What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

I need some suggestions on what kind of 9mm ammo to hoard for my G19 and G26. Typically I use Federal Hydrashok when I carry. That would be a bit on the expensive side however, to stockpile for SHTF. I've found all kinds of good bulk deals for both surplus and commercial FMJ, but I'm typically of the opinion that defensive handgun rounds should be HP. So what do you do/think? Should I not worry about it and just grab the best deal on FMJ, or opt for the better performing round and just buy less? Opinions and suggestions appreciated...

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

FMJ works. I've seen pics of a deer taken with 9mm fmj that exhibitted a surpising exit wound. The reason was because the bullet hit bone. I wouldn't reccomend hunting with 9mm or any other fmj, but it can get the job done and vertebrates of every kind are fully of bone.

With that out of the way I'd hit a few particular loads I like for stockpiling.

* 147gr Winchester personal defense:
It isn't the highest performer out there, but it's cheap enough and does expand reliably

* 900rd sealed tins of Russian fmj:
Very basic ammo but the packaging makes it worthwhile to put back a few

* Aguilla IQ:
It's a weird, lightweight HP bullet that penetrates well against hard targets and fragments against soft targets. For whatever reason it is also fairly effective against kevlar

* CCI Blazer:
The aluminum cased ammo is noticeably lighter than brass or steel cased ammo in quantities as small as a few hundred rounds. It's good ammo, too.

There's lots of others, too. Right now I kind of like the idea of the 90gr frangible Winchester that's being sold for under twenty cents a round. It's good to have a mix of fmj and hp on hand so you can load according to whether you think you'll need penetration, expansion, or mix and match for both.

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

This is what I buy in bulk while using Federal Hydrashok when I carry. No complaints.

:beer:

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

How does one identify this stuff?

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

I have a few rounds that were reloaded by an old friend. Not too certain on the stats, but they are hollow points and they kick like a freakin' mule. Well, for a 9mm anyway. For stockpile, I have Winchester 115 GR. Full Metal Jacket target/range rounds. I bought some at Wal-Mart a couple of years ago. At the time they were $10 for a box of 100. I have about 10 boxes. I don't figure I need many fancy rounds. A close range head shot with a cheap round should be enough to do the trick. Lately I have been looking into getting a .22 pistol of some sort. Preferably one that will fire the short rounds. I was toying with the thought of getting a cadete converter for my CZ75 BD, but then I'd be without a 9mm. :mad_m:

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

Good thread, I was thinking of the same question. I've been hoarding White Box FMJ ammo, but would consider some economical hollow point alternatives.

I've had bad luck with the aluminum cased Blazer. It seems if there is the slightest iregularity in your chamber, the case conforms to it when fired and causes a failure to eject. This usually isn't a problem with top-end autos, and certainly not with revolvers.

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

I have 500 rounds of Russian Brown Bear (steel case FMJ) and about 400 of some better quality Remington FMJ.

I haven't test fired the Brown Bear ammo.

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

Nothing better than Federal Hydrashok. I'm not sure I'd want to have anything less than the best if TSHTF. It is pricey, but you get what you pay for.

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

I think you should reload.

Store some boxes of your favorite ammo, some cases of cheap ammo, and store a whole bunch of reloading supplies. If you reload, you can tailor your ammo to your needs as they arise.

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

I agree with reloading. I wouldn't even bother storing reloading supplies, I'd turn them all into loaded cartridges for storage. I can improvise propellent and primer compound, even reload primers, so I could cook up some completely homebrew ammo if TSHTF but I see it more as a way to save money stocking up on lots of high quality ammo than just out and out a way to make ammo. I really need to get a press, I haven't had any reloading tools for a decade.

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

Wolf 9x18 Mak 100 gr

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

I see no use in 9MM except for wounding and taking out 3 people instead of 1..........I only stock up on 45 for pistol rds......hit em in the arm and they die

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

I have a lot of Federal American Eagle FMJ I pickup whenever I find a reasonable price.

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

KY Imports has several flavors of 9mm...

http://www.kyimports.com/ammo.htm

SO does Ammoman - particularly the NYCLAD

http://www.ammoman.com/index.htm

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

I highly recommend doubletap ammo. The best ammo money can buy IMHO.
http://www.doubletapammo.com/php/cat...roducts_id=128
Comes out to 400.00 dollars for a 1,000 rounds of 9mm+P 124gr. Gold Dot.

Otherwise ammoman has 9mm federal 147 grain HST which is suppose to have very good expansion for 250.00 dollars per 1,000 rounds.

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

I like Speer Gold Dot 124 gr. +P. I got 500 rds. for $115 delivered on Gunbroker.

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

Same here. 115 gr JHP and FMJ by the .30 ammo-can-full from Georgia Arms.
:emotions16:

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

Eric at http://www.ammoman.com is your friend...

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

I've never checked out their 9mm. I've been thinking about buying a can of their .308 for a while now.

wallew - KY Imports is right in my back yard. I've bought a lot of ammo from them in the past. I was just over there the other day buyijng some 7.62x39 and they said they would be getting some new ammo in pretty soon. So I'll be interested in seeing what they get.

Hmmm...plenty of good suggestions here. Its gonna be tough to make up my mind...wish I had enough FRNs to hoard a case or two of each, but I've got this awful gold and silver habit I have to support as well...:banana:

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

My local ammo place gets that Olympic ( Greek ) stuff in.....about 100 frns/thousand.......I try to keep 5k or so of it around for general plinking and practice. I like the Federal 147gr for carry.

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

I'm pretty ignorant about it myself. Someone else could probably tell you about what to look for, but I just always ask. I ask about the primers, if its a high pressure load or corrosive, etc. Hard primers, can give you a lot of FTF's in some handguns, which are typically designed more around commercial ammo. A really hot load can be rough on your gun and possibly even your hand, face, or whatever else happens to be around when it blows up. You typically shouldn't find high pressure loads to that extreme though, but its always better to ask IMO.

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

Thanks Goldfinger!

As I mentioned before, haven't shot anything,,
in years because my local pistol range went
belly up, anyway I'm rusty on ammo details.

Found a bunch of Remington, American Eagle,
and Sellier & Bellot 9mm Luger/Parabellum in
my ammo cabinet.

I also found a lot of boxes of
PMC (made in Korea) 5.56 mm BALL MI93
I assume this is interchangeable with .223 REM

These all are labeled non corrosive so I guess
I needn't be too complusive about this stuff.
_______________________________________

What's most numerous in there?

Most first.
.22 lr (just because)
9mm Luger (because in a time long ago I was able to practice with it weekly)
12ga (really old stuff, "new" and reloads)
357 MAG (ancient ammo from when a Ruger Security Six was my home piece)
.223 REM and some misc few boxes .243 WIN, 45 AUTO, 38 SPECIAL


dtnwn

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

I second what LukeNM suggested: Ammoman.com
Specifically FEDERAL 9BPLE
Take Care,
Mod1

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

The gun shops and ranges I've visited do not see a shortage of individuals discussing at length which ammo types are best for various situations, whether it be Winchester Ranger, Hydra-Shok, Gold Dot, Hornady TAP, etc., and whether it needs to be FMJ, JHP, WC, SXT, +P, +P+, subsonic, frangible, 90/115/124/147 grain, etc., etc. However, the simple fact is that for the great majority of these individuals, it won't make an iota of difference.

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

That's very true. It is an almost endless debate and each has there +'s and -'s. The 9mm round is a good penetrating round, so of course the frangible's do come into play, if you don't want your round going through a wall and hitting a bystander. For police or tactical purposes or even if you live in an apartment building thats great, but I kinda dismiss that in the SHTF discussion however. I could definitely see where a subsonic would be useful in SHTF, as less noise would equal less attention to a degree. Then of course, FMJ or HP. As I've stated before, I'm pretty much of the opinion that Hollow Points are the obvious choice for a purely defensive round. With that said, in a SHTF scenrio, maybe the FMJ isn't such a bad option. First off, it will likely feed the most reliably. But I could also see where its better penetration may be a benefit if you are trying to go through a wall or heavy brush cover. Of course the pressure loads factor in that discussion as well. You're probably right though, at the end of the day, it likely doesn't really matter. :s13:

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

If you want 'the best' ...

http://www.thegunzone.com/black-talon.html

Still available, when you can find it ...

http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976505716.htm

OR, consider the Winchester 'replacement' for the Black Talon of days gone by (in 9mm no less) - note the scored copper casing, very similar to the Black Talon (though BT had a ridged bullet)...

http://www.winchester.com/products/c...S9&bn=5&type=1

That's the Winchester 'T' series bullet. Of course, the best always costs more than the rest. So if you are looking for cheap ammo, this round IS NOT for you. But if you want ammo that will 'rip the guts' out of your adversary (quote from Moynihan), the Black Talon is for you.

GREAT SHTF AMMO.

If you have ammo that you don't know what it is or when or where it was manufactured, the base of the case generally has markings that will help you get it identified. Particularly MILITARY SURPLUS ammo.

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

Yes,
The debate continues ...... on and on.
One more suggestion other than Federal 9BPLE,
- if you can still find it: Hirtenberger 100 gr. FL bullet - Law Enforcement Grade
Maybe just a little on hand - for a rainy day! (no, not the high-pressure sub-gun stuff) Best to find what works best in any particular sidearm First.
I don't dislike specialty rounds, but I have a suspicion that small companies don't have the resources to cull ammo not up to par.
Take Care,
Mod1:wavey:

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

45 ball.....45 caliber......dump the 9mm unless you have uzis or mp5s

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

Forget pistol rounds, if things go Mad Max I'll be reaching for my rifle.

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

What.....you dont have a rifle breeched in 45 Long Colt?

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

On single shot handguns










.
I read about the first third of it, got toooo much else to do, I think I get the point.
dtnwn

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

Check around online and find the cheapest 9mm Fiocchi JHP you can find and then load up. Standard 9mm JHP Fiocchi runs as fast as many of the premium defensive loads. [460 ft lbs and 1250 fps] All this for $12-13 per 50 round box.
Look here
http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/prod...ducts_id=89466
Also never buy 147 grain 9mm, it is to heavy. Buy 115 grain or maybe 124 grain max.

This seems to me to be the best answer to your question. Most people don't want to stock up on 1k rounds of Cor-bon or Black Talons at $1 per round. The Fiocchi are about .26 per round. I would also stock up on some plain ball rounds.

Looky what I found
 

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

Hey, I actually prefer 45 myself. I just tried to buy a Kimber pro carry a few weeks ago to pack, but the guy had already sold it by the time I got the $. Granted a 45 is definitely a superior defensive round, but your kidding yourself if you think there is that huge of a difference. Wound ballistic test after ballistic test has proven otherwise.

I simply prefer a 9mm for SHTF fan purposes. Its lighter, takes up less space, cheaper, penetrates better, allows for easier follow up shots, and above all is vastly more widely available than 45. Considering that for any serious "social work" I would undoubtedly turn to my AK (7.62x39) or Dragunov (.308), the marginal gain in stopping power just doesn't offset the benefits listed above. If you prefer the 45 :emotions16: , but it took me all of of about 1 minute to decide that a 9mm Glock would serve me better in a SHTF scenario than anything else I saw.

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

Hope you are my enemy.........45ACP or Long Colt preferably will put your 9 and you into my hope chest......sorry.......

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

You'd never know what hit you...sorry...

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

sorry.....that is not a 9

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

Yeah but that's kinda the point. If you're lugging that and several loaded mags around, the decreased weight and added space sure makes a difference!

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

what......your rifle and 9s are lighter than mine........I love your train of thought...............9mms were created by MelGibson........45s are still learning from JohnWayne........let me hit you with a 45 LC and you hit me with a 9mm..........guess who walks?


Later

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

For me it is not a question of size, weight,
or firepower (magazine capacity),
the issue is shootability. I do not shoot
a .45 semi-auto pistol well. And it's
not because of recoil or muzzle blast,
I can shoot a Smith .44 MAG revolver
good enough. And I had a buddy shoot my
Colt Mark IV Series 70. He shot reasonable
groups with it, (he couldn't shoot a clay bird
out of the sky with a shotgun to save his life though.)
Anyway I had the .45 checked by a gunsmith,
who said accuracy is fine, meaning it's not
a target gun, but there is nothing wrong
with it. The .45 Colt Gubmint Model and I simply
do not hit it off. But I love my 9mm Smith,
and can shoot it fast enough and accurately
enough at typical self defense distances.

dtnwn

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/9mm%20vs%2045.htm

Here is a pretty good article comparing the 9mm and 45 rounds. It mimics every other legitimate side by side comparison of the two rounds I've ever read. As is typical, most "feel" that the 45 is a marginally superior defensive round (including myself), but can only produce modest evidence. For anyone that doesn't want to read through all of that (it is interesting), I've posted his conclusions as follows:

Conclusion and Thoughts on 9mm vs. 45ACP:

1. It is my belief based on data from serious researchers that with FMJ, the 45-caliber automatic is more potent than the 9mm. That does not mean that I believe either to be anywhere near the top of the list for self-protection. I do not believe that "they all fall to hardball."
2. I do tend to agree that the expanding defensive bullet should penetrate between about 12 and 14". This may be more than required for a straight on, unobstructed chest shot, but it better insures punching the vitals should an intermediate target like an arm get in the way. It would also likely be more effective if the shot was made from the side rather than the front or back.
3. I am convinced that the size of the wound channel from an expanded .45 ACP bullet will be larger than that from the 9mm and this should make it more effective, but I have not seen a noticeable difference on animals as mentioned previously. I am equally convinced that gelatin results may or very well may not match what actually occurs in flesh-and-bone targets.
4. Probably the most important factor in stopping power (regardless of caliber) remains placement. That this can be difficult to obtain in the life-and-death fight scenario doesn't change the necessity for it if we want the opponent to go down for physical rather than psychological reasons.
5. With the best loads, I opine that .45 ACP is a better "man stopper" than 9mm with its best loads, but am not sure of by what margin.
6. I do not believe that a 9mm loaded with the better loads is an inadequate defense gun and frequently tote one myself.
7. I do not "trust" either the .45 ACP or the 9mm (or any other handgun caliber) to provide the elusive "one shot stop" unless the brain or central nervous system is destroyed.
8. I am not convinced that the temporary cavity produced by handgun bullets is totally irrelevant, but I also have no idea of how it may actually contribute. I wish there would be more serious research in this area.
9. Either of these calibers with any load may fail to provide the desired results even with a "good" hit. Either may require multiple "good" hits.
10. Perhaps either caliber would provide fewer failures if we practiced as much as we worry about our caliber's stopping potential.

So again RickW, I think the 45 is a marginally superior defensive round. However, for a SHTF gun, the modest difference IMO does not outweigh the 9mms advantages. Simple as that. By all means though, I'm willing to listen if you can produce some cold hard scientific and conclusive evidence that the 45 is that far superior. Otherwise, I'm just having to rely on what you"think". Considering that you go around poking bee hives with sticks, I'm not so sure you're so good at it...just messing with ya...:coolbeer:

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

Let me shoot you in the foot with a 45LC and you do the same in a 9mm......at 15 or 16 foot..........Then tell me what you think.......I will show you bee hive:eek_ma: ........Love ya Bro

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

Either one in a good brand (Federal Hydrashok) would be a kill. I like my Khar PM9 because it is so easy to carry - even in the front pocket of Levis.

Remember the thread on shooting into water? I think the 9MM had the strongest results. Besides, 9MM is a lot cheaper to stockpile.

That said, 1911s are cool guns, no doubt.

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

:stupid:

I'm not even going to go into 45LC... wheel guns aren't in the cards for a primary sidearm IMO.

As to .45 auto, I thought that ideology was laid to rest with tappan.

I carried a .45 for years as a self defense weapon. A few hollow point 45's will put a hurtin' on anyone. Especially since I'm engaging at near point blank range...

But for SHTF use? Where you might have to use your pistol in place of a rifle and engage targets 100+ yards away? With a .45? Thats nuts.

Atleast with a faster moving round you won't be calculating distance like an field cannon.

Personally if money wasn't an option I'd be stocking 10mm (maybe the new 5.7, I need more data and bullet options)... Since it's not, it's 9mm for SHTF and .45auto for the collection. Just like the old 7.62 nagant revolver, I have a place in my collection for the older and antiquated rounds. :character

Hit your target in the proper positions and 9mm, .45, or basically any centerfire cartridge is going to get the job done.

To answer the posters original question:

I stock about 1k rounds of regular hollowpoints (nothing fancy, fiocchi and remington 100 round bulk packs). The rest is ball.

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

Handgun caliber selection is another one of the hugely popular topics of discussion at my range, and perhaps the one evoking the strongest feelings, especially between the "big, slow bullet" and "light, fast bullet" schools of thought. Again, for the majority of individuals engaging in these debates, most likely it won't make much of a difference. When presented with the gel results below, many tend to punt and insist that their handgun is mainly useful only for getting to their rifle.

http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/docgkr/...comparison.jpg

Re: What kind of 9mm ammo do you stockpile?
 

sam,
That picture you posted was of a single shot .45 acp dropped in Europe for the underground. There were generally five or six rounds in a box in the handle. To make this weapon function, you have to pull back the rear handle. Load in a .45 acp into the barrel, CAREFULLY close the rear handle. Pull the trigger. This weapon was considered a 'close in' gun. Stick it in the back of a German soldier, pull the trigger, THEN TAKE HIS GUN.

The US War Department made thousands of them and parachuted them into Europe all during the war. An excellent copy of one of these is worth loads of money. Especially if you have the cardboard paper box and instructions that it came in.

Wallew
 

Interesting bit of history that I never knew before.

BTW I sent you a PM quite awhile ago.

namaste'

Wallew
 

Looking at the picture of a .45 Liberator again,
Don't think I wanna squeeze off a round in one
of those, unless absolutely necessary.

:ouch:

If I had a penny for every time the "9mm vs .45" argument came up...
 

...and if you miss, the shock wave from it passing will knock him to the ground...and a blast of 12 gauge will throw you backwards through the air... :rolleyes:

REPEAT AFTER ME: I will not apply what I see in movies to real-life ballistics(or anything to to do with firearms, for that matter)

I will not regard the posts from fanboys at "Glock Talk" or "Arf.com" to have anything whatsoever to do with the truth

I will never, EVER, use the word "Deagle"