Which 9mm ammo has the LEAST penetration? - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

Senegat · 09-04-2005, 04:19 PM

I live in an apartment and have an XDSC 9mm for self defense. I'm very concerned about shooting people that literally live all around me. The guy at the store told me 147 gr. Winchester Supreme SXT is the best option. He actually told me to get those in place of Glaser Safety Rounds. Another guy told me the round with the least penetration would be Federal 124 gr. hydra shock JHP.

So what do you guys think? Which round is least likely to kill someone on the other side of the wall? I'm tempted to just go with Glaser rounds. The only reason the guy at the store told me not to get Glaser rounds is because they are +P, but I've read enough on here to gather the XDSC can handle +P rounds, so maybe those are the best after all.

And by the way, I really don't care about stopping power. I'm willing to lower the chances of the bad guy going down if it means ensuring the safety of those around me.

DigMe · 09-04-2005, 04:25 PM

I wouldn't mess with frangible rounds. For me first priority is stopping bad guy. I think the chances of the round going through a wall and striking and killing someone are slim. Yes, I know it's possible and it has happened but it's so rare that first priority is good ammo for stopping the bad guy. Winchester Ranger or Speer Gold Dot either in any weight.

If you really insist on something with low penetration (which equals way less effective in doing the job it's designed to do) then I'd go with a light weight Cor-bon...like 115 grain or so.

brad cook

panther308 · 09-04-2005, 06:13 PM

I have tried aguila IQ ammo (9mm flavor) did not impress me as far as penetration

ampleworks · 09-04-2005, 10:18 PM

Regardless what you are shooting, its going to have the chance to penetrate unless we're talking about a 22 or birdshot. Even then, 22s can chop through drywall pretty easily.

BrokenArrow · 09-05-2005, 01:02 PM

You are confusing penetration of the intervening barrier w penetration after the barrier.

The Aguila IQ ammo is intended to stay together through hard stuff, then separate in soft stuff; it does. It will blast through a wall/door just fine.

Glasers, contrary to popular belief, do not blow up on contact w walls, doors, leather jackets, etc. Glasers penetrate std iinterior walls and doors almost as well as FMJ ammo.

we tested the 9/40/45/38/357 Glaser by shooting them through a piece of plywood, paper and melon. The Glasers went through the plywood, left a little round hole in the paper, then blew up in the melon.

The std pressure 115g 9x19 Silvertip penetrates about 12 - 13 inches after wallboard, plywood, and steel in the FBI tests. a 155/40 and 125/357SIG JHP about 14 - 23 inches. A 45 JHP about the same.

In gel after penetrating std interior walls:

147/9 23"
180/40 25"
230/45 30"
12g buck 23"
12g slug 23"
223/5.56 55g FMJ 16"
223/5.56 62g FMJ 11.5"
223 69g BTHP 12"
223 75g BTHP 13"

Senegat · 09-05-2005, 02:23 PM

Okay, so I still don't know the answer to this question...

Everything else being equal, are heavier rounds more likely to penetrate walls and kill someone on the other side? Or is it the opposite?

I'm just wondering why the guy told me to get 147 gr. instead of Glasers. I'm assuming it's because he thought the heaviest bullet would penetrate less. Then again, he told me to get hollow points, so maybe he thought the hollow point would stop penetration, and he wasn't paying any attention to the grain.

MTEagle1 · 09-05-2005, 04:14 PM

You didn't say what kind of store so was it a gun counter at a range or at a multi-purpose store? Selling guns doesn't make one an expert in their use. If you want to make sure the bullet wont go through the wall & hit some else then practice until you never miss or buy a shotgun & load it with birdshot. But at 10-15 feet 12ga birdshot still makes a big hole through both sides of an interior wall without insulation between them.

Ask your local police department what they use.

Senegat · 09-05-2005, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTEagle1

You didn't say what kind of store so was it a gun counter at a range or at a multi-purpose store? Selling guns doesn't make one an expert in their use. If you want to make sure the bullet wont go through the wall & hit some else then practice until you never miss or buy a shotgun & load it with birdshot. But at 10-15 feet 12ga birdshot still makes a big hole through both sides of an interior wall without insulation between them.

Ask your local police department what they use.

It was basically a gun shop that sells primarily guns, and the guy was old as hell which made me think he was wise concerning bullet selection.

DigMe · 09-05-2005, 07:59 PM

All things being equal in 9mm generally a 147gr round will penetrate slightly deeper than 124 or 127 gr and both will usually penetrate deeper than a 115gr.

brad cook

Senegat · 09-05-2005, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DigMe

All things being equal in 9mm generally a 147gr round will penetrate slightly deeper than 124 or 127 gr and both will usually penetrate deeper than a 115gr.

brad cook

Thanks. I suppose this means I'll get 115gr. in hollow point for minimum penetration.

09-04-2005, 04:19 PM	#1
Senegat XDTalk Newbie Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 26	Which 9mm ammo has the LEAST penetration? I live in an apartment and have an XDSC 9mm for self defense. I'm very concerned about shooting people that literally live all around me. The guy at the store told me 147 gr. Winchester Supreme SXT is the best option. He actually told me to get those in place of Glaser Safety Rounds. Another guy told me the round with the least penetration would be Federal 124 gr. hydra shock JHP. So what do you guys think? Which round is least likely to kill someone on the other side of the wall? I'm tempted to just go with Glaser rounds. The only reason the guy at the store told me not to get Glaser rounds is because they are +P, but I've read enough on here to gather the XDSC can handle +P rounds, so maybe those are the best after all. And by the way, I really don't care about stopping power. I'm willing to lower the chances of the bad guy going down if it means ensuring the safety of those around me.

09-04-2005, 04:25 PM	#2
DigMe XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Waco, TX Posts: 1,540	I wouldn't mess with frangible rounds. For me first priority is stopping bad guy. I think the chances of the round going through a wall and striking and killing someone are slim. Yes, I know it's possible and it has happened but it's so rare that first priority is good ammo for stopping the bad guy. Winchester Ranger or Speer Gold Dot either in any weight. If you really insist on something with low penetration (which equals way less effective in doing the job it's designed to do) then I'd go with a light weight Cor-bon...like 115 grain or so. brad cook __________________ This space for rent. .jpgs and .gifs need not apply.

09-04-2005, 06:13 PM	#3
panther308 XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 517	I have tried aguila IQ ammo (9mm flavor) did not impress me as far as penetration __________________ panther308 Always Remember: A firearm is only an instrument. It contains no evil, no conscience, and no ability. It is strictly the intent, competence, and character of its user that decide the outcome of any and all actions taken with it.

09-04-2005, 10:18 PM	#4
ampleworks XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Communistic Ohio Posts: 1,159	Regardless what you are shooting, its going to have the chance to penetrate unless we're talking about a 22 or birdshot. Even then, 22s can chop through drywall pretty easily. __________________ *Ampleworks*

09-05-2005, 01:02 PM	#5
BrokenArrow XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Lost In Space Posts: 116	You are confusing penetration of the intervening barrier w penetration after the barrier. The Aguila IQ ammo is intended to stay together through hard stuff, then separate in soft stuff; it does. It will blast through a wall/door just fine. Glasers, contrary to popular belief, do not blow up on contact w walls, doors, leather jackets, etc. Glasers penetrate std iinterior walls and doors almost as well as FMJ ammo. we tested the 9/40/45/38/357 Glaser by shooting them through a piece of plywood, paper and melon. The Glasers went through the plywood, left a little round hole in the paper, then blew up in the melon. The std pressure 115g 9x19 Silvertip penetrates about 12 - 13 inches after wallboard, plywood, and steel in the FBI tests. a 155/40 and 125/357SIG JHP about 14 - 23 inches. A 45 JHP about the same. In gel after penetrating std interior walls: 147/9 23" 180/40 25" 230/45 30" 12g buck 23" 12g slug 23" 223/5.56 55g FMJ 16" 223/5.56 62g FMJ 11.5" 223 69g BTHP 12" 223 75g BTHP 13" __________________ Mike >>>>----> In archery we have three goals: to shoot accurately, to shoot powerfully, to shoot rapidly. - Anonymous Byzantine general, On Strategy (Peri Strategias) c. AD 527-65

09-05-2005, 02:23 PM	#6
Senegat XDTalk Newbie Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 26	Okay, so I still don't know the answer to this question... Everything else being equal, are heavier rounds more likely to penetrate walls and kill someone on the other side? Or is it the opposite? I'm just wondering why the guy told me to get 147 gr. instead of Glasers. I'm assuming it's because he thought the heaviest bullet would penetrate less. Then again, he told me to get hollow points, so maybe he thought the hollow point would stop penetration, and he wasn't paying any attention to the grain.

09-05-2005, 04:14 PM	#7
MTEagle1 XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Great Falls, MT Posts: 226	You didn't say what kind of store so was it a gun counter at a range or at a multi-purpose store? Selling guns doesn't make one an expert in their use. If you want to make sure the bullet wont go through the wall & hit some else then practice until you never miss or buy a shotgun & load it with birdshot. But at 10-15 feet 12ga birdshot still makes a big hole through both sides of an interior wall without insulation between them. Ask your local police department what they use. __________________ LeRoy Patterson Eagle Firearms Instruction NRA Instructor 101st Airborne FIA C-12411

09-05-2005, 07:59 PM	#9
DigMe XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Waco, TX Posts: 1,540	All things being equal in 9mm generally a 147gr round will penetrate slightly deeper than 124 or 127 gr and both will usually penetrate deeper than a 115gr. brad cook __________________ This space for rent. .jpgs and .gifs need not apply.

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