SPIKEHORN11

Whats the difference? Is one better that the other for self defence?

biscuit jake

I assume you are looking at a 45 automatic. Noone would want to be downrange of either bullet. Being an old fuddy duddy I lean towards the 230 grain. I confess that I am not a fan of handgun softpoints and hollow points. You also want something that feeds reliably! About that myth where someone falls over when he is hit "anywhere" with a 45. Not true. Must be a tv thing.

James B

I carry a 45 Auto as my carry gun. Like many, I carry 185 hollow points in the summer time and 230 grain in winter. Heavy clothing can render the light hollow point a bit less effective. Were I to limit myself to one load it would be the 230 FMJ. Its not a function thing with my gun as it will feed any style of bullet without a flaw. For competition I always loaded the 200 Grain SWC It functioned very well. I have bullet moulds for the 230 round nose and 200 grain SWC.

Roskoe

I have carried a Colt Commander around for about 30 years and shot a lot of critters with a lot of different bullets. The 230 gr. FMJ is such a fat bullet that I doesn't tend to over penetrate like the 9MM ball loads. And it should feed well inall guns. The lighter bullets have more speed to get expansion - some are better than others. Personally, the best all around bullet I have ever used is the 185 gr. Speer Gold Dot factory load. The 230 gr. Federal HydraShok is another good one.

harter66

Its a 45.
Feed it 230s .I know a fellow whom used just that a lot to stop men ,"it will knock a man down to 25 yrds out to sometimes 50 he'll still need a medic ", being as his 2nd tour put him on Hamburger hill I'd guess he'd know.

bigbulls

About 45 grains.

Sorry, couldn't resist.


Regardless of the cartridge I tend to prefer lighter weight, faster bullets. Lighter and faster bullets tend to produce more "shock" and trauma to the surrounding tissue than does a heavier and slower bullet. More trauma to surrounding organs and tissue is the goal.

Chuck R.

I use 230 grain (REM Golden Sabers) for both CCW and my nightstand gun primarily because it seems to be what both pistol’s fixed sights are regulated for.

The faster 185s shoot about 2.5" lower than POA.

Chuck

salukipv1

maybe I'm off but I'd compare it to the TKO formula for dangerous game in africa, ie momentum is better than energy, I'd lean to the bigger one for greater stopping power.

depends on hollow points vs solids etc...though too, same bullet though I'd go for the 230grs.

charlie brown

I carry a 45 for duty carry.

We carry Win Ranger 230 SXT's. I can tell you one thing, I wouldn't want to be in the way!!

Luckily I have not had to see how well these bullets work on a person.

I hope that I never get the opportunity to compare the two as to how well they work on a person.

I am sure either will work just fine.

Bottom line - - - - - Get a few boxes of different flavors and weights and see which shoots best, and pick that one. The one you are most comfortable with will be the best round for self defense.

Later,

Marcial

bigbulls

I don't think that the TKO formula applies here. We aren't trying to break shoulders and skulls and penetrate through feet of dense muscle of 2000 pound buffalo, 12,000 pound elephants, or 4000 pound hippos, etc...

We are simply trying to break a rib or sternum of a typical 150 - 250 pound male, penetrate through a couple layers of clothing, and have the bullet upset as much as possible when it enters the body.


Here is a good pic of light and fast vs. heavy and slow. The only two that would qualify as a fair comparison would be the 9mm 147 grain and the 357 Sig 125 grain since both bullets are .355" in diameter. The lighter and fastest bullet of the .357 Sig created a temporary wound cavity twice the size of the slower and heavier 9mm bullet. BTW, according to the article all bullets were Federal HST's.