Low Recoil Ammo for Wife (9mm)

[Jason Amerson]

I just picked up a Ruger LC9 for the wife. I use the S&W M&P Shield 9mm. I especially want her to have a low recoil 9mm round that still has good Personal Defense properties. After hours of reading the ongoing debate I am still confused on exactly how grain weight and velocity affects recoil. Anyway, I was leaning towards the Speed Gold Dot 124 grain (mdl# 23618). They also make Speer LE Gold Dot Short Barrel Duty Ammunition (mdl # 23611) but I am not certain if this is better and/or if it's even available to the public.

Also, what exactly is LE ammo? If it's not +P then what makes it LE? Is that Ammo for Sale to the Public?

By the way, I was considering Hornady Critical Defense but after seeing several posts about Primer failures I decided against it. My Wife would not be proficient at quickly reracking a new round in the event of a primer failure in a panic situation. I need reliability.

I happen to have a box of Federal Hydra-Shok 135 gr 9mm that states low-recoil right on the box but I've also read there are better performing Personal Defense ammunitions out there such as Speer Gold Dot.

Please help me decide.

 

[FrontTowardEnemy]

Range time, my friend. Get a couple different boxes. Let her try them out. Have her pick one she likes and have her practice with it - a lot. Her proficiency with the weapon and her marksmanship will matter much more than the terminal performance nuances of most production defense ammunition.

 

[DefensiveImpact]

^^^^+1000^^^

Range time will help her the most!

My wife runs RBCD.net in her 9mm it has a very low felt recoil!
She also runs it in her .45 1911

But the softest shooting ammo in the world won't teach her sight alignment and trigger squeeze and sight picture and shot placement only thing that will help her it time at the range!!

Stay Safe!

Adam

 

[Bigcarlover]

Can't help with the ammo question, but I would suggest a Pachmayer grip. Definitely helps on these smaller ones with the felt recoil.

 

[gilfo]

You can try a limbsaver grip. It might really help, helped me.

 

[ozzmanluv269]

You may consider getting a heavier "lb" recoil spring for her weapon this can make a lot of difference in the amount of recoil felt by the shooter.

 

[Bigcarlover]

I personally have not used their stuff, but these guys sell a lot of upgrades including recoil springs.

LC9 Performance Parts | Galloway Precision

 

[JSDinTexas]

With Speer, duty ammo is usually a higher quality case, nickel instead of brass, for corrosion resistance. And short barrel from Speer is a powder formula that is lower flash, thus helps retain night vision. Also short barrel powder burns more quickly to offer a full burn or mostly full burn before the bullet leaves the shorter barrel. I see no relationship to recoil here.
I have a S&W snub-nose 1 7/8" barrel BUG that I run .38+P Speer Gold Dot short barrel for the reasons above, and also gelatin tests indicate more penetration with this round. And you should be able to buy it easily, especially in a LEO supply shop or online. (check GT Distributors in TX gtdist.com)
As to recoil, sorry, I don't pay any attention to it - but I will say in the .38 I practice with Speer Lawman regular .38 ball ammo, and Speer Lawman +P ball, and really can't tell much recoil difference between those and the short barrel ammo that is the Speer GD JHP .38+P. I can tell a general difference in recoil between Speer and other low priced shelf brands in a number of calibers though: Speer always seems to have a little better punch, and thus a little more noticeable recoil.
There is always a discussion about various bullet brands, but most LEOs I know now use Speer, although I use to use Hydra-Shok for penetration into vehicles. And IMO in a small caliber handgun, I stay away from so-called low recoil ammo because they are weak enough as it is, but then again, I use 200g +P in my G30 cause I want a big bang, a lot of penetration, and a big hole. It gets their attention a little quicker. :biggrin:

 

[walt629]

Have you tried subsonic loads?

 

[Rocketgeezer]

I just picked up a Ruger LC9 for the wife. I use the S&W M&P Shield 9mm. I especially want her to have a low recoil 9mm round that still has good Personal Defense properties. After hours of reading the ongoing debate I am still confused on exactly how grain weight and velocity affects recoil. Anyway, I was leaning towards the Speed Gold Dot 124 grain (mdl# 23618). They also make Speer LE Gold Dot Short Barrel Duty Ammunition (mdl # 23611) but I am not certain if this is better and/or if it's even available to the public.

Also, what exactly is LE ammo? If it's not +P then what makes it LE? Is that Ammo for Sale to the Public?

By the way, I was considering Hornady Critical Defense but after seeing several posts about Primer failures I decided against it. My Wife would not be proficient at quickly reracking a new round in the event of a primer failure in a panic situation. I need reliability.

I happen to have a box of Federal Hydra-Shok 135 gr 9mm that states low-recoil right on the box but I've also read there are better performing Personal Defense ammunitions out there such as Speer Gold Dot.

Please help me decide.

There most likely is no factory loaded ammo that would be soft enough for your wife to like it, and if you got some handloaded stuff that was backed down, the weapon probably would not cycle, I have shot both the LC-9 and the Shield, as I remember the LC-9 seemed to have a bit more felt recoil than the Sheild, the problem your seeing is that perticular gun (the LC-9) is that its made for concealment not for extended range shooting, they shoot great, but the size and weight of the gun, and the grip, cause the shooter to really feel it, if you want her to pack a 9mm you may want to consider something with a little wider grip and a bit heavyer feel, its unfortunate that nobody makes a small concealable 9mm that does not cost a fortune, and is fun to shoot, if you have one near you go to a gun range that rents guns, and have her try some different 9mms, and see if anything appeals ?.......and to answer your questions the lighter the projectial (bullit) the less recoil your going to feel, because it dont take the as much energy to shove the lighter bullit, as it would the heavyer bullit, and on the powder charge, the more powder in a rd the bigger bang your going to get, and more recoil, same goes for a lighter powder load less bang you get less recoil

 

[SGB]

Softest shooting self defense load that makes the FBI protocol is the Link Removed all copper load. It's not cheap, but it is good.

Link Removed

9mm

• Barnes XPB 115gr HP (35515) such as loaded by Cor-Bon (DPX09115)
  
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