There is more to choosing carry ammo than just "stopping power", velocity, and popularity. Few people will argue with the fact that reliabilty is the number one consideration, but what is reliabilty? Is it just the ability to function in a particular weapon? Personally, I look for overall quality and consistency, as well as water resistance and low flash.
After testing several brands and calibers of ammo for muzzle flash, water resistance, and performance in water and other media, I have found that premium loads perform the best overall. In .45 auto, .40S&W, and 9mm I prefer Winchester SXT, Remington Golden Saber, Federal Hydrashok, and Black Hills, all in the heaviest weights. I have also heard good things about Proload, although I do not know if their ammo is sealed for waterproofness. Hornady and CCI ammo failed my tests when left in a glass of water for two days, which really bugs me because I like ammo from both companies.
I have also noticed great variations in overall quality of ammo from most companies, including the big three. I have no problems with companies updating and improving their line of defensive ammo, but they should really make a note of it on the package so that consumers will remember to test the new product before deending on it. There is also a large quantity of Speer Gold Dot ammo, labeled as "Reclassified", which is being sold at gun shows and local gun shops throughout the country. I contacted Speer about this ammo, and it is, in fact rejected ammo that failed to meet specs. There is no way to find out why your particular box failed QC, so it cannot be relied upon. Speer reps. recommend against carrying this ammo for defense. It is good for function testing your particular weapon if you carry Gold Dot ammo. FYI :smile:
After testing several brands and calibers of ammo for muzzle flash, water resistance, and performance in water and other media, I have found that premium loads perform the best overall. In .45 auto, .40S&W, and 9mm I prefer Winchester SXT, Remington Golden Saber, Federal Hydrashok, and Black Hills, all in the heaviest weights. I have also heard good things about Proload, although I do not know if their ammo is sealed for waterproofness. Hornady and CCI ammo failed my tests when left in a glass of water for two days, which really bugs me because I like ammo from both companies.
I have also noticed great variations in overall quality of ammo from most companies, including the big three. I have no problems with companies updating and improving their line of defensive ammo, but they should really make a note of it on the package so that consumers will remember to test the new product before deending on it. There is also a large quantity of Speer Gold Dot ammo, labeled as "Reclassified", which is being sold at gun shows and local gun shops throughout the country. I contacted Speer about this ammo, and it is, in fact rejected ammo that failed to meet specs. There is no way to find out why your particular box failed QC, so it cannot be relied upon. Speer reps. recommend against carrying this ammo for defense. It is good for function testing your particular weapon if you carry Gold Dot ammo. FYI :smile: