SELF-DEFENSE CHOOSING AMMO FOR A HANDGUN

by Travis Pike

Choosing the right self-defense handgun ammo is a critical element, and the process can be confusing for a new shooter. A little bit of knowledge can go a long way, though, so I’m going to break it all down in an easy-to-follow tutorial that your staff can use to help a new shooter choose wisely.

WHY PROPER SELF-DEFENSE AMMO IS IMPORTANT

Self-defense ammo is purpose-built to be as effective as possible when used in a self-defense situation. This involves a specialized projectile known as a hollow point or jacketed hollow point (see below for more detail). High-quality self-defense ammo is designed to maximize reliability to ensure it will always fire when you pull the trigger.

Traditional ammo is called ball or full metal jacket. It's best used for training purposes and is not advisable for self-defense. That’s because ball rounds can over-penetrate the target. When that happens, the bullet will continue on its path, creating the possibly of harming a bystander. These rounds also tend to create small holes in the threat and deliver very little in the way of threatstopping damage. They are not the choice when you need to stop a threat as quickly and efficiently as possible.

A properly designed round of defensive ammo is highly unlikely to overpenetrate. It's also more likely to stop a threat in as few rounds as possible, as long as the shooter can properly place their shots.

The best judge of penetration is properly calibrated 10-percent ballistic gel. The FBI ballistic standard is for a bullet to penetrate at least 12 inches of ballistic gel, but not more than 18 inches (to ensure the round will not overpenetrate).

The proper projectile for self-defense is a jacketed hollow point. It delivers threat-stopping terminal performance without any over-penetration issues.

Let’s say your customer’s gun is chambered for 9mm, a very popular self-defense round. Before you can recommend a particular brand, you need to know the length of the barrel (length affects terminal performance). Once you know the model and barrel length of the gun in question, you can help the customer select the best choice for them.

Choosing The Right Projectile

Whatever brand the customer is interested in, keep in mind that the proper projectile for selfdefense is a jacketed hollow point. A jacketed hollow point has a hollow cavity in the center of the projectile. The jacket refers to the copper that surrounds what is often a lead projectile. This jacket helps ensure reliable feeding in semiauto pistols. The hollow point allows the round to expand. When it strikes a soft target, the hollow point fills, and this forces the projectile to open and expand. As it expands, the projectile grows in size and causes greater damage to the threat. These rounds also slow down when they hit the target, which prevents them from overpenetrating. This is why you should recommend JHP ammo.

Bullet Weight

When shopping for handgun ammo, your customer will be confronted with a wide variety of bullet weights. This occurs with every caliber and can be very confusing. For example, if you start shopping for 9mm hollow points, you'll see three common weights: 115 grain, 124 grain, and 147 grain, which might leave you asking which one is the best for self-defense. Each one could be the right answer, but it really depends on your customer’s gun. Part of proper penetration and expansion depends on the velocity of the round. Heavier rounds move slower, and lon- ger barrels help the rounds move faster. If you are going to fire a heavier round, it's often better to fire it from a longer barrel to ensure it reaches the right velocity to properly penetrate and expand.

Bullet weight can also have a slight effect on recoil. It can be almost imperceptible, but it

In order to recommend the proper ammo, you need to know specifics of the customer's firearm, such as barrel length and caliber. You should ask if the customer is recoil sensitive.

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The Casing

A brass casing is both the most common and the most desired for self-defense ammunition. Brass cases also are the most reliable when it comes to feeding, extracting, and ejecting. They also expand upon being fired, which helps create a gas seal that maximizes the velocity of a round. The brass casing then contracts to allow for proper extraction and ejection.

One desirable, but not necessary, feature is a nickel-plated brass case. The nickel plating adds a layer of protection to the ammunition and helps prevent the tarnishing that is common with brass. Self-defense ammo is often carried in the gun for months at a time; nickel plating helps protect from corrosion. The slick nature of such a coating also helps it feed in semi-autos and eject easier from a revolver.

THE +P IN POWER

The customer may ask about self-defense ammo that is identified as “+P”. That +P means it’s “overpressure” ammo. In other words, it has a higher velocity. Such ammo can typically squeeze out another 100 feet per second when fired. As mentioned above, more velocity ensures consistent penetration and expansion as well as more striking energy.

That little extra oomph often results in a bit of snappy recoil, especially in smaller guns designed for concealed carry. That little extra power is a personal choice, and a +P load is not necessary for handgun self-defense ammo.

 Bullet weight can be confusing to new shooters. Take the time to fully explain how it affects terminal performance.

Note: if your customer is considering this ammo, make sure their gun is rated for +P ammo.

It doesn't take much to find good defensive ammo these days, though there is admittedly a sea of it out there vying for the attention and the purchase power of consumers. When it comes time to recommend specific manufacturers, you can’t go wrong with Speer, Hornady, Federal, and SIG Sauer.