I know there is a lot of good 9mm self defense loads out there, but I would value the opinion of the experienced members of this forum.
I carry a Glock 19 off duty, and I would like your opinion of the best 9mm self defense load. In other words what would you carry in the Glock 19?
One of the ones listed here: https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=19887
Off duty? Your duty ammo, unless your duty ammo is FMJ.
By “off duty”, I assume you are referring to LEO duty and not duty as a Walmart door-greeter.
Your department should have a policy/qualification/and issue of rounds for approved off duty and BUG weapons. If that is the case, you should be carrying under the scope of your employment as an LEO and stay with in your Departments policies.
In other words what would you carry in the Glock 19?
I carry department issued Federal Tactical Bonded, which is a fine round.
center,
i would look at 124 gr.+p gold dot or the winchester 124 gr. +P ranger or 127 gr. +p+. all seem to do very well in real shootings.
What do you think about the Gold Dot 124 +P round?
Did you have a chance to read any of the posts or links in this thread? All of them discuss the performance of the Gold Dot 124 +P round.
M_P
This issue is an easy one to solve. Read Doc’s list of CORRECTLY tested and assessed loads in the link he posted, select one, acquire a small quantity of same, function test and check POI/POA agreement and then, if all is well, buy a case or two of the load and quit worrying about ammo issues.
If we were to acknowledge the truth about effective use of a defensive pistol, ammo is probably at most 5% of the equation, but it’s easy to argue about, research, read about, etc. Being typical Americans, we think at some level that we can buy a solution to our problems, real or imagined, and the manufacturers are glad to keep that illusion alive for us.
I tried doing a search for the Gold Dot 124 +P but did not find a lot. Thanks for responding.
I am sure your right, there just seems to be a lot of choices. Thanks for responding.
I am a full time law enforcement Officer, but we don’t carry 9mm on duty. Thanks for your response.
Just a side note that my department does not have any requirements for off-duty private own guns carried by Off-duty officers. You can carry any gun and ammo combo you wish without any qualification requirements for that off-duty weapon but one must pass a single yearly MPO qualifaction with the “ON-Duty” firearm to be able to carry off duty. Just recently within the last 9 months if one carries a City Owned Duty gun off-duty then one is required to use only department issued ammunition in that gun.
Federal 147gr HST
Winchester 127gr +P+ Ranger
Speer 124gr +P GoldDot
I like the Federal 147gr HST as it shoots POA and my follow-up shots are much quicker with the NON- +P or +P+ loading.
127 +P+ T-Series Rangers in my 19, Chrono’d at 1250fps iirc.
“127 +P+ Rangers”, 2nd that in my Sig P228
For 9 mm, we’ve got 147 gr HST, as well as some 147 gr RA9T left from an older contract depending on which box is available when reloading, but I’d be just as happy with any of the other loads on the list… If I was buying it on my own, the 124 gr +P Gold Dot would be high on my list, as it is relatively inexpensive and readily available around here.
We issue the 124gr +P Gold Dot here. It’s a very good duty round, and has worked well for my department over the years, and for NYPD as well. My duty Glock 17 is loaded with this ammo, as one might expect.
My Glock 19 is currently loaded with 147gr Ranger-T, since when I bought the gun I also stumbled into ten boxes of that ammo (last year when it was really hard to find ammo).
I like the 147gr HST, the 127gr +P+ and 124gr +P Ranger-T, and the DPX. Any of these will work fine.
I too carry the Winchester Ranger-T 127gr+P+ in my Glock 17 and 19 per the recommendations of DocGKR.
Another fan of the 124 Gold Dot +P here.
Whenever I think of the Glock 19, Detmongo is one of the first persons to come to mind…
+1 GDHP 124 +P
1st choice: Winchester Ranger 147 Grain JHP (RA9T)
2nd choice: Federal HST 147 grain JHP
Oh… and don’t be fooled by my username…
If I could, I would change it to Glock19JHP…
Since I switched from a 2nd Gen Glock 17 to a 3rd Gen Glock 19…
Is there much difference, performance wise between the 124-127 bullets and the 147?