Knowledge sharing: What’s Your 1911/2011 Self Defense Ammo? Why did you choose it?

What ammo do you use in your carry and home defense 1911/2011? What’s the logic for your choice(s)? If the ammunition drought made your chosen load unavailable, what substitutes did you select?


For folks like us ammo selection takes several datapoints into account. I am curious to see if likeminded individuals have similar choices of ammunition for optimal performance in real life scenarios. I am hoping we can learn from each others experiences and thinking

Thinking for ammunition selection starts with the potential performance of each round, both penetration and expansion, in the context of highest probability class of scenarios; then picking the most accurate from that list in a given gun. I use the same ammo for carry and home defense with the exception of 10mm.

For 9mm across my 1911s and 2011s: my first choice is Federal HST 124gr, and second choice is Speer Gold Dot also in 124gr. I also use 147gr. HST, but not in my Atlas which loves 124gr. I backfill with SIG V-Crown 124gr. +P


For .45 ACP in my Government 1911s: my first choice is Federal HST in 230gr., and second is Winchester Ranger T bonded, also in 230gr., Since I am short on HST, I backfill as 3rd choice with Speer Gold Dot 230gr. and Asym 185gr. +P Barnes TAC-XP JHP.


For 10mm in my Government 1911s I use different loads for carry in urban areas and outdoors, which includes our more rural property (coyotes).

10mm urban first choice is SIG V-Crown 180gr., JHP and second is Underwood 180gr. bonded JHP at 1300 fps. One reason for selecting the SIG as #1 is their 180gr., FMJ which is loaded to simulate the V-Crown.


10mm outdoors are full power loads, where first choice is Underwood 135gr. at 1600fps which is loud and snappy, and the second which resides in a backup magazine given the low probability of being used is the Underwood 220gr. Hard Cast at 1200 fps.

Seasonality also plays a part, given MN harsh winters, resulting in more layers of thicker clothing, my winter loads are mostly the same brand/bullet type but the heavier and slower moving and deeper penetrating rounds (e.g., HST 147gr. and Ranger-T 147gr. bonded); also more likely to carry my 10mm 1911 with what I described as urban loads.


From Dr. Robert’s work published on AR15.com for self defense ammunition: see his work here

Best Choices for Self Defense Ammo

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See URL for detailed caliber, penetration, barrier… Best Choices for Self Defense Ammo