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40S&W
joshmb1982
Member Posts: 8,228 ✭✭
what bullet weight is best for personal defence in this cal? ive looked up ballistics on a few different websites and they all show that the 155gr pills always move faster and hit harder then either the 165 or 180gr weights. so the 155gr is the way to go??? and whats the difference if any between 155gr +p and 155gt +p+??? bother are higher velovities right?
Comments
The 165 GR JHP or the 155 JHP![:)]
Check the ballistics on the 165 grainers before you buy them. Some of the companies' 165 grainers are slow. Such as Federal's Hydra-shok:
155 grain 1140 FPS 447 ftlbs
165 grain 980 FPS 352 ft lbs
135 grain 1200 FPS 432 ft lbs
Personally, I carry 155 grain.
"but that wouldn't really show up until past a few hundred yards I would think"
Wrong! the small hiper velosity bullet has high kenetic energy (foot pounds) but lacks inertia that the greater mass of the heavy bullet has.
In hunting guns, the small, fast bullet is suited to small critters such as you will find in varmit shooting. The heavy bullet is better suited to big game hunting because the inertia of it's mass will keep it going to penetrate further & reach the vitals. Think wide shallow wound with a light bullet, smaller hole deeper into the vitals with the heavy bullet.
The inertia you recognize as carrying the heavy bullet to greater range will also carry it deeper into your target.
If your use is target paper, the small bullet with the flatter trejectory is desirable, but often times your use will require a trade off, sacrificing velosity for penetration.
Long story, short version:
Shoot what you & your gun do the best with. Ballistics figures on paper don't mean much if you miss the target!
Jim
Interesting, I always carried the 180's. I always believed the bigger the better. May have to look at this more.
Remember, the 125 grain 357 magnum hollow point load is still considered one of the best self defense loads ever. Not the heavier 158 or 180 grain 357 magnum loads.
Now, the 40 is already starting a bit larger, since it is 40 caliber vs the 357 caliber of the classic magnum load. So, if you add a bit of weight to the bullet, like a 135 or 155 grainer you get a great stopper. But personally, I would not use the 180 grainers, as they run about 1000 FPS out of a 5" gun, but most self defense guns have shorter barrels thus less velocity. And many makers' 165 grain loads are real slow. So I stay with the lighter bullet, going faster...much like the classic 125 grain 357 magnum load of yore.
Personally I would see what your gun likes, and not worry so much about the numbers. Reliability is the foremost important, and in my opinion accuracy next, not terminal performance.
Example, my Glock model 22 I found seems to hold tighter groups with the lighter 155gr and 165gr ammo as opposed to the 180gr. And for some reason I notice a difference in recoil when I shoot. But my S&W SW40VE Sigma likes the 180gr better. In fact all I shoot is winchester whitebox FMJ 180gr, and it groups nice (though I don't carry it).
Seriously if I had time I would show you the difference. I can easily punch and hold a fist size hole at 15 yards with my sigma under most shooting conditions with the 180gr, but as soon as I load 155 or 165 it opens up to a paper plate, and its just the opposite with my glock. (Actually I get tighter groups with my glock