Home Defense

I went with this stuff. It's what the police in our district use and it groups well out of my two .40's.

https://www.luckygunner.com/40-s-w-180-gr-jhp-winchester-q4369-50-rounds#rid=ppt

https://www.pewpewtactical.com/best-40-sw-ammo-self-defense-target-practice/

• Average Penetration: 16.9″
• Average Expansion: .72″
• Average Velocity: 930 ft/sec

"I use a Sig 229 in 40 S&W."


Good choice! I like mine a lot. They are terrific pistols.

The Hornady American gunner uses the Hornady XTP bullet. They are good bullets, but in my experience the 180's lack in expansion when pushed at 40 S&W velocity.

I buy 500 rounds of the same load of whatever duty ammo I can find a deal on, shoot half to make sure it works with my setup and save the rest for when I carry. Today, I’d get this:

https://www.sgammo.com/product/40-c...ain-bonded-hollow-point-winchester-q4369-ammo

If you look at Lucky Gunner's testing, bullet construction is a more important factor than weight.
https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self-defense-ammo-ballistic-tests/#40SW

I would avoid the mall-ninja ammo and stick to a proven JHP in the standard weight range of 155 to 180 gr. Personally the 155 to 165 gr loads seem to strike the best balance in that cartridge.

ExAgoradzo said:

i use a Sig 229 in 40 S&W. I’m not here to discuss that.

What I would like to hear opinions about though is what ammo to use.

Large and slow (180gr Federal HST ?FPS or Hornady Amer Gunner At 950 FPS) or fast and small (88gr —I didn’t buy it IDK speed but it was blazing 14??fps).

I bought a couple other Hornady to see what feeds well...155gr and 165 gr

Plan to buy one or two others... reliable feeding is preeminent.

But if I have several that feed we’ll do you want small and fast or large and slow to avoid overpenetration???

Thanks,
Greg

Click to expand...

IMHO the medium loading 165 gr. gives me that soft spot with reduced recoil and increased terminal performance approaching a .357 mag.

I use Federal 165 gr. HST exclusively in my .40's (mostly Sig p22x but some S&W as well).

Anything on this list will preform adequately. The list was compiled by Dr. Gary Roberts. One of the world's foremost wound ballistics experts. He's basically the guy who tells the FBI what kind of ammunition to buy

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?4337-Service-Caliber-Handgun-Duty-and-Self-Defense-Ammo

Barnes XPB 140 & 155 gr JHP (copper bullet)
Speer Gold Dot 155 gr JHP
Federal Tactical 165 gr JHP (LE40T3)
Speer Gold Dot 165 gr JHP
Winchester Ranger-T 165 gr JHP (RA40TA)
Federal HST 180 gr JHP (P40HST1)
Federal Tactical 180 gr JHP (LE40T1)
Remington Golden Saber 180 gr JHP (GS40SWB)
Speer Gold Dot 180 gr JHP
Winchester Ranger-T 180 gr JHP (RA40T)
Winchester 180 gr bonded JHP (RA40B/Q4355/S40SWPDB1)

Reliability in the gun used is paramount, and second only to the shooter's ability to hit the target on demand. I don't worry too much about the data of a specific HP handgun round as far as terminal performance. I buy a HP round from a reputable American company (Remington, Hornady, Winchester, federal, etc.), make sure it will function in my gun (I use Glocks, so the odds say it will work), then I reload the gun and stop worrying about what is in it for a fight, and concentrate on my ability to get the hits while using whatever ammo is on sale for this task. In the end, shot placement is always king.

ExAgoradzo said:

I found luckygunner thanks to you guys. Great stuff.

Now I need to find a box of that Win 180gr locally (I live in the PRK so no internet ammo anymore! Pray for us! Then mock us!).

Greg

Click to expand...

Target Sports will ship into CA check for a local dealer here:
https://www.targetsportsusa.com/dealers.aspx

I shoot sig and glock 40s. I personally believe most factory loadings don't do the .40sw justice. Staying within published load specs it is easy to get 100 to 150 ft./s increases with the same bullet.
My 155's run just under 1200 FPS and the 180s about 1080. I understand that most folks do not reload.

I’d use 165 gr HSTs or Gold Dots, assuming 165 gr bullets hit where I wanted.

I prefer 180 gr and heavier in my 10mm, but I see no reason to use that gun for home defense.

I keep my S&W SD40VE loaded with Federal Hydra-Shok 135gr low recoil ammo. I was using Hornady American Gunner 180gr ammo, but the Federal groups a little tighter in my pistol.

L8R,
Matt

I on the other hand sleep very well knowing I have a Glock 20 stoked with 200 gr XTPs @ 1200 fps in my bedstand.

I use Sig Vcrown 115s in everything for defense and am plenty confident.

4" Bbl.?

Subsonic .40/180 gr/HST - the Gold Std.


Also like the .40/180 gr/Winchester Overrun (Q4369)


GR

MTMilitiaman said:

I on the other hand sleep very well knowing I have a Glock 20 stoked with 200 gr XTPs @ 1200 fps in my bedstand.

Click to expand...

My ears ache thinking about that (but it's my favorite 10mm load).

My bedside is a 226 with 18+1 9mm. My wife shoots 9mm better than hotter rounds, so I like to keep something shes more comfortable with as HD options, so all our HD guns are 9mm or .38 spc (she loves wheel guns)

Glock 27 is loaded with 165 Gold Dots and the Glock 22 carries 155s. I got a boat load of GDs in all weights (9mm too).

M

ExAgoradzo said:

i use a Sig 229 in 40 S&W. I’m not here to discuss that.

What I would like to hear opinions about though is what ammo to use.

Large and slow (180gr Federal HST ?FPS or Hornady Amer Gunner At 950 FPS) or fast and small (88gr —I didn’t buy it IDK speed but it was blazing 14??fps).

I bought a couple other Hornady to see what feeds well...155gr and 165 gr

Plan to buy one or two others... reliable feeding is preeminent.

But if I have several that feed we’ll do you want small and fast or large and slow to avoid overpenetration???

Thanks,
Greg

Click to expand...

I try hard to use whatever the P.D. use in my area.

IF you ever are forced to use it,you will be asked how and why you decided to buy the ammo that killed or harmed the defendant.

Having been in court for such drama,it plays well if you do not have to defend your choice of ammo.

All you need say is " it was what the P.D. uses and I guess they know best".

Then to criticize your choice = they would need to do so to all LEO's on the streets and call in their range officer to explain HIS choice.

Just my 00.02 cents

btw ,my choice is Ranger SXT and yes that is my old agencys choice of duty ammo.

.40 S&W 165 grain and used to be the old "Black Talon".

This.

MTMilitiaman said:

I would avoid the mall-ninja ammo and stick to a proven JHP in the standard weight range of 155 to 180 gr. Personally the 155 to 165 gr loads seem to strike the best balance in that cartridge.

Click to expand...

HSTs, Gold Dots, PDX1, Sig V-Crowns, etc...all are fine choices and not prohibitively expensive.

This list of .40S&W ammo that passes the FBI test protocols (Dr. Roberts) is also a good source for making a choice:

.40 S&W:
Barnes XPB 140 & 155 gr JHP (copper bullet)
Speer Gold Dot 155 gr JHP
Federal Tactical 165 gr JHP (LE40T3)
Speer Gold Dot 165 gr JHP
Winchester Ranger-T 165 gr JHP (RA40TA)
Federal HST 180 gr JHP (P40HST1)
Federal Tactical 180 gr JHP (LE40T1)
Remington Golden Saber 180 gr JHP (GS40SWB)
Speer Gold Dot 180 gr JHP
Winchester Ranger-T 180 gr JHP (RA40T)
Winchester 180 gr bonded JHP (RA40B/Q4355/S40SWPDB1)

deleted

I use Federal HST for my .45acp and 9mm handguns (Remington Golden Saber Bonded 124gr from my CX4 Storm) for home defense. I also use the HST P9HST3 from my P365 for carry.

The HST would serve one well out of a .40 S&W also, however I use Winchester's 180gr Ranger (non bonded, RA40T).
I recently found some discount RA40T (the newer version with larger cavity) that was from an LEO contract that was never used. I want to say perhaps an Ohio police agency, but I'm not sure now.

For those few who don't already know, the Ranger T series (such as the RA40T) is nothing less than the latest generation of the much maligned Black Talons of the 90's, sans Lubalox coating. Though these "talons" may not make much of an immediate different in a defensive situation, they may make a difference in an unfortunate prolonged event (perhaps a persistent, drug-fueled home invader) as I'd imagine this "talon" design may facilitate additional blood loss over time. However, in such an event, I wouldn't be using a handgun if given a choice.

The RA40T I found came to a little shy of $18/50 when purchased by the case (1000 rounds). I should have bought more than one case as they work wonderfully from my XDm and APX. That price was hard to beat. If I find that deal again, I'll post it here on THR as well as TFL.

Paul Harrell produces informative videos that can be found on YouTube. Upon conclusion of his testing of the latest generation RA40T, he found the results "impressive".


Besides the warm and fuzzies of a favorite type of JHP, any reputable JHP that functions properly from your defensive pistol will serve you well. The differences in effectiveness between JHPs (that work) is likely quite marginal. That said, I am among the majority who seek that "marginally superior" performance, as silly as it may be.