S&W Shield bullet weight/SD Ammo

[302w 83]

My dad recently bought a 9mm shield, and we were wondering what ammo may be best for it.

 

There is a plethora of "self defense" 9mm ammo available, but I was particularly interested in Hornady Critical Defense because it was advertised as optimal for short barreled guns and very low flash. Unfortunately it is 115 grain, and I would like 135 or 147. This is my dads carry gun.

 

I'm more keen on using the heaviest bullet weight available for self defense rounds, and a slower heavier bullet is perceived as less snappy to a faster lighter bullet. However, I am intrigued on the merits of Critical Duty.

 

I would prefer non-P loadings if possible. Any suggestions? Please don't just say Federal HST/Hornady CD/etc. Let me know why you like certain ammunition for short barreled guns.

 

 

[MidwestPX 172]

For M&Ps, I prefer faster, lighter bullets and +p loadings.  The reason is, the M&P design seems to suffer from premature unlocking which is detrimental to accuracy.  I've found that with my full-size and Pro, when I'm pushing the lighter bullets faster, they're a little more accurate than sending slower loads or heavy 147s.  

[Shocker 150]

I like CD in my 9mm Shield mostly because I thought it shot well. I didn't think it was especially snappy but my go-to gun is a .40.

 

A lighter bullet will get up to speed faster in that miniature barrel and you need speed for expansion. Heavier bullets can (note: CAN) penetrate deeper but chances are you aren't shooting through barriers

 

EDIT: CD = Critical DEFENSE for me, not Critical Duty.

[illy 1]

This guy tested just about every kind of 9mm defensive ammo through a short barreled gun.

 

[PD2K 115]

This guy tested just about every kind of 9mm defensive ammo through a short barreled gun.

 

 

That is a great resource...thanks for the link!

[JonF 79]

I tested 5 different commercial JHP loads with my Shield and eventually settled on Hornady CD LE 135 and Win Ranger ZQ4364 bonded 147's. Others i tested were Speer GD 124, Ranger SXT 147 and Fed HST 124 but preferred the first 2 mainly due to feel and accuracy. The others felt snappier and took more time to get back on target whereas the the first two both shot more softly AND perfectly to the POA. The upside of all these is that they are available in more economical 50 rd packs rather than 20 round boxes of wallet rape. I never did any ballistic testing, however, they are all reputable brands that should offer similar levels of performance.

[Scrap 4]

I typed out a post yesterday and decided not to post it but I thought about it and figured ,why not.

 

I can't speak about the regular M&P line because both my M&Ps are smaller versions, the Shield 9mm and the 22 Compact.  My Shield absolutely loves 147 gr ammo ... absolutely more than 115 gr ammo.  I have tested a bunch of 115gr cheap and higher quality ammo, and while the better stuff shot more accurately it still didn't compare to the 147 gr.  I can't really give an informed opinion on 124 gr because the bulk of the 124 gr ammo I have shot were superpremium duty/defense ammo.

 

I have shot probably 350+ rds of Speer Lawmen 147gr ( I think they call it, "tmj" total metal jacket).  It loved that ammo and shot very well for a "range use ammo".  I also have had the pleasure to shoot a significant amount of Winchester 147gr. Black Talons in my Shield, those are superb rounds  that have superior accuracy and have maintained excellent quality through the last 20+ years of storage.  I in fact carry my Shield w/ 7+1 147gr. Black Talons in the gun and 2 8rd mags of Federal HST 124gr..

 

,, I am in the position of being much more concerned with animals and predatory critters on my 30 acres of Florida woodlands and having to particularly worry about defending my dog when he's running around etc.  For that reason I carry 147gr loaded because I want that heavy bullet in case of hogs (especially hogs) and/or coyotes, rattlesnakes etc.  However I as many others probably know have found the Federal HST and Hydra-Shok loads to be supremely accurate and effective, so I carry them as backup as well.

 

 

As far as 115 gr ammo, I only would use that for busting caps for fun on my range etc.  I like the 124 and 147gr ammo in 9mm and especially in my Shield, which I carry virtually all day nearly every day.  (Especially from April through about November down here... Dec through March I might get to wear pants and carry my Glocks).