration in ballistic gel does NOT equal penetration in human flesh inch-for-inch, as you clearly think. For the range, I love firing the Federal Syntech 9mm. I have also signed up for practice at a local gun range. In my H&K I carry 135 grain in 40 S&W from Corbon. And THE best round OR the round that causes the most lethality in 9mm :/. And so far its been greatevery time I wanted it to go bang it did in a variety of handguns and pistol caliber carbines (PCCs). Taurus 327; Taurus 380; Taurus 605; Taurus 856; Taurus 905; Taurus 942; 856 Executive Grade; I love the 43X also, but looking for a second (back-up) option to carry. The UL 856, by Taurus, is a six-shot, 2-inch barreled .38 Special that is just over 6.5 inches long and 1.41 inches wide. Really great site!!! I am also a storm chaser for the state, as well. Whats next years new thing? Where do you come from? I use it at the range to mimic my defensive ammo weight (124gr HST). Perfectly compact, exceptionally affordable, and built on the proven G3 platform, the Taurus G3c Compact Semi-Auto Pistol is what you want in a self-defense handgun. He picked the most popular 9mm rounds that are the most readily available. After all Sig managed to sell the army brass on something not much different. Velocity is practically irrelevant until you get over 1500fps (preferably 2k). It is closer to 1-inch of flesh for several inches of gel. It works best if you're trying to aim for something from further away. Please rewrite this article. Two BP agents were tasked with researching stopping power, and after a years work recommended that BP agents not be allowed to carry anything producing less than 400 ft. lbs. It would be good if you listed all of the ammo you tested at each bullet weight. I think the guy up top that likes to carry a defensive coctail of three different ammo types has him beat. On my search for the best defensive rounds for me & my firearm, I've been cycling through a few different types (FMJ [range practice]/JHP/Fluted/Synthetic), manufactures (Underwood/PPU/Blazer/Speer/Sig Sauer, Federaletc), and weights (from 65gr up to 185gr) of 9mm rounds to find my sweet spot. From a veterinarian--one other reason to go for a head shot, particularly on severely wounded animals. The bullets design and its velocity at impact are far more important than calibera good 9mm+P hollowpoint works far better than .45 ACP hardball, and the right bullet in 9mm works better than the wrong bullet 100-200 f/s faster in .357. Handgun Ammo Shop All. You can talk weight, expansion, and penetration all day but its the energy you put into your target thats gives you that knockout punch. Best ammo for taurus g3c Reviews. The new Taurus G3 pistol offers a number of desirable tactical features for a very reasonable price. For reference, this weapon sports a 2.7-inch barrel. kel tec p17 Of course, many said they wanted features of both. While I will focus on 9mm self defense ammo in this article, you will also find that the brands listed also include .380, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, .357, and even 10mm. Low recoil and pretty clean. With the reassembled G3C the problem disappeared, it chambered the HST rounds flawlessly time after time. Cheers. Bottom Line. So that gave me practice in learning to clear the jams and I never know when it would happened, so I liked that it wasnt that reliable! They range much higher in price since they are what you should load in your defensive guns. Hornaday isn't even mentioned. Other JHP ammo has done fine, so just avoid the Ammo Inc. My Taurus G3 First Shots Video: https://youtu.be/18eVR0yJv34If you would like to help out and send me a tip:https://www.patreon.com/2aEduhttps://www.subscrib. Is there any difference between the two? So its Federal Hydro-shok or now federal punch in 124 gr sell the Kimber and get 2 or 3 G2c or G3cs. I agree it won't be long before cops go back to .40s&w. After now putting about 250-300 through it of ball ammo it is way more reliable now with the hollow points BUT even better with Hornady Critical Defense (due to the nose design). Thanks. I am now paying for my casual attitude in many earlier years of hunting, target shooting, and heavy equipment. We utilize FBI ballistic gel tests that measure penetration and expansion. So I back up, and there it is with it's head up looking around trying to pull itself to safety but couldn't. I find .380 in most blowback snappier than 9mm in most subcompact locked breach firearms. 029465063924. Plus the best range plinking ammo for bulk shooting. These are hollow-point rounds that expand when they hit something. Jesus, FMJ don't EXPANED. Get Our Top Shooting Drills and Zeroing Targets ($47 value - but FREE for a limited time). Did you try any frangibles? Taurus followed the G3 by introducing the G3c that same year, a compact version with a 3.2-inch barrel and 12-round capacity. What other concealable 4" 9mm semi-auto offers an 18 round capacity, a single-action fire control unit with a second strike capability and a three-slot accessory rail for only $345.23? So my G2S carries good old standard type open nosed defense rounds and the G3C gets Hornady CD rounds. I soaked up as much information as I could online, at competitions, and from tinkering in my workshop. There are a few things that set a home defense gun apart from a carry gun or a range gun. Greetings Eric: In my EDC 9mm (Taurus G2C or G3 as I have both) I use a combo load; 115 grain Geco JHP, 124 grain+P Speer Gold Dot JHP, and then the Federal 147 grain JHP High-Shok. Myself and thousands of police officers have learned it is ALWAYS a shot into the skull from top down. Overall, the pistol has nice lines and looks smart. 1) The sadly out-of-print Triton Quik-Shok, and HoneyBadger ammo isn't the cheapest load listed here, but it's certainly one of the best 9mm self-defense loads available . 3) Winchester PDX1 Defender 124gr + P Too bad you dont really know what you are talking about, Eric. I think you forgot to update the prices! I ask because, for instance, while Federal uses a 4.00 inch barrel, Norma uses a 6.00 inch barrel. HSTs and Gold Dots pretty much own a majority of the the police market due to their excellent street performance, as was predicted in the lab. We're all bad-asses until were not. Taurus G3c 9mm - Right Side with Memory Pads, Mag Well & Base Plate Indentations 3 Mags Taurus G3C Review Criteria and Considerations. Tall Co-Witness Sights. Check out the LUCKY GUNNER ! I dread risking what I have left in hearing in a self defense shooting. I mean I wouldn't want to spend $500 on a AR that can't shoot straight. Look up shooting the bull 9mm AmmoSeek quest . Testing of 200 rds through everything from billows to b.Gel. Unless you have a century-old Spanish pistol, you probably don't need this ammo. I have shot it in most calipers it is available in and I like the way it reacts in every gun I'v tried. It works well for AIWB and strongside carry. DM. Remove . You mean it pops out when you pull the slide back? I just bought a g3c .what do you recomend for bulk target ammo ? Sig is always ignored here. My personal favorite since I like the shooting impulse of 147 gr bullets. I have asked several Police, SWAT, USAF SF and Navy SF I know/strained with, what they recommend and got about the same answer. That few MS longer curve spreads the energy going into the shooter over a slightly longer period of time. The threshhold is much higher. Liberty ammunition has high speed that creates a hydrostatic shock that creates a permanent wound channel. It's incredibly affordable, reliable, and seems to have no drawbacks in a configuration that more gun buyers want in an everyday carry/home defense gun. Hi Eric, really like all your gear reviews! If the punishment the shooter gets make them not want to practice or worse, not want to properly aim..its worthless. No matter what I did, or how I tried, it wouldn't let me get near it as it became fierce enough to put the fear of God in me. Rate them below! Israelis know a thing or two about self defense shooting, and I buy IMIs! They wasted a lot of time and paper, and hurt real discussion of facts in terminal ballistics. However, when used with the compatible G3 17-round magazine there will be additional height, which will slightly affect overall concealment. 40 is my favorite round. How about some American gunned +p . But generally yes, Sig's ammo performs above average in most calibers, and very well in some. You stated above that One of the reasons a buyer would buy a lower cost entry level AR-15 is because they don't Shoot as Accurate as medium to high end AR's ??? Is that because it is now made of unobtainium, or was there another reason it did not make the short list? If you're still looking for a defensive ammo, I recommend Hornady Critical Duty. We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe. Exact power factor will depend on your firearm, a barrel length difference between our gun and your gun will change the velocity and thus the power factor. Answer (1 of 15): Is a Taurus G3C a good gun for home defense for a first time gun owner? Eric, what is the difference between a 9mm round and a 9mm Luger round? I have even seen articles that say reloading is more expensive. Because Spear Gold Dot 124 grain hollow point always shot reliably before I did the above-described improvements, that is the only thing I now carry in that gun. At less than the speed of sound, bullets have to be >.40 caliber to work well; at only 830 f/s, the .45 ACP only works because it is a .45. In that order. Hope that helps ya Bennett. It is fairly new to his defense but it's tumble Upon impact it's not just a Gimmick it actually works every single time regardless of caliber. It stays loaded with 147 gr +P gold dot.