I just came across 500 rounds of this at a great price. How good of a self defense load is it? I did a search and noticed it recommended for P6 owners due to the modest bullet profile...I'll be shooting it out of a P226 and wondered if it would be decent enough for defense/carry.

I can get this 500 round stash from a friend for 100 bucks. He's moving and trying to free up some space and offered it to me. Go for it?

quote:

Originally posted by jariggs:
I just came across 500 rounds of this at a great price. How good of a self defense load is it? I did a search and noticed it recommended for P6 owners due to the modest bullet profile...I'll be shooting it out of a P226 and wondered if it would be decent enough for defense/carry.

I can get this 500 round stash from a friend for 100 bucks. He's moving and trying to free up some space and offered it to me. Go for it?

Ok, I'll try to tackle this question. I like carrying Speer Gold Dot as my personal defense rounds -- in both 9mm and .357 Magnum. I would not be comfortable carrying the lighter Federal rounds in my 226. IF your 226 has a problem eating most other hollow point rounds, then yes, the Federal will most likely work for you. However, how many 226s really have a problem with ANY ammunition? Not many. While your friend's price is very reasonable for this particular round, you need to ask yourself if you want/need to carry something less than the best . . . for personal defense. Just my humble thoughts on this subject. Thanks! Reg

It won't bounce off a BG. Yes, there are "better" choices. At $10/box, if nothing else, makes good SHTF ammo.

Dicks Sporting goods has the Remington 115 grain 9mm on sale for $89.90 if you buy 500 (case) or more.

Gents,

The Federal 115 gr. JHP (9BP)is a standard pressure round and clocks 1,190 FPS from my Hi-Power. Considered "old technology" by some it still works extremely well. For a light weight standard pressure round it's excellent and has the habit of extreme feed reliability in darn near anything.
The one shooting I'm personally aware of was a double tap to the chest. The perp was declared dead at the scene.

I wouldn't hesitate to carry this load...even if there is better stuff available. Make up the difference with excellent shot placement...

Wes

Wes is pretty much dead on with his comments. It was one of the recommended 9mm loads for a while. I would use it today if I could find it locally.

I bought a couple of boxes of it a while back just for fun. I prefer the Speer GD 124 gr +P, but these are decent rounds.

How about the 380 90gr stuff (380BP)? It's cheap (500 for $179) at Ammoman, and I'm looking for an inexpensive JHP that will feed reliably in my LCP.

Out of a full size barrel put a 124 gr round in there. Get a gold dot 124gr +P round and be done with it.


Kevin

I bought six boxes of this stuff this summer.
I put it in my emergency ammo can for when I run out of the gold dots and rangers and HST's.
It is considered old technology. But, old sometimes means tested and proven to me.

John!

The Federal 9BP round was the first 9mm round produced in the US that began to chalk up some reasonable one shot stop statistics. The "Hi-Shok" bullet design is a bit outdated (also copied by Remington - imitation is the sincerest form of flattery - but is no longer in production) but I consider it quite adequate for summer carry where layered clothing is not generally encountered.

The best part about the 9BP is it's price, and as you found out, you can run across a good deal on them in quantity. I walked up to a vendor a few years ago that had several boxes on the table at a really nice price. I asked how much he had and I ended up buying the entire lot.

In my relative testing, the 9BP's from Federal penetrate as well as standard velocity Gold Dot's and mushroom as reliably. IMHO, the only advantage to the Gold Dot is that it is bonded and jacket separation doesn't occur where a 9BP will (occasionally) begin to see some jacket separation.

You will do well in your purchase and don't worry about whether or not the rounds are the 'best'. If you do your part placing the rounds on target, the terminal ballistics of the 9BP will get the job done.

quote:

Originally posted by Sigmund:
How about the 380 90gr stuff (380BP)? It's cheap (500 for $179) at Ammoman, and I'm looking for an inexpensive JHP that will feed reliably in my LCP.

I use 102 gr Golden Sabers in my LCP... They happened to be the only JHP at my gun range when I first shot my LCP and they worked, so I just stayed with them... they aren't cheap though...

I like Federal 115s... good rounds and pretty cheap when you can find them... I try not to chase the flavor of the month (or year) so I stick with what is proven to work. Is there better out there? Sure. Is it effective - hell yes. Again, I'd worry more about shot placement at this level than a round that may be a couple of percent more "effective"...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: RHINOWSO,

I've always liked the 9BP load.

quote:

Originally posted by Silent Bob:
I've always liked the 9BP load.

For a LONG time this was one of the ONLY 9mm loads almost universally recommended for social use. The +P version was long regarded as the "Illinois state police" load...I'd jump on a reasonably priced lot of that stuff...

My personal choice is Federal HST in any caliber. I just bought my first 9mm today, a P226R 9mm, and I picked up the HST rounds for it. I will soon get some Gold Dot, second favorite, and do a ballistic test with them and see how they compare.

I just bought 3 boxes of this for my P6... and I just ordered 4 boxes of HST 124gr +P for my XD9SC...

I use the 9BP in all my 9mms mainly because I have so much of the stuff. This round reliably cycles in everything including Kahr, Browning HP, three Glocks and a SIG 226.

Besides, if ever in a self defense situation, I plan to shoot the perp often and frequently to insure that his verticality has been horizontalized.

Gents,

M.A.H. Supply has the Law Enforcment version of the 9BP...the 9BPLE. It's rated +P+ and pushes the 115 gr. JHP at 1,300 FPS.
I just recieved a case of it and it's even got NICKEL cases! Wow!
The better news? It's in stock and $15.00 per box of 50 (10 boxes per case). It just doesn't get much better.
The few departs using it have been VERY satisfied with it's performance.

Wes

Buffalo Bore (Speer Gold Dot Hollow Point "GDHP") 9X19+P+ 115 grain, 1389 MV, 493 ME, bARREL LENGHT 4.00 inches. www.buffalobore.com/ammunition/default.htm

I have a case put back of the 98BPLE +p+,it's as good as anything else, on average, and it does what it is supposed to do. Used to bet my life on it before our switch to .40.