9mm Ammo

[rspecht55]

First off I am new to handguns. Looking to figure out what 9mm ammo I should purchase for target shooting compared to what I should carry for personal protection? Thanks for your input.


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[Lee_R]

Full metal jackets, usually sold in 50, 100 or 200-250 rd packages for training. Should be $0.20-40 cents per rd at today's prices, maybe a bit cheaper on sale. Good hollow points for self defense from any of the reputable brands, they'll typically run you about $1 per rd.

 

[spur60]

You'll want to buy a variety of brands and loads for a few different reasons.
1. Your gun likely requires some break in. Magazines, feed ramps, all can/could induce hiccups during the first few hundred rounds of a new gun. Don't get too worked up if you have a failure to feed or failure to eject during the first 250 rounds through a gun, especially with cheaper FMJ range ammo.
2. Some ammo just doesn't work well even in a broke in gun. This can include premium defensive ammo. That's why it's important to spend the money and verify that your ammo works in your gun, through every magazine you have for that gun.
3. Accuracy - My carry gun shoots tighter groups with 124 gr HST vs 147 gr HST.

For personal protection, there are lots of proven loads - Federal HST and Speer Gold Dot are my go-to's. There are others that are effective as well; tons and tons of defensive ammo reviews available from reputable gun writers and youtubers. Lucky Gunner has some penetration tests for all of the popular 9mm defensive loads. (and other calibers as well.) It's a good reference to bookmark.

 

[Joseph L. Vestal]

Is a 357 SIG more powerful than a 9mm?

 

[Gsquared]

Is a 357 SIG more powerful than a 9mm?

This might provide you some direction.

357 SIG vs 9mm: The Answer to a Question That Was Never Asked

357 SIG vs 9mm is the self-defense caliber debate few have discussed. The 357 SIG round was designed to replicate the 357 Magnum, is it superior to 9mm Luger?

ammo.com

 

[BFR]

Is a 357 SIG more powerful than a 9mm?

I have both calibers identical Springfield pistols. The man advantage of the Sig is twofold, higher velocity resulting in a larger wound channel, it also uses a heavier bullet. That being said, my carry gun is a 9mm, because if I have to shoot I want my assailant dead, I don’t need dead dead (357 Sig) or dead dead dead (anything bigger). As for recoil between the 2, I notice little to none.

Edit to add, ammo, 9 is cheaper on average and generally more readily available.