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Longtooth,
I usually alternate mine too, if carrying an auto. Kinda curious if others use the same reasoning as i do. My reason is to have some expanding rounds and some for penetration--cardoors, windshields, and other types of "soft" cover. I figure if i do need to fire, i was trained for "pursuit by fire". In this case, keep shooting til they are down, not just til they start going down, so i know i'll be hitting them with some of each type. Anybody else have different reasoning behind doing the same thing?

Flint,
I love the .45Colt, but honestly, the loads i carry in that Ruger, i'd be very nervous to touch off in anything built any weaker. Taurus makes a great gun in my opinion, but I dont think they are on the same level as a Ruger in the overengineering department. I would definitely buy one of those Taurus guns in .45 Colt, but I have 2 Vaqueros and 2 Blackhawks, all in .45 Colt, and i dont wanna take the chance of accidently slipping one of my warm loads into that snubby cause i wasnt paying attention or it was dark or something. Murphy likes to visit me too much to take that chance. I have always been told the Taurus was made to handle standard loads, and these hunting/carry loads arent in the same class as most of the factory ammo out there pressure wise. Then again, i totally agree with your recommendation, at least to someone who is smarter than me and either doesnt reload, or at least is organized enough to keep them separate from the warm stuff.

Flint,
I almost hate to say this, but in the winter, especially when we get cold enough weather to make people bundle up, i often change my BUG from a snubby .357 to a .45 Colt Vaquero with heavy handloads topped with a 300gr Hornady XTP HP or a 300gr hardcast flat-nose. Both penetrate very well, and cover the need for a little extra punch. Only had to use this load once, and hopefully never again. It was the only handgun i had on me at the time, and it was an attempted carjacking. The BG got away, but i know he didnt enjoy the experience.

Flint,
I know you're right about HPs being much better suited to defense purposes. I am slowly getting back to that, but got used to having to be able to punch through various things that HPs are handicapped by, where FMJ keeps on going and gets to your target. Not as much application now that i'm out, but still a hard habit to break.

While overseas, I saw the damage a round does to a human body. These rounds included FMJ and HPs (dont ask, cause i didnt either) in 9mm and .45, along with various other calibers. Both the 9 and the .45 will go through a human chest, and usually keep on going, and that includes when they hit the spine and take some of that with them along for the ride. Having said that, i have carried FMJ .45s and will continue to feel safe while using them. I'd rather have some HPs too, as i like to alternate the two in my magazines, but wont feel undergunned with just .45 FMJ either. But i would seriously recommend being very careful of what is behind the threat, as you will probably hit it too, so it takes more careful use to be safe than a HP does. Now 9mm FMJ, i wont depend on for anything other than paper and tin cans unless it's the only thing i can possibly get a hold of. But have carried one stuffed with nothing but FMJs exactly because of the penetration potential that 9mm offers--vehicle defense, to penetrate vehicle doors and body panels. But that was in a military setting, and not civilian.