ammunition, pistols, defenseWhat are the differences between the major bullet types for handguns - Full Metal Jacket, Jacketed Hollow Point, Round Nose Lead, and Frangible - and which is the most effective for self-defense? How do I tell which brands of each type are the most effective?
In general, the best defensive round is an expanding bullet such as a jacketed hollowpoint. The expansion increases terminal effectiveness and makes it less likely that the round will overpenetrate.
Regarding brand, my preference is for Cor-Bon DPX, but you’ll be well served by hollowpoint ammo from any of the major manufacturers (Federal, Winchester, Speer, Cor-Bon, Hornady, etc.). The critical thing is to make sure it feeds reliably in your gun. Some guns will eat just about anything, but others are more picky about certain brands of hollowpoints.
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