[GunRunner]

Well I just found out that my friend just bought a reloader and offered to put together some custom loads if I wanted any.

I've been shooting whatever the gunshop has cheap so far - not really caring as I've been shooting rented guns anyway. But... now that I finally have my mark 23 HK I started thinking about non target loads too.

What would one of you cartridge genius guys put together for short range non armored defense (home protection)?

**I know that .45 is a pretty overkill round for home protection and I'm sure you guys would worry about over penetration and worrying about others in the surrounding area, but first off I live in a more rural home by myself most of the time; and second, I watch my background. I guess my third reason would be that I don't really feel like buying another handgun and I don't think I would ever buy myself a shotgun that wasn't a high grade field or target gun.

So, whatever you guys could come up with would be much appreciated! Thanks!

 

[ssnell]

In the concealed carry classes I needed to take to get my permit, we were told that we should never use reloads for anything defensive. It did not have anything to do with reliability, but rather legal liability.
If, for some reason you would actually have to shoot someone to stop a threat, you do not want to do it with something you "made up yourself".
So my suggestion would be to use something that comes in a box marked Defense load. I use Winchester 230gr stx, or Hydro shocks when I can find them. But if you are worried about over penetration, you can look at the Glasser safety slugs (sp)? Or something along those lines.
I don't veiw the .45 as an overly powerful round, so I'm not really worried about over penetration, .45 is big and slow, it's not going very far after it hits a wall.

Scott

 

[Mike 44]

I agree with what Scott about using reloads for self defense. You just don't know what can happen in a court room when they find out you rolled your own. I may be getting paranoid as I get older but I don't even use hollow points for self defense anymore, I actually have wadcutters in my mod 60 that I carry.

 

[Fuelburns2]

I would say you should feel free to use reloads and just not tell anyone. I can't see why it would be a big issue. If you shot a burglar with a reload in the back then that would be different, otherwise it is still self defense. At least I think so. :?:

 

[GunRunner]

Okay, fair enough. If you HAD to shoot someone with a reload - how would you load it?

 

[uglydog]

From what I've seen and the bit I've read, the use of reloaded ammo for self defense is pretty much a non-issue. If the shooting is ruled justified, the accompanying civil suit is pretty difficult to win if it is even allowed to continue. You have been exhonerated of wrong doing, not just found not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If the shooting is ruled unjustified, it is immaterial in that you will spend all your assests on legal fees in an attempt to stay out of prison and there will be nothing left for the victim's heirs.
I stick with factory ammo as I have experienced more ammo problems with various home reloads than with factory rounds. Poor resizing, light or no powder drops, incorrect cartridge length, crimped semi-auto rounds, damaged brass, and other problems have cropped up at times. Add to this the idea that somebody whose reloading prowess is an unknown would lead me to prefer factory loads. I also find that some factory loads have much less muzzleflash than any reload as the factories can get powders that are not available to the reloader. This may not seem important at the range but it can be very important when firing in low light conditions which is when most self defense incidents occur. One must remember that multiple hits are often needed to stop an attack and instances of more than one intruder are nearly as common as a single intruder.
If you insist on using reloads, any reload that approximates your preferred target load will do.

 

[Drop-Shot]

I'm with uglydog,I use federal hydroshocks in my 45 glock and have never had a fail to feed or shoot.Its a crying shame we have to know something about the law to defend ourselves but we have to be carefull.Shooting times mag had an article several years ago and it explained what happened after the man had to shoot an intruder,he lost his gun till the courts cleared him(took several years),he spent his inheritance defending himself and almost lost his house.The family of the man that was shot said he had mental problems and needed to be in a hospital,they sued doctors and the home owner.The homeowner won and was given his pistol back,after he was broke,Just make sue that shooting is the only way out,the article was written by an x-lawofficer and he said to shoot off the self ammo for legal reasons.I can't remember how far back the article was but I remember it well.Drop-Shot

 

[mike .308]

I would use a 135 gr. federal.

 

[Fuelburns2]

If you have to shoot someone in self defense make sure they're dead so they can't sue you later. Dead criminals don't lie.

That's the recommendation of a certain police officer I asked.

 

[Tusker]

I would be with DROP SHOT on this one. I keep some Fed HYDRA SHOCKS< +P on hand for carry. I wouldnt care to use someones elses reloads. Over P I don't care about either.

 

[Weeg]

No way I'd use "home rolled" for my "hot" magazines...For the reasons above


R

 

[TheRedScare]

230 gr. Hydra Shocks is the way to go.

 

[JoePistol]

Full power loads in a 45 acp are probably a little on the
powerful side for home defense. A 230 gr ball will go
through most walls and also through a neighbors wall.
I use a load from the store by a company called corbon
who specialize in defense type loads. It is about
180 gr and has cavernous hollow point. Even with this
severe hollow point it might get through a couple
walls, but would probably be better than 230 gr ball.
You might try and find some frangible stuff, that
breaks up on hard surface if you want the 45 for
home defense. Actually I like a shotgun with bird
shot for home defense. It will work very well at
the short ranges inside a house yet break up pretty
well going into walls and not hurt neighbors.
If I had to use a pistol on home defense I would
choose a 38 special +p like the Winchester
125 grain silver tip hollow point which gives a
velocity of 900 fps. It will penetrate 12 inches of
flesh, which is about the size from chest to back
on a normal person, thereby just making it through
the attacker and falling on the floor behind him.

 

[byf43]

For home defense loads, I go with either Federal 230 gr. Hydrashoks, or Winchester 185 gr. Silvertips, depending on the pistol.
For my wife's revolver, it's stoked with Federal .38 Spec. 'Nyclad' 125 gr. +P LHPs.

I'm not worried about the lawsuit re: ammo used. I'm making sure that my family is protected.

If someone's in my house (un-invited) after I go to bed, they are a threat, especially if they make it to the stairs to the bedrooms.

Keith

 

[jack62]

If i was to do this, I would load a hollow point type copper Rd bullet, to a +P type velocity. I would want a minium of 200 Gn for weight. the extra velocity will be for mushroom effect with the hollow point. My choice of factory carry are Powerballs. For they give this effect and being of the ball shape they will most likely cycle. :wink: Jack

 

[Dave375hh]

There has never been a single case where the use of handloaded ammo came up in court. This paranoia was started by Mossad Ayooub(no way I spelled that right). He described a fantasy scenario with handloads as a liability in a non-existent court scenario. He did this so he could then promote Corbon ammo instead of handloads, Surprise! He has/or had a financial intrest in the company at that time. This trumped up fantasy has been repeated more times than a Demoncrap saying "Tax break for the rich". These are the facts as opposed to Ayooub's self-serving fantasy.

That said my bedside .45 gets 185gr Hornady XTP's over 7.2 gr of Unique with a Win WLP primer. I'd prefer to use Speer Golddots but my bedside .45 doesn't like them like the others do???????

 

[wwb]

Ranier hard cast/plated 230 grain hollowpoints over 6.8 grains of Hodgdon Longshot. A truly serious .45 ACP load.

Oh, yeah.... put in a 22 lb spring before you shoot 'em. That standard 16.5 lb spring hasn't even started to slow the slide down by the time it hits home.

With that said, as much as I like to shoot a 1911, there's a .357 Wheelgun in my nightstand.