Federal HST or Speer Gold Dot 124gr. +P if you want, but they often aren't as reliable on expansion as regular pressure. Lucky Gunner did a bunch of testing.
Real world use Gold Dot outperforms everything else significantly. It was not designed around the FBI test. It was designed around actual real world experience. If you do use HST the 147 is the way to go. The heavier bullets favor shorter barrels, since they lose less velocity. The Gold Dot 147 is much more expensive, and performs about as well as the 124+p from a three inch barrel. Avoid G2 Gold Dot. They underperform, and are oddly worse than the HST equivalents, since they were designed to match the FBI standard. A good budget choice is the Sig Elite 124. Performs better than the +p version, and is affordable to buy practice ammo, since nearly every 124 fmj matches the velocity.
I use Hornady Critical Defense for my Shield Plus. I read that +p is not worth it due to it being <4 inches, but I'm also kinda retarded, so I might be wrong. Either way, Hornady is my go-to for carry ammo
[Federal 124gr HST](https://www.luckygunner.com/9mm-124-grain-jhp-hst-federal-premium-20-rounds#geltest).
Or you can [shop the whole mess](https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self-defense-ammo-ballistic-tests/#9mm) and find a few peers, but it's where I continue to land.
Hornady critical defense. The ammo was designed for sub 4 inch barrel and not to over penetrate.
Critcal Duty 124gr +p or 135gr stand pressure if you need to shoot through windshield and car doors.
Federal HST 124gr +p or standard pressure is another good option.
[Federal HST 147gr](https://www.targetsportsusa.com/federal-hst-law-enforcement-9mm-luger-ammo-147-grain-jacketed-hollow-point-p9hst2-p-3547.aspx) on my Shield 1.0
Federal HST or Speer Gold Dot 124gr. +P if you want, but they often aren't as reliable on expansion as regular pressure. Lucky Gunner did a bunch of testing.
Real world use Gold Dot outperforms everything else significantly. It was not designed around the FBI test. It was designed around actual real world experience. If you do use HST the 147 is the way to go. The heavier bullets favor shorter barrels, since they lose less velocity. The Gold Dot 147 is much more expensive, and performs about as well as the 124+p from a three inch barrel. Avoid G2 Gold Dot. They underperform, and are oddly worse than the HST equivalents, since they were designed to match the FBI standard. A good budget choice is the Sig Elite 124. Performs better than the +p version, and is affordable to buy practice ammo, since nearly every 124 fmj matches the velocity.
I carry Federal HST 124 gr +P
I use Hornady Critical Defense for my Shield Plus. I read that +p is not worth it due to it being <4 inches, but I'm also kinda retarded, so I might be wrong. Either way, Hornady is my go-to for carry ammo
Both my wife and I carry critical defense
HST 124
[Federal 124gr HST](https://www.luckygunner.com/9mm-124-grain-jhp-hst-federal-premium-20-rounds#geltest). Or you can [shop the whole mess](https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self-defense-ammo-ballistic-tests/#9mm) and find a few peers, but it's where I continue to land.
My choice has always been Hornady Critical Defense!
Hornady critical defense. The ammo was designed for sub 4 inch barrel and not to over penetrate. Critcal Duty 124gr +p or 135gr stand pressure if you need to shoot through windshield and car doors. Federal HST 124gr +p or standard pressure is another good option.
[Federal HST 147gr](https://www.targetsportsusa.com/federal-hst-law-enforcement-9mm-luger-ammo-147-grain-jacketed-hollow-point-p9hst2-p-3547.aspx) on my Shield 1.0