I probably shouldn’t say this as a gun owner, but I find the details of ammunition boring. My eyes glaze over and feel like they are going in those spiral circles you see on cartoon characters whenever someone starts talking too deeply about the subject. I don’t care about “how the sausage is made.” Nevertheless, I had a recent assignment to test the new Taurus 850 revolver, and had to choose ammunition to use for the testing. Through my experience with this testing I now understand the importance of finding the right ammunition, not only for the purpose at hand, but also to make shooting a gun enjoyable, or at least tolerable.
I know that it’s important to understand some basics so that I can make sure I choose the right ammunition for the gun I will be shooting. Because while all the focus is usually on the gun, the right ammunition can end up being the real reason you do or don’t like the gun.
Besides selecting the correct cartridge that works flawlessly in the gun, we also want it to feel good when we shoot it. If it has too much recoil for us to shoot comfortably, then we won’t practice. And we all know we need to practice to stay proficient.
A reminder of the importance of the right ammo became particularly clear to me recently when I ran the above-mentioned Taurus 850 small frame snub-nosed revolver evaluation. I obtained three different brands of ammunition and while they all worked just fine in the gun, I found a significant difference in how they each felt to shoot. Ammunition is expensive so it is a good idea to ask someone for help selecting it if you aren’t sure what might be best for you. My ammo source, Ammo To Go, states on its contact page, “Please feel free to call, fax or e-mail us at anytime” so I imagine they would have been able to help me.
The first ammunition I tried was the 125 gr Magtech Cowboy Action Loads. I wanted to test ammunition that would be less expensive to practice with than self-defense ammo, and the Magtech load was advertised for target use as well as for competition. Had I known better, I might have selected a low-recoil load specifically made for target use, such as the 148 gr Black Hills Ammunition Hollow Base Wadcutter load. The Magtech load didn’t create a lot of recoil, and I wouldn’t say it was uncomfortable to shoot, but it just was “OK.”
Next, I tried the 158 gr XTP Hornady 38 Special. It had much more recoil and larger groups. It wasn’t enjoyable to shoot, and I didn’t want to continue shooting it anymore.
Then I tried the 90 gr FTX Hornady Critical Defense Lite and was shocked by how much better it felt, how much less recoil it had and how much faster I was able to get right back on target. I was smiling after shooting those rounds. I was really enjoying it, not just putting it through the paces. I commented to my husband that I could practice all day with it.
According to Hornady’s website, the Critical Defense FTX “was developed to provide the best performance for defensive or personal protection situations and is the ultimate choice for any short barreled, concealed carry style firearm.” So, it makes sense that it worked so well in the Taurus 850.
So why is it so important to know the difference that ammunition can make? If I was new to shooting and I didn’t know that there are different ammunitions, different grains, etc., I might have tried the 158 gr first and just thought I hated the gun, that it wasn’t fun to shoot and would never be fun to shoot. I’ve experienced that before, where someone handed me a gun to shoot, loaded with whatever ammunition they put in it, and I hated it. I realize now that I assumed it was the gun when it simply could have been the ammunition.
So why the difference? There are exceptions such as the 148 gr target load, but I have found that, in the same gun, ammunition with lighter bullets tends to have less recoil and can be more comfortable to shoot. In a given caliber, many cartridges with lighter bullets have higher muzzle velocity and may perform differently in your gun. You also need to be aware some semi-auto pistols don’t like light bullets, since their slides require recoil to operate; of course, this isn’t a problem with revolvers. If you are trying a semi-auto pistol and it consistently malfunctions, and you are positive you are gripping the gun correctly and not “limp-wristing” it, try using ammo with heavier bullets. If that solves the problem, you then have to decide if you can accept shooting a heavier bullet or if that won’t be the gun for you because you aren’t willing to use a heavier bullet. You can also switch to a revolver because it won’t have this problem.
Defensive ammo is typically a little more expensive than target rounds, so you can get in more practice with target rounds. Then you can save the expensive rounds to practice with a few at the end of your session. To be sure, you MUST practice with your defensive ammo to make sure it will work for you and with your gun, and to check if your point of aim has to shift with the defensive ammo.
The bottom line is, don’t avoid a revolver like the Taurus 850 if you’ve ever shot a snub-nose before and hated it. Because maybe it wasn’t the gun, maybe it was the ammunition. The gun and the ammunition must work together like a team for you. For me, the Hornady Critical Defense Lite and the Taurus 850 made the perfect team for everyday carry. Could they be your perfect team as well?
MSRP $439.99
Nancy Keaton is the Facilitator for the Waco Chapter of A Girl and A Gun Women’s Shooting League. She formerly shot in IDPA, ASI and 3 Gun matches, was the president of Centralia Rifle Club in Centralia, WA, and is a retired college administrator. Her work has appeared in multiple publications and online. Check them out on her website and on Muckrack. View all posts by Nancy Keaton
Great info Nancy thanks for taking the time