Winchester Ranger

[ChrisM]

I have a box of Winchester Ranger Ammo I got for my 40. They are the 180gr. SXT's Are these good self defense rounds??

Thanks
Chris

[far_fast]

many would argue that they are THE best.

I carry ranger 9mm +P+ in my xd9.

[Majk]

I use them for my .45, 9mm & .380

[TN-popo]

IMO, the 180gr Ranger-T is one of the best SD .40 rounds you can use.

The civilian SXT version is a different bullet entirely and not in the same class as the Ranger-T.
Winchester confuses the issue by putting SXT on the Ranger box.
If the box says Ranger-T on it, you're good to go.
Best

Editted to add:
Some Winchester "Ranger" loads are not Ranger-T, such as...9mm 115gr +P+, .38Spec 110gr +P, .40 155gr.

[ChrisM]

They are Rangers. They were given to my FIL by the rangemaster at the Dept. he retred from and he gave me a box. Kinda look like a cut up hollow point.

Chris

[USMC_1983-89]

I've been shooting the Winchester Ranger 155 grain in my XD40 and just bought some of the 180 grain (250 rounds).

Curious though, how do these compare to the Hornady TAP (FPD) 155 grain in y'alls opinion. The TAP is also available in 180 grain. Hornady sure talks them up:

"Loaded with Hornady bullets that deliver the terminal performance law enforcement and military professionals have trusted for years.

"Revolutionary black, nickel-coated cases eliminate the potential for corrosion and improve feeding in all firearms.

"Propellents are engineered to protect your night vision by minimizing muzzle flash."

They cost considerably more, but I guess I'm attempting to see if y'all consider it "worth it".

EDIT: 15 grain changed to 155 grain.

[TN-popo]

Originally Posted by USMC_1983-89

I've been shooting the Winchester Ranger 15 grain in my XD40 and just bought some of the 180 grain (250 rounds).

Curious though, how do these compare to the Hornady TAP (FPD) 155 grain in y'alls opinion. The TAP is also available in 180 grain. Hornady sure talks them up:

"Loaded with Hornady bullets that deliver the terminal performance law enforcement and military professionals have trusted for years.

"Revolutionary black, nickel-coated cases eliminate the potential for corrosion and improve feeding in all firearms.

"Propellents are engineered to protect your night vision by minimizing muzzle flash."

They cost considerably more, but I guess I'm attempting to see if y'all consider it "worth it".

I'm going to assume you meant you use the 155gr Rangers.

The 155gr are not actually the "Ranger-T" rounds that are a superior design. In .40, only the 165gr and the 180gr loadings use the "Ranger-T" bullet...and I would stick with those.

All the marketing hype aside, the Hornady TAP testing results that I've seen are mediocre at best.

IMO, stick with...
Winchester Ranger-T 165gr or 180gr
Speer Gold Dot 155gr or 180gr
Federal Tactical 165gr or 180gr

Personally those are my top 6 loads...and I favor the 180gr loads in all three lines as my top 3.
Best

[vafish]

Originally Posted by TN-popo

All the marketing hype aside, the Hornady TAP testing results that I've seen are mediocre at best.

+1

The Hornady TAP loads are just their XTP bullet with a black coated casing.

The XTP is an older design that penetrates a lot and expands a little. They work pretty good as a hunting round in a .44 magnum, but I would choose a lot of other round for self defense before I picked the XTP.

[vagabond]

Originally Posted by far_fast

many would argue that they are THE best.

I carry ranger 9mm +P+ in my xd9.

I carry +P but now am concerned these powerful rounds will eventually damage the gun/barrel if repeatedly fired according to SA.

You may use any new commercially available ammo is ok to shoot. Most
surplus types are ok also although some may not function well in semi
automatic pistols. Due to the fact that our entire line of XD pistols
features fully supported and ramped barrels, using +P and +P+ ammunition
will not damage your gun. However, we do recommend that you make sure
the ammunition is American made and is in new condition (not repackaged
or reloaded.) Due to the increased power of +P and +P+ ammunition, the
cycling of your XD may be affected by this different ammunition. If you
are planning to use +P or +P+, we recommend that you fire it extensively
at the range before relying on it for concealed carry or self defense.
It is important to ensure that it will run reliably in your XD.
Although +P or +P+ ammunition will not damage your XD, a steady diet of
this higher power ammo may decrease the service life of the barrel
and/or firearm.



Thank you for your interest in our Springfield products.



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