It’s getting to be time to rotate out my carry ammo, but I’m not having any luck locating 180gr HST, Ranger T-Series, or GoldDot.
My local shop has a bunch of Ranger RA40180HP for a pretty decent price, though. The Win LE catalog lists this load as a 180gr JHP at 1020ft/s and 417ft-lbs. Do any of y’all have any experience with this load? I know it’s not on the recommended list, but will it provide acceptable terminal performance?
Have you thought about ordering ammo online? It’s pretty easy to get what you want in .40S&W online now days…a lot harder to find good 9mm and .45acp though.
http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/catalog1/index.php/cName/40-sw-hollow-point-ammo
There’s 180gr Gold Dots in stock if you’re interested. That or 180gr Ranger Bonded.
I order a good portion of my practice ammo online, but the places I usually deal with (Aim, Wideners, etc) don’t generally stock high-end defensive ammo. Never ordered from Ammunition To Go before…I’ll have to give them a look. Thanks for the link!
I’d still be interested to hear any info anyone has on the RA40180HP, however.
I think you’ll find that RA40180HP is loaded with the same bullet as regular Walmart USA40JHP to help meet a price when LEO agencies are looking for duty ammo when price is paramount.
Check your IM
Hmmm…I was wondering if that might be the case. Probably not the best stuff to use for self-defense, then.
I’ll work on finding some higher quality rounds.
IIRC this is the same ammo that the CHP used for many years, to good effect.
I certainly carry it without complaint if it was all I could get.
Interesting…That’s good to know. I guess just because it’s an old tech bullet doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad…
The shop down the street has probably 15 cases of the stuff, so it’s convenient to get at the moment. Maybe I’ll go ahead and grab a couple hundred rounds while I work on getting some more T-series or Gold Dots.
These older bullets were state of the art 15 or 20 years ago. They tend to plug up and act like FMJ projectiles when shot through heavy clothing. They also often have significant degradation in terminal performance after first passing through intermediate barriers. Modern ammunition which has been designed for robust expansion against clothing and intermediate barriers is significantly superior to these older designs. I would only use them if I had no other option.
Thanks Doc! These will hold me over, but I’m definitely working on getting a hold of something better long term.
They tend to plug up and act like FMJ projectiles when shot through heavy clothing
… and perhaps this is why I recall the CHP having good luck with this ammo? Not alot of people wearing heavy clothing in the higher action areas of California.
The FBI tested the same bullet in 40S&W/10mm about 15 - 20 yrs ago at 930 - 950 fps; the results were virtually identical. AFAIK, the bullet has not changed and has been used in the Subsonic/DP line, The Ranger line, and the USA line.
8 event/40 shot series avgs:
14 - 16.6 pen/.53 expansion/92.5% succes rate (37 of 40 at least 12 inches).
The three 40SW bullets that that failed to make 12 inches after glass avgd 11.75 inches.
The 10mm Fed 180 JHP at 922- 931 fps: 17.2 - 18.3/.54 - .55/95%.
IIRC, the Fed 180 40SW HS about 18/.55/95% about the same time.
As usual, different lots at different times may have had different results.