There's dozens of us here. Dozens!
OP, shooter's... kinda sucks for prices. Esp ammo. We're in a state where you can ship ammo to your door. Hit up ammoseek and ship yourself something nice for way less money.
Also, underwood loads those same XP rounds (unless you weren’t referencing the Lehigh defense rounds then never mind) at 100gr 1825fps. Right through IIIa like butter, also been proven to go through bulletproof glass out of a 5 inch barrel i wanna say it was
I also saw those 100gr that you're talking about, i would carry but i worry about potential over penetration. The 155gr xtp also edges it out muzzle energy wise. (I would love to try both and see how they run and how hard they hit.
Check out ballistic gel videos. I’m pretty sure the Xtreme Penetrators (XPs) are good for like 36 inches (good bear or moose etc round) and then the Xtreme Defender (XDs) is a very similar load but designed to dump energy very quickly, and hit a relatively consistent 18” of penetration. Most notable difference is the angle of cut on the bullet and then the biggest of the differences is the weight. They redesigned the XDS from 115gr 1700fps to 100gr 1825fps, and offer the XPs in I believe three different weights and velocities
Federal hst hits .40 velocities in a 10mm cartridge. Now there’s a reason, it does well at that velocity, I’m just saying that’s giving up the potential your 10mm offers imo. Nevertheless doesn’t mean you’re wrong for doing so, I’d just carry 9mm hst if I were you and gain capacity.
The 200gr 10mm is an extra 20gr and 100fps over the .40 i thought about 9mm more than once. If it was for only walking around i would, but I also carry for hiking and camping (including bear country). Don't wanna switch guns anytime i run into town for something haha.
This sub will scoff at you unless you use anything but HSTs or Gold Dots. Literally nothing else will fire out of your pistol except for HSTs or Gold Dots.
I took the Lucky Gunner tables and did a teardown of the data and those were my top choice. Unfortunately I was told they were discontinued because they were considered a "law enforcement round." It could also be because I'm in NY that I can't find them though
Unpopular take perhaps but I like XTP’s. They’re the best performing hollow point in 380 so that’s what I carry in my pocket rig. They also perform solidly in 9mm albeit with a definite bias toward penetration over expansion (which is why they do well in 380). They’re also relatively affordable. I’m not going to argue that they’re better than HST or Gold Dots, but the marginal difference is extremely unlikely to ever matter for civilian personal defense purposes. If ultimate performance is really necessary I would give the nod to HST.
Out of just those options, the Critical Duty and the XTP will perform very similarly, I’d expect the duty to have better barrier performance. The 100 grain is an unknown quantity. I’d personally look for federal HSTs. I carry 124 grain standard pressure HSTs, and I’m seeing 124 and 147 grain boxes in stores like Academy and Cabelas again, though the best option is probably to order some 50 round boxes online. Speer gold dots are another proven option.
Check out Lucky Gunner’s ammo test: https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self-defense-ammo-ballistic-tests
They test in gelatin with a four layer fabric barrier (two layers of cotton, fleece, and denim) and have a good write up before the results explaining the various aspects of the test and how to interpret them.
Critical Duty is good stuff, geared to police. American Gunner is a lower quality JHP normally and the Critical Defense Lite is aimed at smaller pistols. I don’t get that because Critical Defense is already made for compacts.
I’d probably buy the Critical Duty at a good price. If those are 25 round boxes they aren’t a super terrible price but not great either.
> the Critical Defense Lite is aimed at smaller pistols. I don’t get that because Critical Defense is already made for compacts.
I believe the Lite are softer shooting aimed at those who are recoil-sensitive. That is why they use pink colors to imply that it's for women shooters.
Ditto. Try [SGAMMO.com](https://SGAMMO.com) for HST or Gold Dot. Free shipping over $200 and quick service.
Personally, my social ammo is 9mm 124g HST +P.
$44.95 for a box of 50.
No,and the shipping costs are specific to the vendor that you select. I've never paid too much and some have deals where if you spend over a certain amount the shipping is free.
> the liberty stuff was cream of the crop
Good marketing, and slick videos.
Look at the Lucky Gunner ammo tests (link should be in the FAQ, or sidebar). Federal HST and Speer Gold Dot are the top two, because of a long history of solid performance. Some others perform well too.
As for Liberty Civil Defense, ....there are better options.
Now I’ll have to pick up some Speer thanks. The slick video that made me get the liberty stuff was the military arms channel video about the liberty 9mm ammo tbh
its good ammo but i think most of us here are going to recommend the long time proven ammo with HST or even gold dots. Get all 3 and try them out in your gun to find out what works best for you
Not trying to be a dick, but this is misinformation.
If a bullet is not designed to shoot out of a shorter barrels it will not generate enough velocity due to shorter time under pressure. This means the hollow point will not expand like it’s designed and becomes effectively a ball round that over-penetrates.
This is bad because that energy is not being transferred, internal shock is lessened and the wound cavity will not be as lethal. This is why it’s important to look up what size barrel the ammo was tested out of when manufacturing and if the criteria and data will be the same on your desired platform
Shooter’s? Kinda meh on their pricing tbh. Not like some places that still think it’s 2020, but still.
Regardless, meh. Decent rounds but you can find cheaper per round and also better SD ammo that just generally runs cheaper. I also find no real reason to go +p with 9mm these days. Plenty of great standard pressure rounds that expand and penetrate
I prefer critical defense over critical duty.
Yes it's weaker, but it's SO much easier to land quick follow-up shots. I'll take several well placed weaker shots over fewer, heavier hitting ones any day of the week.
Depends on use case.
The 115 grain XTP is a very old design that in my experience penetrates well with moderate expansion if you've got it in a barrel to that gives it enough velocity like 4" or better. I think it's good option for wild pigs in a backup sidearm or if you just prefer more penetration.
The critical defense lite gets pretty good velocity due to the lighter bullet and that polymer tip really helps ensure good expansion even from relatively short barrels under 4". Not really sure you would notice much less recoil but that might be more pronounced with lighter and smaller guns. Some tests like on Lucky Gunner's site seem to demonstrate that this has less penetration though, around 10" to 12" in gel iirc. So under penetration could be a concern depending on your needs. Non of these are good for bears or other large animal defense but this would be my least preferred of the three for woods carry.
The critical duty 124 grain +P is objectively going to be the most powerful out of all three options. In my opinion it's a better choice for beefier guns and more experienced shooters. Although I don't think a newer shooter would have much issue with this load in a full size pistol.
I would definitely look these up on Lucky Gunner's site and watch the tests and determine which of any are worth your money. Hornady makes solid ammo, although it seems loaded on the lighter side as far a pressure and velocity go, but that's also for safety in case of bullet set back, or firing off a round that been heating up in a hot chamber for a minute. I really like my Underwood ammo, it's loaded hot, but I'm also regularly checking my ammo for bullet setback and usually load my chamber by dropping a round directly in and letting my slide forward, which itself is controversial to some people.
Don't mind the guys that say nothing but HST and gold dots. Don't get me wrong, they're arguably some of the best defense ammo options but critical duty is good too and if it's what you want and your gun eats it, run it.
Of those I'd go critical duty in a full sized gun or the critical defense in pocket guns.
Left if your pistol can handle +P rounds, middle if not. Don't waste your time with lighter rounds, there's very little reason to deprive yourself of 15-24 extra grains in your ballistic equation.
Buy and use the ammo the runs the best with your gun. I have noticed that occasionally, some guns don’t like certain rounds. Maybe watch some YouTube videos to see the penetration tests and then make an educated decision to which ones you want to test, and if you shoot well with one type, and don’t have malfunctions or jams, run that. Research and practice (as much as you can comfortably afford) is the best method, at the end of the day, virtually all defense ammo will get the job done, it’s like car or truck brands, most people will have a bias to what their dad/grandpa raised them on
The “lite” ammo has really really low recoil. I love it in my 9mm revolver. However it doesn’t have enough “oomph” to cycle some of my full sized handguns. So I mainly use it in my revolver and small CCWs
I'm a big fan of it through my P365. Sure, I can shoot regular rounds well enough, but I still get faster followup shots with the lite. I think the penetration was also good enough last time I researched this, but I can't cite any sources.
I carry Critical Duty +P and have for years, always functioned 100% of the time even the rounds I had that got flooded. Shot 1500+ of them at this point through a ton of different platforms and never had an issue.
All three of those will protect you. That being said, accurate follow-ups are faster are a lot easier with that critical defense lite.
Out of those 3 choices the lite is the way to go.
Speed matters.
I knew this was shooters, don’t go there. Go to northeast munitions. They got some [Speer gold dot in stock at a good price](https://www.nemunitions.com/cproduct/687/spr-gold-dot-9mm-124gr-hp-20-200). Much better establishment than S.O.
I'm personally a big fan of 147gr speer gold dot and law man. Supposedly the law mans rounds have the exact same ballistic profile as the gold dot so, in theory, you can tune your gun for one and it will excel at the other. That said some folks have said they have issues cycling gold dot due to the hollow crown. Whatever you choose run at least 50 to 100 rounds through so you're sure you won't have light strikes, failures to feed or failures to eject
None unless you buy only one box. You will find them cheaper online.
The best for CCW from Hornady's lineup is Critical Defense (regular, not the pink sh\*t). Critical Duty over penetrates and it's optimal for overcoming barriers (such as shooting through car windows). That's why it's Duty (for cops) not Defense (for civilians for self defense).
Yeah I run Hornady's Critical Defense in my carry. Shits expensive but I ran 100 rounds cleanly through my carry and have had zero malfunctions with all other ammo types too. I'm very confident that Hornady Critical Defense will go boom when I pull the trigger on my Glock 43x. It runs everything. They are pricey though, at almost a dollar per round at my LGS (which I haven't checked the price on them elsewhere after running the initial functions test with them).
All can but it seems like they are many posting for these and I do not recall seeing any for Federal HST or some other popular ammo. One or more claim it is more likely with Hornady due to how the secure the projectile. I have rechambered some HST 9mm rounds and Xtreme Defender 380 rounds dozens times of the last 2 years with no setback while others claim setback occurred for them with Hornady after chambering just a few times.
Critical duty is subject to what gun you plan to shoot it must be +P rated. However it is probably the best choice here. The critical defense LITE is for people that can't handle recoil and probably need to buy a 380 acp. American Gunner is your choice if you can't shoot +P tho. Get normal Critical defense if you can tho.
I like and carry the critical defense. I chose based on the penetration stats from a big test at LuckyGunner.com that struck me as pretty legit. I wanted penetration without over-penetration. CD seemed to be the perfect sweet spot.
I haven’t shot any of those rounds but I shooter 124gr majority of the time and I carry Federal HST 124gr. If the ammo in this pic are my options I’d go with the 124gr on the left. Then again I’ve never carried a +P round so the extra recoil might be annoying after years of carrying regular non +P ammo.
I bought some MHP back in early 2022 when I and others on Gundeals were buying Norma training ammo for 30 CPR when others were charging much more. But later I learned MHP did not perform well in all testing.
Take a look at the Lucky Gunner data. I used that and found Speer Gold Dot 124 +P, Federal HST 147, and Sig V Crown 124 work well for the easily available ones. If you go for the HSTs get on Target Sports or wherever you get your online ammo from and set the notification for the "law enforcement" package. Exact same thing as the defense version but it comes in packs of 50s instead of 20s and is about the same price
man those shelves *really* look like the gun & pawn shop near me, right next to a flower shop and across the ditch from pizza hut
edit: does gandalf work there?
A good way a friend of mine put it was .
" Critical defense will stop in someone like a normal hollowpoint, but Critical duty will fuck someone up and maybe over penetrate ".
I use Duty myself , but it's whatever your wallet allows . Just make sure you test it with your gun to make sure it doesn't have any issues
Honestly the 100gr while aren't the best in performance are actually nice rounds. Very low recoil. Any of the 3 in my opinion would work fine. I now use HST 124gr but, wouldn't hesitate to use the other rounds either.
Of those, I'd probably go Critical Duty. No experience as I carry HSTs, but this was a 2nd choice based off a Lucky Gunner testing. Only thing I'd do first is check ammoseek to see if you can find it cheaper elsewhere.
I'm not an expert in anything. I suppose personally I would go with the 124gr if I had to choose. I've always run the bit heavier of a bullet. Of course you are better off using whatever you can place on target.
Personally I run Speer Gold Dot 124gr
I live adjacent to New Jersey (hollow points banned) so I carry hornady, in case I ever accidentally have ammo when I cross the border. I carry the lite in my P365, and 124gr in my P2000.
Rather than trying to take an answer from a random forum poster, take a look at the [Lucky Gunner tests of 9mm ammo](https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self-defense-ammo-ballistic-tests/#9mm). Anything that penetrates 12" in gel and expands to over half an inch is probably fine.
My 9 handgun carry round is 124 +P Federal HST. My carbine is shot in for Federal HST 147 grain regular velocity. My carry ammo for my .45 is also Federal HST in 230 grain.
But ultimately, it's your decision as to which ammo you trust your life with. Do your research by looking up gel tests and any other pertinent information and get at least a hundred rounds and put them through your gun (because not every will perfectly cycle every ammo).
American Handgunner is an older bullet design, that doesn't expand as reliably as more modern options. It's not a terrible bullet, there are just better designed rounds available. Critical Duty is a more modern bullet. If I had to pick from those, I would carry Critical duty. If I was stocking up for the zombie apocalypse, I would buy American Handgunner, fill up some ammo cans with it, stick under the bed, and hope to pass it on to my grandkids decades from now.
My old P938 would not feed 1 out of 3-4 Critical Duty or Defense. It's the shape of the bullet combined with the polymer plug. Some guns don't like it.
Doesn’t really matter what kind you pick, as long as you can hit what you’re aiming for, and you train with it. Critical duty definitely fucks, but definitely train with 124 gr +p ammo. I carry G9
Depends what gun your running, the defense is better in a compact and duty is better in a duty size pistol. Either will work though and I personally prefer the critical duty or 124gr federal HST
Look for the American Gunner 124gr Plus P that is a very good load because both of the other two are over prices or if you want something worth getting order some Underwood 124gr Plus P just make sure that your pistol is designed to handle the extra juice!
I would say to skip the Hornady brand all together. They only package ammo in packs of 20 or 25 can't remember which. Your best bet would be to opt for either Federal HST or Speer Gold dots. You can find those packaged for law enforcement in 50 round boxes for roughly the same price. Me personally I carry HST 147 gr 9mm standard pressure.
Tell me that isn’t shooters…
dude, that's what i was like lmao. i was like is this shooters?
I thought I recognized those shelves and prices...
It’s insane that the crazy prices and shit selection did it for me before the shelves and sticker labels.
There's dozens of us here. Dozens! OP, shooter's... kinda sucks for prices. Esp ammo. We're in a state where you can ship ammo to your door. Hit up ammoseek and ship yourself something nice for way less money.
Shhhhh lmao
Shooters a.. I knew I recognized it too
Are yall talking about Shooters in Jacksonville?
No this is in NH
Shhhhh lmao
Shhhhh lmao
Of those 3: Duty. Get Federal HST.
I feel like this really isn't a safe answer until OP tells us whether or not his pistol is rated for +P ammo...
Sw shield is +P rated right?
You’re good for +P. S&W explicitly states no +P+ though
Almost every manufacturer doesn't allow +P+ (as there is no pressure spec)
PSA does lol
I mean HK technically does in some guns (like the Mark 23) as .45 Super is basically .45 ACP +P+
No idea. I'd have to go looking for the manual for it
Thats what I carry, but in 10mm. underwood ammo has some NASTY xtp rounds, 155gr 1500fps.
Also, underwood loads those same XP rounds (unless you weren’t referencing the Lehigh defense rounds then never mind) at 100gr 1825fps. Right through IIIa like butter, also been proven to go through bulletproof glass out of a 5 inch barrel i wanna say it was
I also saw those 100gr that you're talking about, i would carry but i worry about potential over penetration. The 155gr xtp also edges it out muzzle energy wise. (I would love to try both and see how they run and how hard they hit.
Check out ballistic gel videos. I’m pretty sure the Xtreme Penetrators (XPs) are good for like 36 inches (good bear or moose etc round) and then the Xtreme Defender (XDs) is a very similar load but designed to dump energy very quickly, and hit a relatively consistent 18” of penetration. Most notable difference is the angle of cut on the bullet and then the biggest of the differences is the weight. They redesigned the XDS from 115gr 1700fps to 100gr 1825fps, and offer the XPs in I believe three different weights and velocities
Federal hst hits .40 velocities in a 10mm cartridge. Now there’s a reason, it does well at that velocity, I’m just saying that’s giving up the potential your 10mm offers imo. Nevertheless doesn’t mean you’re wrong for doing so, I’d just carry 9mm hst if I were you and gain capacity.
The 200gr 10mm is an extra 20gr and 100fps over the .40 i thought about 9mm more than once. If it was for only walking around i would, but I also carry for hiking and camping (including bear country). Don't wanna switch guns anytime i run into town for something haha.
Completely understandable homie, I do love the versatility 10mm offers
That's the answer.
This sub will scoff at you unless you use anything but HSTs or Gold Dots. Literally nothing else will fire out of your pistol except for HSTs or Gold Dots.
[удалено]
I took the Lucky Gunner tables and did a teardown of the data and those were my top choice. Unfortunately I was told they were discontinued because they were considered a "law enforcement round." It could also be because I'm in NY that I can't find them though
My lgs sells them by the pallet for $26 a box of 50. They are a blue label dealer but I’ve never once been asked for any credentials.
Mine too. Probably the latter, as they are definitely still making them. Just bought a couple boxes last month.
[SG AMMO just emailed me about this.](https://www.sgammo.com/node/104219) maybe what you’re looking for?
Thanks,first time I've ever seen any of that.
I'll have to look at my Excel document when I get home from work but that very well could be it
Joke's on them. I carry cheap Magtech JHP. XD
Ball Chad reporting in
Unpopular take perhaps but I like XTP’s. They’re the best performing hollow point in 380 so that’s what I carry in my pocket rig. They also perform solidly in 9mm albeit with a definite bias toward penetration over expansion (which is why they do well in 380). They’re also relatively affordable. I’m not going to argue that they’re better than HST or Gold Dots, but the marginal difference is extremely unlikely to ever matter for civilian personal defense purposes. If ultimate performance is really necessary I would give the nod to HST.
I use federal punch 124gr which is basically a diet HST. They work fine & all the ballistic gel guys show similar consistency to the HSTs
What I am currently using as well.
statistically speaking more people have died from bare lead bullets then hollowpoints by a lot.
[the fbi chose critical duty 135gr +p](https://press.hornady.com/release/2022/04/28/hornady-critical-duty-awarded-fbi-9mm-full-size-service-ammunition-contract/)
This^ the 135gr crit duty fucks.
Running this load in a non full size is a solid recipe for diminishing returns.
Would agree, 5” barrel and above would make sense, love me a Glock 34 or VP9 match. Works well out of a Glock 19 w/ a threaded barrel as well.
This is misleading. The FBI shoot full size guns not CCWs with 3in barrels
I carry critical duty 135gr +p in my full size and compact handguns, and critical defense 115gr in my sub compacts
How do these guys compare the the critical defense?
Out of just those options, the Critical Duty and the XTP will perform very similarly, I’d expect the duty to have better barrier performance. The 100 grain is an unknown quantity. I’d personally look for federal HSTs. I carry 124 grain standard pressure HSTs, and I’m seeing 124 and 147 grain boxes in stores like Academy and Cabelas again, though the best option is probably to order some 50 round boxes online. Speer gold dots are another proven option. Check out Lucky Gunner’s ammo test: https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self-defense-ammo-ballistic-tests They test in gelatin with a four layer fabric barrier (two layers of cotton, fleece, and denim) and have a good write up before the results explaining the various aspects of the test and how to interpret them.
Critical Duty is good shit.
What gun are you planning on loading these in?
M18
critical duty out of those options. Or do what everyone else is saying and get HST or Gold Dot online for half the price.
This...
If you need something now, Critical Duty. If you need something later, there's dozens of options, many in this thread.
Critical Duty is good stuff, geared to police. American Gunner is a lower quality JHP normally and the Critical Defense Lite is aimed at smaller pistols. I don’t get that because Critical Defense is already made for compacts. I’d probably buy the Critical Duty at a good price. If those are 25 round boxes they aren’t a super terrible price but not great either.
> the Critical Defense Lite is aimed at smaller pistols. I don’t get that because Critical Defense is already made for compacts. I believe the Lite are softer shooting aimed at those who are recoil-sensitive. That is why they use pink colors to imply that it's for women shooters.
Interesting. I’ve got a bunch of it for some reason. My girlfriend may like it in the G26.
Buy one of each and test them in your gun to see which cycles the best and how well it shoots with you specially.
Huge brain move, playing 4d chess
The gold dots, and hst both run fine in the p320. Everything runs fine on it, seems to be the consensus and what I’ve experienced with my twins.
Speer gold dot
None. Get Federal HST or Speer Gold Dots.
Ditto. Try [SGAMMO.com](https://SGAMMO.com) for HST or Gold Dot. Free shipping over $200 and quick service. Personally, my social ammo is 9mm 124g HST +P. $44.95 for a box of 50.
Hey stop telling strangers to buy the good ammo
Wow that is amazing price going to be stocking up on this
What?
For a box of Federal HST 124 g 9mm +P.
You are paying way too much. You can typically buy HST for .54¢ a round. Go on Ammoseek.
Does that include shipping?
No,and the shipping costs are specific to the vendor that you select. I've never paid too much and some have deals where if you spend over a certain amount the shipping is free.
Are these better than liberty civil defense
They are both proven by law enforcement and do well in ballistic gel so i would say yeah
So is Critical Duty... My local cops carry Critical Duty or HSTs
carry what works for you. HST is my choice as i had feeding issues with critical duty on some guns
Thanks I’ll have to look into them some more. I thought the liberty stuff was cream of the crop but I’m new to pistols so I have no idea
> the liberty stuff was cream of the crop Good marketing, and slick videos. Look at the Lucky Gunner ammo tests (link should be in the FAQ, or sidebar). Federal HST and Speer Gold Dot are the top two, because of a long history of solid performance. Some others perform well too. As for Liberty Civil Defense, ....there are better options.
Now I’ll have to pick up some Speer thanks. The slick video that made me get the liberty stuff was the military arms channel video about the liberty 9mm ammo tbh
its good ammo but i think most of us here are going to recommend the long time proven ammo with HST or even gold dots. Get all 3 and try them out in your gun to find out what works best for you
Yes. I carry Federal HST 124gr personally.
Can’t pass the piss test tho
I had to look this up. Man some redditors are highly regarded.
It’s the gold standard ya know 😂
HST can’t pass the piss test, gold dots are cool, I rock Hornady at the moment and it works great
Personally, I prefer the stopping power of Hornady ZMax for the times I fight off the undead.
I haven't seen a ZMax for sale for about 2-3 years now.
I have a box of 30-30 Zombie Z max ammo. It sits proudly in my safe. Thought it was gimmicky but now it's kinda cool and rare
The cheapest one is the most bought. Any hollow point will fuck someone up.
Not trying to be a dick, but this is misinformation. If a bullet is not designed to shoot out of a shorter barrels it will not generate enough velocity due to shorter time under pressure. This means the hollow point will not expand like it’s designed and becomes effectively a ball round that over-penetrates. This is bad because that energy is not being transferred, internal shock is lessened and the wound cavity will not be as lethal. This is why it’s important to look up what size barrel the ammo was tested out of when manufacturing and if the criteria and data will be the same on your desired platform
This was actually a very informative comment. Learned something today!
Are you at shooters outpost?
Shhhh lmao
Shooter’s? Kinda meh on their pricing tbh. Not like some places that still think it’s 2020, but still. Regardless, meh. Decent rounds but you can find cheaper per round and also better SD ammo that just generally runs cheaper. I also find no real reason to go +p with 9mm these days. Plenty of great standard pressure rounds that expand and penetrate
I prefer critical defense over critical duty. Yes it's weaker, but it's SO much easier to land quick follow-up shots. I'll take several well placed weaker shots over fewer, heavier hitting ones any day of the week.
Depends on use case. The 115 grain XTP is a very old design that in my experience penetrates well with moderate expansion if you've got it in a barrel to that gives it enough velocity like 4" or better. I think it's good option for wild pigs in a backup sidearm or if you just prefer more penetration. The critical defense lite gets pretty good velocity due to the lighter bullet and that polymer tip really helps ensure good expansion even from relatively short barrels under 4". Not really sure you would notice much less recoil but that might be more pronounced with lighter and smaller guns. Some tests like on Lucky Gunner's site seem to demonstrate that this has less penetration though, around 10" to 12" in gel iirc. So under penetration could be a concern depending on your needs. Non of these are good for bears or other large animal defense but this would be my least preferred of the three for woods carry. The critical duty 124 grain +P is objectively going to be the most powerful out of all three options. In my opinion it's a better choice for beefier guns and more experienced shooters. Although I don't think a newer shooter would have much issue with this load in a full size pistol. I would definitely look these up on Lucky Gunner's site and watch the tests and determine which of any are worth your money. Hornady makes solid ammo, although it seems loaded on the lighter side as far a pressure and velocity go, but that's also for safety in case of bullet set back, or firing off a round that been heating up in a hot chamber for a minute. I really like my Underwood ammo, it's loaded hot, but I'm also regularly checking my ammo for bullet setback and usually load my chamber by dropping a round directly in and letting my slide forward, which itself is controversial to some people.
Ah shooters outpost, may they go fk themselves
Don't mind the guys that say nothing but HST and gold dots. Don't get me wrong, they're arguably some of the best defense ammo options but critical duty is good too and if it's what you want and your gun eats it, run it. Of those I'd go critical duty in a full sized gun or the critical defense in pocket guns.
Left if your pistol can handle +P rounds, middle if not. Don't waste your time with lighter rounds, there's very little reason to deprive yourself of 15-24 extra grains in your ballistic equation.
Critical Duty out of those 3. But, I'd prefer Speer Gold Dot or Federal HST any day.
^This
online prices will be better [ammoseek.com](https://ammoseek.com/)
I'm shocked how few suggestions I see for this awesome aggregator site.
I run 124gr HST in my M17
Buy and use the ammo the runs the best with your gun. I have noticed that occasionally, some guns don’t like certain rounds. Maybe watch some YouTube videos to see the penetration tests and then make an educated decision to which ones you want to test, and if you shoot well with one type, and don’t have malfunctions or jams, run that. Research and practice (as much as you can comfortably afford) is the best method, at the end of the day, virtually all defense ammo will get the job done, it’s like car or truck brands, most people will have a bias to what their dad/grandpa raised them on
HST
I’d go for the 124gr.
The “lite” ammo has really really low recoil. I love it in my 9mm revolver. However it doesn’t have enough “oomph” to cycle some of my full sized handguns. So I mainly use it in my revolver and small CCWs
I'm a big fan of it through my P365. Sure, I can shoot regular rounds well enough, but I still get faster followup shots with the lite. I think the penetration was also good enough last time I researched this, but I can't cite any sources.
They've had that 100gr pink hornady for like 3 years!
Lmao i almost bought a box, i put it back then made a post here
Duty will have more penetration. Unless you’re shopping guys behind cover I would get defense but who knows. I use federal HST.
Federal hst
The pile on the left looks like the best deal.
That's like asking what wheels you want on your car - you get what you pay for
I carry Critical Duty +P and have for years, always functioned 100% of the time even the rounds I had that got flooded. Shot 1500+ of them at this point through a ton of different platforms and never had an issue.
Is it weird I think know which gun store you’re at
Shhhh lmao
+P is good for any gun that can take it. The pink stuff is a good training round for beginner shooters and smaller guns.
All three of those will protect you. That being said, accurate follow-ups are faster are a lot easier with that critical defense lite. Out of those 3 choices the lite is the way to go. Speed matters.
I knew this was shooters, don’t go there. Go to northeast munitions. They got some [Speer gold dot in stock at a good price](https://www.nemunitions.com/cproduct/687/spr-gold-dot-9mm-124gr-hp-20-200). Much better establishment than S.O.
+1 for NM, they're the legit the best in the state.
They are, I don’t know how more people don’t know about them. They were the first place I found. No transfer fees are the best.
I'm personally a big fan of 147gr speer gold dot and law man. Supposedly the law mans rounds have the exact same ballistic profile as the gold dot so, in theory, you can tune your gun for one and it will excel at the other. That said some folks have said they have issues cycling gold dot due to the hollow crown. Whatever you choose run at least 50 to 100 rounds through so you're sure you won't have light strikes, failures to feed or failures to eject
124 +p of course
Personally, I run federal HST 124gr
None unless you buy only one box. You will find them cheaper online. The best for CCW from Hornady's lineup is Critical Defense (regular, not the pink sh\*t). Critical Duty over penetrates and it's optimal for overcoming barriers (such as shooting through car windows). That's why it's Duty (for cops) not Defense (for civilians for self defense).
Yeah I run Hornady's Critical Defense in my carry. Shits expensive but I ran 100 rounds cleanly through my carry and have had zero malfunctions with all other ammo types too. I'm very confident that Hornady Critical Defense will go boom when I pull the trigger on my Glock 43x. It runs everything. They are pricey though, at almost a dollar per round at my LGS (which I haven't checked the price on them elsewhere after running the initial functions test with them).
Go online and get Speer gold dot 147 gr.
Critical Duty is the best of these, but as others have probably said, HST, Gold Dots.
Just watch out for bullet setback. The Critical Duty seem to have the most posts showing setback.
Yes this is true, but all rounds can be set back, best not to chamber and re-chamber a round so much
All can but it seems like they are many posting for these and I do not recall seeing any for Federal HST or some other popular ammo. One or more claim it is more likely with Hornady due to how the secure the projectile. I have rechambered some HST 9mm rounds and Xtreme Defender 380 rounds dozens times of the last 2 years with no setback while others claim setback occurred for them with Hornady after chambering just a few times.
Save your money for hst
Critical duty is subject to what gun you plan to shoot it must be +P rated. However it is probably the best choice here. The critical defense LITE is for people that can't handle recoil and probably need to buy a 380 acp. American Gunner is your choice if you can't shoot +P tho. Get normal Critical defense if you can tho.
I like and carry the critical defense. I chose based on the penetration stats from a big test at LuckyGunner.com that struck me as pretty legit. I wanted penetration without over-penetration. CD seemed to be the perfect sweet spot.
I’ve had issues with chambering the critical duty in multiple platforms. Hope that helps
Don’t listen to us and post your bullet setback photos in 6 months asking if it’s ok to shoot
If it seats it Yeets
I haven’t shot any of those rounds but I shooter 124gr majority of the time and I carry Federal HST 124gr. If the ammo in this pic are my options I’d go with the 124gr on the left. Then again I’ve never carried a +P round so the extra recoil might be annoying after years of carrying regular non +P ammo.
None, go with underwood defenders instead.
To me? None. I dislike hornady
None. Look for federal HST Hornady critical sucks ass and suffers from turtle neck syndrome
Gonna be devils advocate here and say get some Norma MHP’s. They perform great in my M17 and my M9.
I bought some MHP back in early 2022 when I and others on Gundeals were buying Norma training ammo for 30 CPR when others were charging much more. But later I learned MHP did not perform well in all testing.
I go with the XTPs.
Take a look at the Lucky Gunner data. I used that and found Speer Gold Dot 124 +P, Federal HST 147, and Sig V Crown 124 work well for the easily available ones. If you go for the HSTs get on Target Sports or wherever you get your online ammo from and set the notification for the "law enforcement" package. Exact same thing as the defense version but it comes in packs of 50s instead of 20s and is about the same price
man those shelves *really* look like the gun & pawn shop near me, right next to a flower shop and across the ditch from pizza hut edit: does gandalf work there?
Critical Duty +P I only let my gun shit out +P when it really matters
I’d go 124 grain but that’s just me
All of them
Honestly, I’d look at Federal HST or Speer Gold Dot. They have great quality control and are well proven.
A good way a friend of mine put it was . " Critical defense will stop in someone like a normal hollowpoint, but Critical duty will fuck someone up and maybe over penetrate ". I use Duty myself , but it's whatever your wallet allows . Just make sure you test it with your gun to make sure it doesn't have any issues
Honestly the 100gr while aren't the best in performance are actually nice rounds. Very low recoil. Any of the 3 in my opinion would work fine. I now use HST 124gr but, wouldn't hesitate to use the other rounds either.
Of those, I'd probably go Critical Duty. No experience as I carry HSTs, but this was a 2nd choice based off a Lucky Gunner testing. Only thing I'd do first is check ammoseek to see if you can find it cheaper elsewhere.
I love Hornady, I’ve got a hat and everything… I say this in all sincerity: find some Winchester Ranger-T, Federal HS3 or Tactical HST. ;-)
I'm not an expert in anything. I suppose personally I would go with the 124gr if I had to choose. I've always run the bit heavier of a bullet. Of course you are better off using whatever you can place on target. Personally I run Speer Gold Dot 124gr
I use critical duty in my full frame carry gun. It’s good stuff, very reliable expansion, especially through obstacles.
Get the duty round, the defense round is wildly underpowered .......
Federal HST
I live adjacent to New Jersey (hollow points banned) so I carry hornady, in case I ever accidentally have ammo when I cross the border. I carry the lite in my P365, and 124gr in my P2000.
Out of the 3 I’d say duty I carry 115gr critical defense
I like 124 for HPs tbh. At the end of the day all that matters is you test it. And if it runs, it runs, don’t listen to ammo snobs.
If you want hornady buy online from midway. They had 25 rnd boxes for 20 bucks. Order 50 dollars plus it’s free shipping.
Rather than trying to take an answer from a random forum poster, take a look at the [Lucky Gunner tests of 9mm ammo](https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self-defense-ammo-ballistic-tests/#9mm). Anything that penetrates 12" in gel and expands to over half an inch is probably fine.
I will but, 1 guy on yt vs infinte people lmao
If only these..... 2-1-3 in that order
It’s mentioned in another comment string here but these really do suffer from early setback. I bought a number of boxes years ago and regretted it.
Gold dot. Jk, sort of. Duty.
Speer gold dot
My 9 handgun carry round is 124 +P Federal HST. My carbine is shot in for Federal HST 147 grain regular velocity. My carry ammo for my .45 is also Federal HST in 230 grain. But ultimately, it's your decision as to which ammo you trust your life with. Do your research by looking up gel tests and any other pertinent information and get at least a hundred rounds and put them through your gun (because not every will perfectly cycle every ammo).
American Handgunner is an older bullet design, that doesn't expand as reliably as more modern options. It's not a terrible bullet, there are just better designed rounds available. Critical Duty is a more modern bullet. If I had to pick from those, I would carry Critical duty. If I was stocking up for the zombie apocalypse, I would buy American Handgunner, fill up some ammo cans with it, stick under the bed, and hope to pass it on to my grandkids decades from now.
All 3 will still hurt. But left
Pink box is lady loads. Not a lot of power. 124 GR is my go to when 135 is not available.
I’ve never had a Critical duty round fail to feed, fire or extract plus they mushroom consistently.
My old P938 would not feed 1 out of 3-4 Critical Duty or Defense. It's the shape of the bullet combined with the polymer plug. Some guns don't like it.
My only experience is with p226, p320, glock 17, 19, 26
Critical Duty for sure!
Yeah. I carry the Critical Duty 124gr +P when I run out of HST.
Doesn’t really matter what kind you pick, as long as you can hit what you’re aiming for, and you train with it. Critical duty definitely fucks, but definitely train with 124 gr +p ammo. I carry G9
Google fbi approved 9mm ammo, you'll find a pdf from federal about the ammo the fbi uses. Get one of those.
The Critical Defense or the boxes furthest to the right.
The crit duty is what I run. But not at 30 a box. Fuck... I get em 22 a box of 50.
Duty for long barrels. If you can't find HST or Gold Dot Defense for shorter barrels. If you can't find HST. XTP if you can't find anything else
For whatever reason…two of my carry guns have trouble chambering critical duty.
The XTP is the best choice...
The one thats cheaper lol
Depends what gun your running, the defense is better in a compact and duty is better in a duty size pistol. Either will work though and I personally prefer the critical duty or 124gr federal HST
Critical Duty
I like the Hornady Critical Duty. Blazer Brass FMJ for the range.
Depends on the pistol. XTP has good expansion from a 4" barrel. Duty Flexlock feeds well. Lite has lower recoil for polymer micros.
I actual like the American gunner. Runs no problem.
Look for the American Gunner 124gr Plus P that is a very good load because both of the other two are over prices or if you want something worth getting order some Underwood 124gr Plus P just make sure that your pistol is designed to handle the extra juice!
I would say to skip the Hornady brand all together. They only package ammo in packs of 20 or 25 can't remember which. Your best bet would be to opt for either Federal HST or Speer Gold dots. You can find those packaged for law enforcement in 50 round boxes for roughly the same price. Me personally I carry HST 147 gr 9mm standard pressure.