Defensive Ammo
 

What do you use for CCW in your Glock 20/29 ? Woods ammo protection from BIG critters ?

In my G29 I carry the Underwood 155gr XTP because it's the fastest bonded JHP available in a full power load that I know of and it's #1 in muzzle energy among the Underwood line. I generally value speed over weight in a bullet.

Also the 155gr TMJ from Underwood makes a good range/practice companion if you value practicing with what you carry because it's a little cheaper than the XTP while having almost the same speed and ME.

I'm not lucky enough to have any woods I can go exploring these days :crying:

BIG critters=hardcast for me

up to 400lbs id take a 200gr Underwood XTP also

me also
 

I got my first Glock, and it is a G20, Mostly a CCW at the house, and a HogLeg when out in the bush looking for Deer, and wanted a 4 legged critter stopper, I carry Underwood 135g JHP at 1600fps, for HD and 200g hardcast for the woods, been wanting to try the Hornady CDuty or CDeffence load, Heard some good dope on those rounds..

This, in California?

Gold Dots

Yup.! in Commiefornia, I bow Hunt and they have a lot of Mean ***** Hogs on the loose up here in the Nat. Forest, and we have a Just a few Mountain Lions and a Crap load of Yotes, that have know to rush you. Had a neiboor that looked outside to see his Kitty getting Munched by a Yote, and he opened the front door to Shoe them off and they rushed his front door growling like a Devil...Scared the crap out of him, Now he packs like most of us do up here..and there are a lot of Meth labs in the Booneys that don't want to be discoverd....

I understand, as I'm a CA hunter as well. We have some fairly aggressive coyotes around here, too. I lost an old mare to a small pack (3-4) about a month ago. Cougars (the 4 legged kind) are "shoot on sight" around here, DFG be damned. Lots of big hogs here, too. They regularly plow up the pastures and ponds, and within a couple dozen yards of the house (and they keep the freezer full). Got meth labs and pot gardens around here, too.

The reason for the question is, you didn't mention a hunting load, which is very different than defense loads, in most of CA. Except in the extreme north of the state, none of the bullets you listed are acceptable for hunting, or having within reach while hunting. And, as a bow hunter, you know that having any firearm while hunting is a huge no-no, regardless of what "other" critters you may encounter.

well. as for a Hunting load 200+ gr "hard cast Boolits, is what I have on hand from another guy that rolls his own too, I just roll .45acp for now, he said he has shot a Hog with a 180gr JHP and it didn't do very well, due to much exspandtion and did not drop the pig on the spot "poor pass through" and he did the same to the hog from the same distance with a HC round , and blew right through the hard sholder plate and shatterd the leg on the other side, and he dug it out of the ground, and it still had most of the weight left..like the solid copper rounds "barnes" for big game..
I thought it was completely legal to have a sidearm while hunting or fishing and when at your camp ground, cause DOJ considers that your temp. Residents.. and you had a fishing or hunting license ....could be wrong I'll check that again..

i stand corrected, in a bow only tag or bow only season, is is illigel, but you can carry a pistol or handgun in the "open" season for muzzle,rifle,bow, i't ok. even if you are hunting hogs with a group of deer hunters with there bows.is a no-no..

Having firearms while hunting, fishing or camping is fine, except during archery season while "hunting" (in camp isn't "hunting"). Also, while hunting during firearm seasons, having lead bullets that can be fired from a firearm in your possession is illegal.

No lead bullets for hog hunting. I would much prefer using hard cast as I have for many years, but I use Barnes for all the handguns to keep legal. Sometimes it's a challenge to get acceptable bullet performance, but is possible with 10mm and up (NOT including the .45 ACP). Almost none of the store-bought ammo in any handgun caliber is "acceptable", IMO. For unleaded rifle bullets, I like Hornady.

I have been told a few times when asking about the "best Factory loads you have found to be close to top self hand loads" have been Hornady, I have a .308 Howa that is still a Vir***, and was looking for a good Hornady round for her., Thanks for the clear Input on the Laws...I'm from TX so this sucks out Yonder here..Can't understand that they do not allow you to shoot a .223 for Hog's though..

I carry handloaded 155gr gold dots. Hot but not nukes.

Who said you can't shoot hogs with .223? I do it myself on occasion, legally. You can't use "rimfire" (.22LR, etc) on medium/large game, is all. Non-lead is required, though. Some areas in and around BLM, preserve and military base lands are muzzle loader and shotgun only. My son hunts with a .50 cal. ML, and uses the Barnes sabot bullets. I often use my 12 ga. slugger (24" rifled Mossberg 5500) with Winchester SXP in 3" mags (wow!).

Hornady hunting rifle loaded ammo are as good as any. I load my own pistol and rifle, and like the Hornady non-lead rifle bullets over the rest. They offer the only spire point .30-30 bullet ever made (140 gr. MonoFlex, also for the .308 Marlin Express), and I make those suckers really fly (2600-2800 FPS, short barrel - long barrel), and they are accurate to 300+ yds. They also have a very good selection of .223 and a BUNCH of .308 bullets. Most of them you can get loaded by Hornady, or do them yourself.

I must have read it wrong in the Ca. fish & game required (maybe they ment perferd) caliber for Hogs for under 90lbs and over 90lb, the have the .22 caliber marked "No". then they go down the list for approved calibers...check it out and see what you think they mean..K?
Thanks

It is a "recommendation". Right before they go into which calibers are "recommended" or not, they state, "Legally, any centerfire firearm using a soft point bullet can be used." (this 2001 pub. is outdated, as there are no legal "soft point" bullets available for pig hunting here)

Guide to Hunting Wild Pig in California

Their criteria is 800 FPE remaining at 100 yds for rifles, but say no .22 caliber cartridge is acceptable. I say HOGWASH, as they are very capable with the right large game hunting bullet, especially the recent technology non-lead hardened projectiles used today. Also, a .22-250, with any large bullet, simply cuts them down as easily as a .45-70 or .308.

As usual, "the government" misses the reality. Looking through the "recommended" calibers, .44 Magnum handgun/rifle is "recommended" for pigs under 90#, while it is not at over that, rifle or handgun. .357M handgun or rifle is NOT recommended for any size pig. If I notched the grips of my .357M and .41M pistols for every pig taken (very decisively, most well over 200#), I'd have nothing to hold on to. .30M1 is also a very effective pig hunter, contrary to the "recommendations".

Also, I don't like what DFG ("the state") did to pig hunting. Used to be, a $5 punch card was all that was needed to take several of them. Now, a single "tag" is over 20 bucks. Nothing has changed since then, and now, the populations are out of control. They priced the things right out of the market. My son and I still hunt them, but not nearly as often as before, and the reason is purely economical (principle). More brilliance from "the state".

In the end, after reading the entire "guide", it reads like a "pig hunting manual for dummies". (it was probably written by someone in need of such a book)

My apologies for hijacking the thread. The poor etiquette wasn't intentional.

Also I apologies for the wrong Turn signal, being switched on..

they don't recommend .44 or .41 is just Hooey..My G20 out performs a .357, and them saying my .357 Win trapper is not recommeded.....SERIOUSLY...:faint: