CCW handgun loads 9mm, .40SW and .45ACP

[texag93]

Golden Sabre or SXT for two legged critters, handloaded XTP's for four legged.

[WCB]

CorBon 124gr. JHP, Gold Dot 124gr are my two favorites
If you want an old favorite look for the Federal 9BPLE
I'd stay away from 147gr since they typically do not have the velocity that is associated with performance in 9mm. The 147gr fad was pushed along by the 9mm submachine gun world needing something that was subsonic to use with supressors and the bias reporting of the FBI Miami shootout. Much like the 5.56 the 9mm needs velocity to perform at the top of its game.

That may be true but I would rather have a little more umph on bone in CQC and less chance of a passthrough. I hold 15+1 and with an extra mag, in most street usage, 31 rds "should" get me thru most scenarios...

[Mike D]

147's would not be my first choice. The 124 grain +P rounds are what I prefer and have been shown to be the best all around load for the 9mm. If you needed barrier penetration 147's *MIGHT* be the way to go. Over penetration has been an issue with them as well.

The Ranger SXTs will serve you fine, they would certainly be my choice over the older HS rounds.

[SCREAMINREELS]

federal premium HST tactical is what my 40 stays loaded with also a fan of
hydroshock
gold dot
black talon

[WCB]

Thanks Mike for the info.
Maybe I'll try the 124's next and see how they chamber in my gun. Don't really know how I will react in a fire fight but my initial thought is to move and keep on target. Don't think most perps in an urban robbery will have much more thought than to shoot and innocents behind a suspect is my greatest fear.

[Mike D]

Hopefully none of us ever have to find out how well or poorly our ammo performs. But I still want to be prepared and use the best available tools in case I ever have to.

[WCB]

Hopefully none of us ever have to find out how well or poorly our ammo performs. But I still want to be prepared and use the best available tools in case I ever have to.

Bingo
I may be a mess after having to shoot someone but that's better than being carried by 6...

[Shane77624]

My duty round was always the CorBon 115gr +P. The 124gr. offers the best of both worlds. You have a little additional mass and still carry much of the velocity of the 115. The 230gr 45acp round is moving along at <1000fps which is acceptable due to the larger mass of the bullet. The 147gr 9mm traveling at 1000fps does not compare to the 45.
With your Sig you shouldn't have problems with anything. Shoot several of the recommended rounds (all of which are acceptable) and see which ones group the best.

Good luck with your endeavour. This is much like a Chevy vs. Ford debate (Ford wins).

[Idaho TradBow]

Can't go wrong with a Hydra-shok for personal defense. Many newer, and able to equal an HS but not head and shoulders better. I have a fair amount of experience putting hydra-shoks in flesh and/or witnessing it being done, and they do the job muy pronto. And they also perform well on Big Game in the large caliber revolver cartridges. For short bbl deep concealment guns there's not much better than Speer Gold Dot short barrel ammo. I would also recommend the .40 S&W over the 9mm, but you are not exactly unarmed with a 9. The .45 is near and dear to my heart as a competition cartridge. My first handgun was a mdl 1911 Springfield Armory in .45ACP. Got it after getting out of the Corps due to sentimental reasons mostly. Not a big fan of the 9 due to my ballistic research and S.W.A.T. experience before my organization went to the 45 which was a real stopper in comparison. Then the .40 came out with premium ammo like the Hydar-Shok and voila....45 stopping power with 9mm capacity/compact weapon size. And it is a boon for concealed carry type weapons with short bbls, while still keeping good capacity and good stopping power in a manageable recoil pkg. I've been out of L.E. tactical work for almost a decade now, and I see some promising lookin' newer stuff on the market, but what I carry still in me and my wife's sidearms is what I have trusted having seen it's effects firsthand many times over the years to have absolute faith and confidence in it saving her/my butts against person OR beast if necessary. Hydra-shoks. And no matter WHAT you choose to use one of THE most important requirements of your ammo is it have SEALED PRIMERS. Don't EVER trust you or your loved ones lives to ammo that does not have that feature. Especially if you don't rotate your ammo in and out of your weapon very frequently and lubricant has time to work on the area around the primer. Biggest contributer to a round NOT going "bang" when you need it than anything else other than a weak firing pin spring gun malfunction. Just a few tips. And try to practice/sight in with the ammo you choose to carry. This is no place to skimp!