best load for g19?

[sureshot]

gonna be picking up my g19 in two weeks. can hardly wait
what is the best defensive load on the market?
thanks,
sureshot

[Big Time]

Some of the topps are GOLD DOT,WIN RANGER SXT.

[J.P.]

Ranger 147gr
Ranger 127gr +P+
CorBon 125gr +P
Federal 124gr HST

[vafish]

Above listed are good choices,

I say try several and see what functions flawlessly through your gun. The best round is the one that goes bang when you need it and goes where you aimed it.

[Demolition Man]

I use a reload: Remington 124gr Golden Sabers in R-P cases on top of 5.3gr W-W 231 and WSP primers. I would use factory Golden Sabers if I didn't reload. I've fired over 800 of these bullets without a malfunction of any sort and they hit to within 1/2" of factory R-P 115gr FMJ ammo at 25 yards. Very accurate out to 75 yards if you do your part................Mike

[GroovedG19]

My G19 & G17 likes the Remington Golden Sabers as well(in all the 9mm grains).

[gosnmic]

A couple months back when I first purchased my Glock 19C I stumbled upon MagSafe ammo. It's designed as a defense load with a shotgun-like load. (I of course have some and you can clearly see the 3 projectiles within the bullet.) I've fired one of my rounds and it shot fine as far as I could tell - if I wasn't such a cheapscate I'd get more and shoot up some stuff to see what kind of power it really packed ;J
You can google MagSafe or check out http://www.impactsites2000.com/site3/magsafe.htm for more info.

[feldhege]

I am using my G19 with Winchester Ranger SXT in 147gr (RA9T). It functions in my glock now. Had some problems earlier with it loading correctly but I think I have them worked out.

Whatever you use, PLEASE make sure that you buy enough (200 rounds) to run through your gun for testing. I didn't do this initially because of the expense and the guns had been firing FMJ without a problem. Then I thought one day I would fire my Corbon Self Defense loads (115gr +P) to check the accuracy. Found out I had a single shot pistol as EVERY round jamed on the feed ramp. My gun Hates corbon (YMMV). That could have cost me my life if I would have had to use it. I learned my lesson and have fired 250 rounds so far of my new ammo to make sure it works. Seems to only be a problem with Hollowpoints. Just a FYI.

Shoot safe. Shoot often.

[TedG]

Corbon 125, or
Corbon PowerBall if you can find it.

[DonGlock26]

I use 147 RangerT or Golddots. The Golddots are easy to find.

[Bear_B]

Here is some info from an unknown source... take it for what its worth...

This is unquestionably the world's most popular pistol round. For this reason it has been the subject of a lot of experimentation, because 9mm ball - used by every army in the Western world - is a mediocre manstopper. Jacketed hollowpoints are a must if one wishes to rely on the 9mm as a defense round. Use ball ammo for practice only.

9mm ammunition is available in two pressure levels: standard and "+P." The latter should only be used in newer guns (made since 1985 or so), and is best used sparingly. I will deal here with only commercially available ammunition: there are specialized loads available only to law enforcement personnel. Civilians should not worry, as there are commercial loads as good or better than anything restricted to law enforcement usage.

I will now tell you the best 9mm Luger load for self-defense: it is the Cor-Bon 9mm 115 grain +P Jacketed Hollowpoint. This is the most powerful and street-proven manstopper available in this caliber. It is a high velocity (1340 fps) and high pressure round, and more effective than any load restricted to law enforcement use (such as the Federal 9BPLE).

Unfortunately, it is also likely to jam many older guns. For this reason I add a table at the end of the 9mm section discussing round suitability for different guns. Modern hollowpoints may either (a) jam, or (b) be too powerful for some older guns. This load is suitable only for First Class pistols (see table).

The best standard pressure 9mm load is the Federal 115 grain JHP (9BP). Its effectiveness and accuracy make it the world standard. Buy several boxes. Other excellent standard pressure 9mm loads are the Winchester Silvertip 115 grain (X9MMSHP), Federal 124 grain Hydra-shok (P9HS1) and Federal Nyclad 124 grain (P9BP) JHP. The Nyclad may feed better (than the metal-jacketed 9BP) in some older guns - such as Browning Hi-Powers - which is good enough reason to use it in your older pistol. It is nearly equal to the excellence of the 9BP in terminal performance.

For guns that may jam with the Cor-Bon or Federal 115 grain hollow-points, the Remington 115 grain +P JHP is a good choice (R9MM6). For older guns I would use the Remington standard pressure 115 gr. JHP (R9MM1).

Now it is time to impart some crucial information: NEVER use 147 grain ammo in a 9mm pistol! There was a stupid fad for 147 grain hollowpoints a few years ago, and many were suckered into buying these weak, worthless and malfunction-prone rounds. I don't care what you've heard: never use any 9mm hollowpoint heavier than 125 grains. 147 grain hollowpoints often jam in many popular 9mm guns like the Browning Hi-Power, SIG, Beretta 92, S&W and Glock. Ignore the gun magazine hype and stick to what works. If you want to gamble, go to Reno. Don't gamble with your life. 147 grain ammo sucks.

German GECO "Blitz Action Trauma" or BAT 9mm rounds are a proven man-stopping design. Called the "GECO Action Safety" in Europe, this is a high velocity (1400 feet per second) lightweight (86 grain) hollow bullet that has proven itself to be reliable and successful on the street. I recommend them, but they are very tough to find. Save yourself the trouble and use good 115 grain hollowpoints like the Cor-Bon or Remington +P or Federal 9BP.

Bad 9mm Loads to avoid (and certainly NEVER carry). Numbers given:

Federal Gold Medal 9mm 147 grain JHP (9MS)
Federal Hydra-Shok 9mm 147 grain JHP (P9HS2)
Winchester 147 grain 9mm Silvertip Subsonic JHP (X9MMST147)
Winchester 147 grain 9mm Black Talon JHP (S9MM)
Winchester 147 grain 9mm Super-X Subsonic (XSUB9MM)
Remington 147 grain 9mm JHP (R9MM8)
Remington 147 grain 9mm Golden Saber JHP (GS9MMC)
Remington 140 grain 9mm JHP (R9MM7)
Remington 88 grain 9mm JHP (R9MM5) This bullet is far too light.
CCI Lawman 147 grain 9mm PHP "Plated Hollow Point" (3619)

Table Of 9mm Pistols.

(Note: just because your pistol appears in Class 3, say, doesn't mean it is unreliable: it may indeed feed hollowpoints. But you must fire at least 200 rounds of your chosen JHP carry load to determine if your pistol will feed them properly. I have placed pistols in each category according to reputation and experience. These are only meant as guidelines - your pistol may feed JHP rounds better - or worse - than this table indicates)

First Class pistols are ultra-reliable and high-quality new guns than can feed any hollowpoint and tolerate +P loads with no problems: SIG/Sauer P220 series. Czech CZ75 and CZ85. Walther P5, P5C, and P88. Heckler and Koch USP and P7 series. All Glocks. All Ruger 9mm pistols. Taurus PT-99, PT-92 and PT-92C. Steyr GB. Beretta 92 series. Browning BDM and Hi-Power (if it says "Portugal" on the slide). All Smith & Wessons with a four-digit model number (e.g. 5906, 3913, 6904, 5903) and the Smith & Wesson 900 series. Star M28, M30, M31, and all Firestars, Megastars, and Ultrastars.

Second Class pistols are high quality guns that may not feed all hollowpoints reliably. Remington 115 gr. hollowpoints are recommended for these guns: Smith & Wessons with two or three digit model numbers (e.g. 659, 39-2, 469, 59, 39). Heckler and Koch VP70 and P9S. Beretta "Brigadier" M1951 and the Egyptian copy, the Interarms "Helwan." Colt M2000 "All-American" (now discontinued, for good reason), Colt Series 70 Government Model, Series 70 Commander. Astra A-70, A-75 and A-100. AMT "On Duty." Daewoo. Bersa 'Thunder 9'. EAA Witness, and all other CZ-75 copies (e.g. Tanfoglio, Tanarmi, Springfield Armory P9). Taurus PT-908. Walther P4. Star BK, BKM, Model B and 'Super.' Browning Hi-Powers without the word "Portugal" on the slide. Llama Model 82. IMI "Jericho" and "Kareen."

Third Class pistols should generally be loaded with ball for best reliability - experiment with your gun extensively before carrying JHP: Walther P38, P4 or P1. Luger. Llama. Maverick. MKS Model JS. Intratec CAT-9, DC-9, KG-9, etc. SWD Cobray Model 11/9 and similar models. Scarab Scorpion. Kimel AP-9. Bryco Jennings Model 59. All KBI Hungarian pistols (e.g. GKK, PJ9C, P9HK and other "FEG" products). "Norinco" or "Sportarms" Chinese Tokarev pistols. Lahti. Radom. MAB P15 and Model 1950

[feldhege]

I have read the above someplace too. I even questioned it here on Glock talk as I was looking to purchase the Winchester 147 gr 9MM SXT load for my carry gun. I have looked all over the net at several websites and decided myself that this load was an excellant man stopper. I even had a couple of people send me some PDFs that used real world data from police shootings to demonstrate that it was very good at it's job.

With that said, I also like the Corbon Powerball 100gr +P ammo. It has never failed to feed in my G19 and gives reasonable results in the accuracy department. I just wanted a little heavier load but YMMV.

Bottom line, whatever JHP feeds well in your gun is one that you can probably rely on. Though it may be expensive, make sure that you fire over 100 rounds of it without a malfunction BEFORE you start carrying it. You life may depend on it.

[ambassador]

Cor-Bon 9mm 115 grain +P Jacketed Hollowpoint. Simply the best!

[DonGlock26]

Now it is time to impart some crucial information: NEVER use 147 grain ammo in a 9mm pistol! There was a stupid fad for 147 grain hollowpoints a few years ago, and many were suckered into buying these weak, worthless and malfunction-prone rounds. I don't care what you've heard: never use any 9mm hollowpoint heavier than 125 grains. 147 grain hollowpoints often jam in many popular 9mm guns like the Browning Hi-Power, SIG, Beretta 92, S&W and Glock. Ignore the gun magazine hype and stick to what works. If you want to gamble, go to Reno. Don't gamble with your life. 147 grain ammo sucks.-posted by Bear_B


Funny, the perps killed by my fellow officers with 147gr Golddots never complained.;Q Penetration and expansion were excellent.

[chiz45]

judging by the loads and pistols listed, that repost looks to be over ten years old!

Anyhow, after reading on Firearms Tactical and TF, i PREFER 147gr--Golden Saber and Gold Dots work well in my G19.

[Bear_B]

Originally posted by Donglock26
Now it is time to impart some crucial information: NEVER use 147 grain ammo in a 9mm pistol! There was a stupid fad for 147 grain hollowpoints a few years ago, and many were suckered into buying these weak, worthless and malfunction-prone rounds. I don't care what you've heard: never use any 9mm hollowpoint heavier than 125 grains. 147 grain hollowpoints often jam in many popular 9mm guns like the Browning Hi-Power, SIG, Beretta 92, S&W and Glock. Ignore the gun magazine hype and stick to what works. If you want to gamble, go to Reno. Don't gamble with your life. 147 grain ammo sucks.-posted by Bear_B


Funny, the perps killed by my fellow officers with 147gr Golddots never complained.;Q Penetration and expansion were excellent.

No one said that they wouldnt kill... being prone to malfunction in some weapons does not make them non-lethal.

And if you notice... I said it came from an UNKNOWN source...

[DonGlock26]

Originally posted by Bear_B
No one said that they wouldnt kill... being prone to malfunction in some weapons does not make them non-lethal.

And if you notice... I said it came from an UNKNOWN source...


It's all gun rag myths being spread on the internet. 147gr JHP's work fine. I don't have a problem with the modern 124+p JHP's either. Both expand and penetrate per FBI test standards.




Stay Safe,

Don

[Timjo1955]

Does anyone know how well Federal Hi-Shok +P+ ammo will function in a G19? I have fired them through my Ruger P95 with no problem.

[Red Sector A]

Originally posted by Demolition Man
I use a reload: Remington 124gr Golden Sabers in R-P cases on top of 5.3gr W-W 231 and WLP primers. I would use factory Golden Sabers if I didn't reload. I've fired over 800 of these bullets without a malfunction of any sort and they hit to within 1/2" of factory R-P 115gr FMJ ammo at 25 yards. Very accurate out to 75 yards if you do your part................Mike

Mike -

You reload 9mm? Just wondering why? Is there some secret combination that you have found that will allow a significant cost savings? .. or do you just love to reload that much? :)

Reading your post .. do you reload just the defensive ammo or FMJ target as well? I am curious as being a 9mm shooter..who doesnt reload.. and talking to others who do reload .. they have always said that 9mm reloading isnt cost effective... your opinions would be appreciated!

[Demolition Man]

Red Sector A; Yes I reload alot. I don't just reload the 9mm but many rifle calibers also. Reloading is VERY cheap once you are setup with the basics. I have all the basic tools and contrary to your buddies I shoot cheaper than buying the 9mm ammo. They must look at the labor because components ARE less expensive. I reload on rainy days or days with high winds or in the evening after dark. It only adds to the shooting experience not take time away from it. I do not buy 9mm brass as the guys that do not reload give me all their brass. My cost is bullets(I buy Golden Sabers in bulk), powder(I buy 8# kegs), and primers(I buy 5,000). Makes a box of 50 Golden Sabers loaded to +P factory levels cost me $3.00 . If I want to load standard Remington HP's 115gr it only costs me $1.90 to $2.25 per 50, depending on how many bullets I buy. I doubt that any of your friends can shoot that inexpensively when pruchasing factory ammo. Even no name or Russian 9mm Luger ammo costs more if you have an FFL, as I do. You have to include shipping and haz-mat fees. I know every round of ammo I load will go bang as I take my time and enjoy reloading. I buy only quality components and shoot alot. It pays for me to reload. Price a box of factory Golden Sabers, Midway USA sells them for $16.75 per 25 rounds + S&H. That's $33.40 before the S&H for what costs me $3.00 a minimum savings of $30.40 a box of 50. I'd say I can shoot GS's just for practice while your buddies shoot Wolf or Hirtenberger FMJ for more. Even if you have to buy the whole reloading kit from Lee plus dies and components, it's less than 1/2 the cost of a new Glock 19 on sale. It's fun, easy, cheap and you will shoot more, IMO............Mike

[Red Sector A]

Originally posted by Demolition Man
My cost is bullets(I buy Golden Sabers in bulk), powder(I buy 8# kegs), and primers(I buy 5,000). Makes a box of 50 Golden Sabers loaded to +P factory levels cost me $3.00 . If I want to load standard Remington HP's 115gr it only costs me $1.90 to $2.25 per 50, depending on how many bullets I buy.

Wow! That is cheap.. I shoot 9mm myself and have considered getting into reloading but others have always told me that it is a waste of time cause 9mm is cheap... but your cost cuts my best cost in half. I buy target ammo FMJ in cases and get it for about $6.00/box of 50.

I may have to reconsider reloading ... my other concern is I have seen people shooting reloads at IDPA shoots and the range suffer alot of failure and most say it is because of they are using reloads.. that would be a major concern for me.. dont want ammo failing me when I need it most... I would like to hear about your experience in that area

I dont mean to hijack this thread.. if you want you can email or PM me.

[ralph gonzalez]

Speer Gold Dot 124 gr +P here.

[TWS G26]

Plenty of good choices for all tastes and needs, but I prefer:

Gold Dot 124gr +P
Gold Dot 147gr +P GA Arms....I have good expansion from these rounds, clocking approx. 1050 fps from my G19.
Winchester 147gr

With all of the above, accuracy for fast followup shots is very good, and recoil is managable during rapid fire.

[GLK19]

SPEER GOLD DOT 124 GR. +P : PROVEN COUNTLESS TIMES ON THE STREETS OF NYC

[k4rch]

The one thing everybody seems to forget is the amount of flash. I've found in my own testing anything with +p+ on it has way too much flash (except Ranger 127 +p+ which I haven't tested yet). Speer Gold Dot 124 +p meets all my requirements; great penetration and expansion, available at most all gun shops and on-line, decent price and has very low flash. Remington Golden Saber 124 +p is also very good except for price.

[chiz45]

i am stubbornly realizing that ONE load won't work in all of my 9mms--2 Kahrs and a G19. After reading alot of TF, i settled on the 147gr Gold Dot. Works well through the 19, not too bad thru the K9, and I had 2 stops in 50 rounds through the PM9. Perhaps i should give the 124+ a try.

[cl147]

I like the 147 grain weight. My present load is a 147 grain Ranger. It's proven to be very accurate and reliable in my pistols.

IIRC, it was designed to expand reliably in even short barreled pistols (G26, Kahr, etc.). In the longer barrels, it's just better than the good load it starts out as. :cool:

Bear's unknown source is a moron, and probably a teenager who's read a few gunrags. Forget you read it, and your IQ will go up a couple points.

[joe saxon]

I prefer the 124 +p+ rounds , 147 grain bullets at standard velocity are not a good round for me,or those shooters I know and shoot with. I will give those who shoot the 147 weights a nod for great if not freakish accuracy. In my mp-5 with gemtech equipped silencer the 147 are of course the way to go, head shots out to 100yds. again great accuracy. If I were forced to carry the 147 grain ga arms +p variety are the best with the corbon 147 +p a very close second. I want a tad more penetration than the +P+ 115 grains give, of course my shooting scenarios vary, alot. FWIW.

[vafish]

Originally posted by Bear_B
Here is some info from an unknown source... take it for what its worth...



If someone isn't willing to sign their name to their "Facts" (and date their article) I'm not willing to listen.

I'm not a member of the slow and heavy crowd, nor a huge fan of the 147 gr 9mms.

But the current loadings of the 147 gr. 9mm are much better than the old ones.

My 9mm is actually my wifes home defense gun. It's loaded with Corbon Powrball. I like the design bacause there is no hollowpoint to hang up on feeding or plug up with material causign a failure to expand.

If I were carrying it on the street it would be loaded with one of the middle weight +p or +P+ loads like the Ranger 127.