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unable to find/afford PD ammo? question

Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 10:18 pm
by TexasComputerDude
hey yall,

I used to be able to afford/find enough of my personal defense .45 ammo every year. (I shoot all my PD ammo once a year)

I would like to refresh my carry ammo but can't find any and even if I did I don't think I could stomach the unholy cost of 20 rounds of Federal Hydrashok in .45

How do yall feel about carrying regular FMJ ammo?

I feel fairly confident in my .45 already and really the only reason I put PD ammo in it is I am scared it might over penetrate.

idk, maybe I should just keep my current ammo, but I would like to test it every once and a while.



opinions?...

my carry weapon is a glock 30

Re: unable to find/afford PD ammo? question

Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 10:27 pm
by longtooth
Keep your current ammo. Most of us have been rotating it out way more often than once a yr. I know I have been hanging onto mine now w/o worrying about age. I suspect a lot more folks are too.
If you are not seeing any bullet pushback on your barrel round dont worry about it.

My 02cents & some think it worth about half that.

Re: unable to find/afford PD ammo? question

Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 10:34 pm
by TexasComputerDude
actually, this forum taught me about pushback when I first joined.
I now rotate what round goes first and inspect them.

I guess I just need to stop buying the computer gadgets for a little while and invest in some new ammo some time lol.

Re: unable to find/afford PD ammo? question

Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 10:41 pm
by Oldgringo
TexasComputerDude Asked:

How do yall feel about carrying regular FMJ ammo?
Many, many years ago the Geneva Convention outlawed expanding, Dum-Dum and HP bullets, etc. among civilized nations engaged in war. Many wars have been fought, lost and won using FMJ bullets. You'll probably be okay without SD ammo.
"rlol"

Re: unable to find/afford PD ammo? question

Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 10:46 pm
by TexasComputerDude
lol hadn't thought about that lol.

Re: unable to find/afford PD ammo? question

Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 10:47 pm
by lrb111
The way I have perceived the crop of hollow points is the more "advanced" ammo expands more reliably when passing through many layers of clothing. Summer time in Texas, there just aren't folks wearing many layers. Most aren't wearing much more than t-shirt material.
I'm ok with something like Remington UMC HP. I can always use a razor blade to score the jacket more like a Gold Dot, or Hydra-Shok.

Re: unable to find/afford PD ammo? question

Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 10:48 pm
by boomerang
If you have good quality SD ammo it should go bang even if it's old.

Re: unable to find/afford PD ammo? question

Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 10:51 pm
by TexasComputerDude
well I used to carry spear gold dots but then moved to federal hydrasok because they were easier to get lol.

Re: unable to find/afford PD ammo? question

Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 11:14 pm
by Frost
If you happen to have a caliper or one you could borrow you could check for setback.

Not many options as long as the insanity in the ammo market continues(link).

Re: unable to find/afford PD ammo? question

Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 11:33 pm
by Rocket_Cowboy
Pushback?

Re: unable to find/afford PD ammo? question

Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 1:04 am
by Backslider
Rocket_Cowboy wrote:Pushback?
The term was new to me up until a couple of weeks ago. I heard it as setback, also referenced on this thread.

As I understand it, the nose of the bullet is pushed back into the cartridge after multiple chamberings, causing increased pressures on firing and theoretically catastrophic results.

IMO, If my pistol isn't capable of tolerating the bullet being seated 1/4" beyond standard depth in the casing, I feel like I shouldn't be firing it in the first place.

Re: unable to find/afford PD ammo? question

Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 1:27 am
by mdek
Consider changing out what PD ammo you carry according to what you can find.

I believe Winchester bonded 230grn is in stock at OMB Police Supply: http://www.ombexpress.com/c_11/p_AM681. ... e=152INEMI" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you keep a constant watch on various shops and read certain forums you can often find just about anything specific you may want for a reasonable price, but that takes a time commitment most people can't make.

Re: unable to find/afford PD ammo? question

Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 7:35 am
by MoJo
FMJ is better than a pointy stick or, a stern look but, JHP rules in self defense ammo. You are going into a fight for your life with a miserably underpowered weapon and you need to give yourself every advantage. Keep your current hollow points until you find more. Look for 50 round boxes and buy more than one that way you'll have some backup ammo.

The Geneva Convention addresses POWs and displaced persons the ammunition question is addressed by the Hague Accords which, by the way, the U. S. never subscribed to.

Re: unable to find/afford PD ammo? question

Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 4:31 pm
by Mike from Texas
MoJo wrote:FMJ is better than a pointy stick or, a stern look but, JHP rules in self defense ammo. You are going into a fight for your life with a miserably underpowered weapon and you need to give yourself every advantage. Keep your current hollow points until you find more. Look for 50 round boxes and buy more than one that way you'll have some backup ammo.

The Geneva Convention addresses POWs and displaced persons the ammunition question is addressed by the Hague Accords which, by the way, the U. S. never subscribed to.
Yep, what he said. And I would almost shoot FMJ before I would shoot Hydra Shoks.

Re: unable to find/afford PD ammo? question

Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 4:51 pm
by TexasComputerDude
just curious, but why don't you like the hydrashocks?

I bought them because they were easy to get since the local hardware store used to keep them in stock them for the police and I never could find anything else really.