Selecting your defensive round for your pistol

[yankee2500]

 Silvertips, Gold Dots, Ranger T Series, Hydra Shock, Golden Sabre, Corbon, Buffalo Bore all excellent carry ammo if they function flawlessly in your gun.
The best way to decide your carry round is what works best in
YOUR pup.
   Always test and carry the most reliable round for your gun, if there are more than one that are equal look at availability and price.
  The top shelf SD ammo brands are pretty comparable in performance, so that makes availability the next most important aspect. You will be hesitant to practice a enough with a round that you cant readily get or is not affordable to you.

[flintsghost]

I just talked with Maria at Rohrbaugh about a rust issue on my new R9S, and she said that they recommend the Winchester Silvertip first & the Speer Gold Dot second. Weird....
Thanks to all the brave servicemen & women.

Yankee 2500 makes a really good point in his post above.

OK, I just replied with a lot of technical info, but it was too long so the message disappeared.

I will give you the high points.   The Silvertip rounds in the original FBI tests scored medium for accuracy, below the then new Federal Hydrashok and Gold dot was not even out.  For wound efficiency they scored so low in .380 that they fell into the minus category (less effective than throwing rocks).   A 9mm and .380 depend on bullet performance for stopping power and when bullet performance is that bad, your life insurance needs to be current.  Both rounds are listed in the FBI Ammunition Test Summary Book from 1990.   The Federal Hydrahok is also listed and did much much better in all categories.   In wound efficiency nearly double the 115 and it's difficult to even grade a minus grade of the .380.

I personally prefer the 124 grain size in 9mm and Winchester doesn't even make that size in silvertips.   Cost on silvertips in 50 rd boxes runs about 40% more than Speer and is not even carried by most LE suppliers because Winchester no longer considers it a viable LE round.   Federal Hydrashok is still running neck and neck with Speer GD as the most heavily sold rounds to LE departments.    

There is a lot of information on how bad silvertips perform and how good hydrashok and Gold Dot perform.   But one takes their pick and lives or dies with the choice.   I choose 124 grain Gold Dot so far.   That's based both on accuracy, and bullet performance info out of a Rohrbaugh.   The performance info I have on silvertips 115 and their 380 85 is from the FBI tests when fired in a SIG  226 and a Walther PPKs
which have longer barrels and will develop higher velocities than a Rohrbaugh.    However,  if someone else choses differently,  then that's why they make chocolate and vanilla.   I  won't challenge their choice and I drink to them from the bottom of my glass.   Here's hoping they don't ever have a chance to regret their choice.  Because those regrets would appear at a really bad moment.

[ACP]

Thanks for interesting ammo info. I did not know Silvertips scored so badly. I use Federal Hydroshock 147 grain HP for carry in my R9. I also like Golden Sabre with the same bullet.

I did not use 147 grain until it was recommended by Richard on this forum. I have never looked back as I like the heavier bullet and never have a jam, misfeed, ftf or fte.

My favorite cartridge is .45ACP. If I have to carry a 9MM, I want a heavier bullet.

[flintsghost]

Thanks for interesting ammo info. I did not know Silvertips scored so badly. I use Federal Hydroshock 147 grain HP for carry in my R9. I also like Golden Sabre with the same bullet.

I did not use 147 grain until it was recommended by Richard on this forum. I have never looked back as I like the heavier bullet and never have a jam, misfeed, ftf or fte.

My favorite cartridge is .45ACP. If I have to carry a 9MM, I want a heavier bullet.

Here here!  It's hard to argue with .45ACP.  Also my favorite.  I like the Rohrbaugh in 9mm because it is the smallest, lightest and easiest in all conditions and all modes of dress.  However, given the time of year etc,  I'll opt for either my Colt Defender .45 or my SIG 239 .40, depending upon circumstances and how I'm dressed and what I see the problems being where I'm going.    If I think the problems dictate the need for it  I carry a Jackass rig with my Defender that holds 8 and I put two full size 8 round spare mags in the carrier, because that gives me biggest and most bang for any buck.   That's the kind of rig with a LW commander that I used to use when I was temporarily assigned to executive security for the state.    However,  when I am traveling by 4 wheels,  for any distance I always take my .45, mags and at least a box of ammo as well as what I'm going to carry on me during the trip.   My sainted grandfather, god rest his soul, always taught me to take anything that I think I "might" need with me in a car.    But the .45acp is still king, and I tried the 10mm and was disappointed.  

[Richard S]

One hundred years and counting. Let us raise a glass to the memory of John Moses Browning and to the sheer genius of his M1911 design.  

And to every BG's worst nightmare:  

[kjtrains]

Hear!  Hear!    

[ACP]

I note flintsghost's "disappointment" with the 10MM. I have owned only one 10MM and that was a Gock model 29. I wasn't disappointed as much as I thought the round was overpowered for a self defense gun. (At the time I was living in NJ so carrying was not a consideration).

I have never been a fan of the .40; the derivitive of the 10MM. I will say, however, that the .357 Sig round is, to me, the next best thing to a .45. I don't know the science behind what would prove or disprove this cartridge. However, I do know that the experienced accuracy of the .357 Sig and the perceived stopping power make me happy.

[tracker]

The Texas State Highway Patrol switched to .357 Sig from the .40 and their range qualification groups shrank considerably, not to mention the superb ballistics: it is also a stopper.

[ACP]

I have owned three (3) 40's and never liked them, particularly the accuracy. By contrast, I have always gotten good accuracy with the .357 Sig. I have both .40 and a .357 barrels for my Sig P239. The .40 barrel is a wallflower; stays in the box.

[tracker]

I have the same set up with a Sig 229 and agree with you. The 239 is one of Sig's best. Even though I love all of mine I probably won't buy another Sig pistol.

[kjtrains]

I'm another happy camper with the .357 Sig, that being a Glock 33; performance always top notch; flawless.  I'm truly amazed now, how well I now like a Glock.

[yankee2500]

fg, I wasn't aware the Silvertips poor performance and don't really have a lot of interest in carrying an inferior round.
  I carry the 124 or 147gr GDs in my pup, but have silvertips in my 380 Seecamp (had silvertips, I just put in some Winchester Ranger 95gr. T Series) I will shoot some tomorrow to be sure the function properly.

[kjtrains]

I have the same set up with a Sig 229 and agree with you. The 239 is one of Sig's best. Even though I love all of mine I probably won't buy another Sig pistol.

Have never owned a Sig pistol; can't say I won't ever have one, but time will tell.

[kjtrains]

fg, I wasn't aware the Silvertips poor performance and don't really have a lot of interest in carrying an inferior round.
  I carry the 124 or 147gr GDs in my pup, but have silvertips in my 380 Seecamp (had silvertips, I just put in some Winchester Ranger 95gr. T Series) I will shoot some tomorrow to be sure the function properly.

I don't really consider the Winchester Silvertips inferior.  If the Rohrbaughs recommend it and it shoots flawless for my R9, I'm good to go.    

[Bri0242]

I just thought it was strange that Rohrbaugh recommended Silvertips, when Gold Dots appear to be a better round. IMHO, shot placement is more important to me. I've taken care of patients, that were shot by .25 & .22s, & they still ended up dead. Go figure. However, a .45 still sits by the bed. Cheers on the ballistic results.