Thoughts on the XD 45 Compact ....

[jtkratzer]

Originally Posted by buckeyered

Is there a brand of ammo that the XD45 does not like or that it prefers? I just bought my 4" XD45c and have not shot it yet. I want to carry the same ammo I shoot at the range so I am looking at the budget ammo like WWB, Blazzer Brass, UMC, American Eagle and the likes. Are any of these favored over another? Should I avoid any certain brands?

Blazer Brass is the cheapest stuff I can find and it works perfectly in mine. No issues at all. Just curious as to why you want to carry FMJs for self-defense?

[LKB3rd]

Originally Posted by jtkratzer

Blazer Brass is the cheapest stuff I can find and it works perfectly in mine. No issues at all. Just curious as to why you want to carry FMJs for self-defense?

I've been getting blazer brass at Walmart for 11.97 a box lately and it has worked fine with no problems whatsoever.
The guy at the ammo counter (old gruff guy who i like) told me that fmj is the only type of ammo that should be fired through any auto pistol. I asked him if it was because of reliability, and he said yes. I didn't argue with him, but i think he is thinking of old school 1911's which are designed for fmj, and not modern autos or modern ammo. So there's an example of someone who thinks fmj's only should be fired through any auto and why he thinks so.

[nickb]

Originally Posted by buckeyered

Is there a brand of ammo that the XD45 does not like or that it prefers? I just bought my 4" XD45c and have not shot it yet. I want to carry the same ammo I shoot at the range so I am looking at the budget ammo like WWB, Blazzer Brass, UMC, American Eagle and the likes. Are any of these favored over another? Should I avoid any certain brands?

The only thing I've any trouble with in any XD is non-brass Blazer.

[buckeyered]

I use to carry the personal protection type ammo but I get nervious when it's been in the pistol over a couple of months and at the cost of the personal defense type ammo I cant afford to change that type of ammo on a regular basis but I can always shoot the cheaper stuff and replace it whenever I want without the added cost.

Originally Posted by jtkratzer

Just curious as to why you want to carry FMJs for self-defense?

[RBOWWOW]

You need to strongly consider the Defense ammos - it's become necessary due to the fact that non defense ammo will penetrate not only the perpetrator but the other innocent person standing behind them - for which you WILL BE charged with murder (in some degree).

[Bree]

I carry my XD-45C every day. I wear it on a belt holster or tote it in a Fatboy Versipack depending on how I feel that day and what I want to wear. The gun is absolutely reliable and spot on accurate. It is very safe to carry in Condition 1... cocked and locked.

I don't use cheap ammo and don't recommend that anyone chisel price on carry ammo. Even at the range I use good MagTech FMJ's. Just bought 1,000 rounds of it.

For daily carry, I use Federal LE Expanding Full Metal Jackets (EFMJ) alternated with Federal LE HST's. This gives me a blend of highly reliable FMJ with outstanding expansion properties and a very hairy slice and dice round with outstanding incapacitation properties. Both rounds are capable of immediate incapacitation of a BG.

I load two EFMJ's first... one in the oven and one on top of the stack. The EFMJ's have the highest feed reliability since they are full metal jacket rounds. I want two shots off with no real possibility of a hollow point feed problem which can happen with any hollow point ammo to just about any semi-automatic pistol. The EFMJ's also expand against almost all obstructions unlike many hollow points.

That said, expanded HSTs are terribly destructive bullets. If I have to fire a third round, the BG will definitely not want one of these things coursing through his body. Damn things are like little buzz saws.

Once again, either round can immediately incapacitate and that is my object. I don't think you can go wrong with an XD-45C loaded in this way or with similar premium ammunition. I would feel just as good with Gold Dots, Corbon Powerballs or JHP's, Ranger T's, Silvertips, Hornady TAPs or a half dozen other excellent cartridges. Use the one(s) that work best and feel best to you.

[Slimz13]

Im 6'2", 170lbs, tall and lanky and I could carry the 4" compact easily in a couple of places in my belt. I dont have a CCW permit yet but I can tell you I'll have no trouble carrying once i do. I use 180gr Silvertips for my nightstand load, more because its the only real defense ammo my local store carries consistently. I have a pretty tight budget so I practice mostly with reloads or the walmart special of the week..

I like your idea, Bree, with the EFMJ's. That sounds like a very sensible load. Though if you carry your XD in condition 1, couldn't you keep a nice JHP in the stove?

[Bree]

Originally Posted by Slimz13

Im 6'2", 170lbs, tall and lanky and I could carry the 4" compact easily in a couple of places in my belt. I dont have a CCW permit yet but I can tell you I'll have no trouble carrying once i do. I use 180gr Silvertips for my nightstand load, more because its the only real defense ammo my local store carries consistently. I have a pretty tight budget so I practice mostly with reloads or the walmart special of the week..

I like your idea, Bree, with the EFMJ's. That sounds like a very sensible load. Though if you carry your XD in condition 1, couldn't you keep a nice JHP in the stove?

Absolutely! You could put any round you want in the oven. I put an EFMJ in there not because of the feed property but because the EFMJ has another special property that I like. The casing is internally scored (weakened) and has a tough rubber under the case and over a lead core. When it impacts anything the case collapses along the score lines and it gets squished out along with the rubber... it expands... and quite elegantly I might add.

A hollow point generally expands by virtue of hydraulic pressure when fluid gets into the hollow and forces the bullet to expand. But when non-liquid stuff gets into the hollow it can sometimes act as a plug and turn the hollow point into essentially a piece of ball ammo with little or no expansion. Or sometimes it can implode and collapse rather than expand depending on what it hits first... e.g. steel.

The EFMJ does not rely on hydraulic presssure for expansion. It just gets smushed by anything it comes in contact with and it starts smushing out immediately upon impact. So I think you get a more reliable expansion under a wider variety of circumstances. It also tends to hold all of its mass without fragmenting.

It isn't perfect but it just adds a tiny little bit to my probabilities I think. I could very well run EFMJ's for the entire load but I like the HST petals and the penetration. The picture of one of these things spinning through flesh makes me cringe. I get the feeling that if this doesn't stop the BG, nothing will. It is a nasty looking thing.

[BMFOTP]

Bree,
I have found that Winchester ammo works best in my XD-45 Compact. I was surprised at how tight the groups are with Winchester ammo. I have tried the Federal, Hornaday, Gold Dots and other premium ammo. I have gone with your suggestion and use both the bonded and T series of ammo from Winchester in my weapon. I figure worst case I have to shoot through glass and the bonded will get the job done and the Winchester T series will make a BG wish he never came across that ammo. I hope to never use my weapon in a SD situation but if I do I am very confident that the Winchester ammo I have in my weapon will end the situation in a positive manner.

[rgeliske]

Originally Posted by RBOWWOW

You need to strongly consider the Defense ammos - it's become necessary due to the fact that non defense ammo will penetrate not only the perpetrator but the other innocent person standing behind them - for which you WILL BE charged with murder (in some degree).

I absolutely agree FMJ is fine in a combat situation where you are less concerned with the bullet passing through the intended target but in a home defense situation penetration is a real concern. You do not want to shoot a child in the next room or a bystander standing behind your intended target. With todays ammunitions you do not have to be overly concerned with rounds kept in the mags for extended periods. If you shot up the rounds in the mag every year or so they would easily still be reliable. You should practice with you carry rounds more often than that. I understand your concern for expense but a innocents safety is worth more than $20 a year.