Greatest 9mm load of all time?

[Valorius]

Buffalo Bore has just released their "Buffalo Barnes Unleaded" loadings in 9mm+P+.

They have two offerings, both use the Barnes Tac XP solid copper hollowpoint.

95 Grain Tac XP @ 1525fps (500fpe)

115gr Tac XP @ 1400fps (500fpe)

Test guns are all listed on the site, these are not pressure barrel readings.

Most bullets can be over-driven, but the Barnes TAC-XP doesn't break up no matter how fast it's driven (within reason i suppose), so all that extra velocity= more penetration, not less.

The 115gr is already out of stock.

[vicious]

BB does not have the best reputation for quality control.

Any ballistic testing of this load to prove that it actually performs well at those velocities? Will it strip petals? Dangerously overpenetrate?

Do they use low flash powder? (unlikely due to reduced case capacity)

Will it make bad hits suddenly good or good hits better? (No)

In short, it was wise to put a question mark in your thread title.

[Valorius]

Actually BB has an excellent reputation. I think you are thinking of Doubletap.

The Barnes TAC XP bullet does not break apart at increased velocities....as i already stated. Doubletap has a load that drives the 80gr TAC XP to 1600fps...it doesn't break up either.

It will definitely penetrate deeper than Corbon DPX (Same bullet at 1250fps). How deep will be determined as people do gel tests and post them online. The stuff just came out, so i doubt anyone has chrono'd it yet.

The Doubletap 80gr Tac XP load will penetrate about 13.5" from a 3.8" sig barrel (about 1400fps), and over 14" from a G19 (1450fps). Since this bullet is even heavier, there's a good chance it will punch even deeper still.

And yes, Buffalo Bore uses flash suppressed powders- which is a complete and total non issue anyway. I've fired entire belts of M-60 7.62mm linked ammo at night and still been able to continue fighting. This is just like recoil. In a gun fight, you won't even notice it.

But yes, i did intentionally add the question mark in my thread title.

[vicious]

Actually BB has an excellent reputation. I think you are thinking of Doubletap.

Both companies have their issues. I have personally seen revolvers locked up by their hot 38 loads coming unseated.

Honestly, none of the boutique ammo companies come close to the QC standards of the major manufacturers. ATK, (federal, speer), winchester and remington, who all make top notch duty loads, spend more money on QC than the boutique brands do on their entire production. Just the other week I unloaded a magazine of a friends Corbon (which generally has a good reputation) DPX and found two different types of Barnes bullets, wild variation in the crimping height and even pulled a bullet by hand.

Personal opinion (and I think it's a good one), stick with one of the big 3 for go time. You're really not getting anything more from these boutique loads than some numbers you can brag about to your gun buddies. It's still a handgun and it still just pokes tiny holes and generally sucks at killing people. Your best bet is always to worry less about ammo performance numbers and more about ammo reliability. It all works when you blow their heart through their spine.

[Valorius]

The 3 major ammo makers load very weak ammo compared to the specialty (or European) companies.

I've talked to Tim Sundles, the owner of Buffalo Bore on the phone and in emails many times, personally. I've talked to Mike McNett of Doubletap in emails. I've talked to Jay at Elite ammo personally, many times.

These men are accessible. They can answer your questions and they actually listen to your feed back directly.

Good luck getting that from Speer or Federal.

The only problem i've ever had with BB ammo was with some of their 9mm+P+. It was loaded so hot that the brass was fire forming to the flutes in the chamber of my HK P7. Problematic, but hardly the fault of the ammo. The same rounds work perfectly fine in my Kahr PM9 and Sig P228.

And in .380, Buffalo Bore's 80gr TAC XP load at a real world 1125fps from a Ruger LCP is in a class all by itself.

I've shot BB ammo in 3 calibers and about 6 different weights. I can report that i am extremely happy with their ammo, some of which has no direct competitor.

I strongly disagree that a solid copper HP at 1400fps offers nothing that a bonded lead core bullet at 1300fps does. (to compare the new BB load to Speer 115gr+P+ Gold Dot, for instance).

The Gold dot penetrates just 10.5" in gel. I will wager ya 10 bucks right now that the BB load will out do that by at least 2". And the solid copper slug should also offer significantly enhanced barrier and particularly auto glass penetration as well.

[vicious]

Well, you're the expert

1*

[arjohnson]

I still prefer 127 grn +p+ rangers.

[Valorius]

Well, you're the expert

1*

No, no....clearly, you are the expert.

I explained exactly why i think this round will be superior to it's competitors in plain english. A) It will penetrate deeper, B) It won't break up, C) It should offer superior barrier and even kevlar penetration as well.

Your response, "Well, you're the expert" counters none of that.

Shrug.

@ARJohnson: Those 127+P+'s are a damn solid choice too.

The BB rounds have one huge drawback that there is no disputing. They are very expensive.

[thelemite]

I'm kinda fond of the 90 gr 9x25 gold dot. 2100 fps seems about right to me.

hey you said 9mm, didn't specify which one.

[Valorius]

I'm kinda fond of the 90 gr 9x25 gold dot. 2100 fps seems about right to me.

hey you said 9mm, didn't specify which one.

LOL, you got me there!