A common talk among those who have a concealed carry weapon (CCW) as a tool for everyday carry (EDC) is what ammunition is best for self-defense?... This water cooler topic can be rife with lively conversation ranging from “meme cartridges” – those that look wicked and rad in photos but have no real-world applications – and include ideas that are thoroughly vetted from decades of experience. For today, we will want to focus on the latter. Whether you are carrying a firearm for your daily occupation or choose to conceal one for your family’s protection, you need ammunition that can end a violent encounter should it prompt you to brandish your firearm.

When it comes to self-defense ammunition for two-legged, nefarious individuals (we’re not engaging in grizzle bear discussions today; just people) there are 2 major determining factors in stopping a violent encounter: penetration and defeating a barrier. For many decades now, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has done extensive testing as to what is the best ammunition for their law enforcement officers. These FBI tests have covered a lot over the years, but the 2 most important attributes for ammo have been penetration and defeating a barrier, as mentioned earlier. Barrier testing has given law enforcement – and civilians – a lot of guidance on what is appropriate ammunition necessary to stop a violent attacker. Can a given hollow-point shoot through denim (blue jeans, a jacket, etc), how about glass (car windshield for LE purposes), wood, drywall, and other substances as well? If a bullet confronts an obstacle (a barrier) and stops immediately, that would be poor for defense because it is not traumatic enough to stop a violent attacker.

So, what are some respectable hollow points you could trust your life with?... There are a lot of opinions to that question, but if you are law enforcement, they essentially only trust 3 flavors as truly viable for self-defense. Those are Federal HST, Federal HydraShok, and Speer Gold Dot G2. Those are the gold standards for consistent penetration and barrier defeating. If a 400 Lb violent man potentially under the influence of drugs means you harm, you can’t play around with a “meme cartridge” for the ‘Gram. All internet jokes have left the room, and you need something to stop a violent individual. Trust and rely on Federal HST, Federal HydraShok, and Speer Gold Dot G2. All 3 of these have consistently passed the FBI’s testing for a quality self-defense load for ammunition.

Are there other good self-defense rounds out on the market? Absolutely! But, empirically speaking from all the cumulative data that the FBI has gathered over decades of testing, those aforementioned 3 are the best. Honorable mentions are Buffalo Bore (often for bear defense), Hornady Critical Duty, and SIG Sauer V-Crown.

In the end, make sure to get out there training, honing your craft, getting reps with your firearms, and Tyrant can help you along the way with some rad accessories. Until next time, continually check out our blog, join our newsletter, and watch the website for new and exciting updates! As always, let us know all your thoughts in the comments below. We love it when you participate in our articles and keep the conversation going!