Ammo for Concealed Carry: Factory or Handload?

Always use factory ammunition for personal defense and concealed carry purposes.

The lower risks of lawsuits is a factor in this decision.

Also the higher manufacturing quality of ammunition intended for police and/or concealed carry applications provides additional reliability of function and the bullets in the cartridges are better suited to the tasks.

Another line of reasoning advocates finding out what local police use for duty ammunition and using that ammo (if feasible). The reasoning argues that if questioned on your choice of ammo, one could reply that it is the same that the local police use and therefore is approved for such use by the local government.

Personally, I'm currently using Hornady's Critical Defense ammunition in my concealed carry handguns. You may evaluate it or other ammunition to determine what satisfies your criteria.

The entire premise of the article is flawed since it's based on the flawed statement made by ayoob. Ayoob has been proven to be a liar on more than one occasion and giving him ANY credit or validity is ridiculous. However....I cast my own bullets and handload for every caliber that I own except for rimfire, and I would never use my handloads for daily defensive carry (on purpose) for the simple fact that I am imperfect and I make mistakes, I have never had a high end commercial defense round fail to fire, I have had mine fail to fire. Not worth it to me. I'll spend the dollar a round for commercial ammo for defense carry and use my handloads for hunting and range time.

My carry guns are always loaded with factory ammo. My favorite is Hornady Critical Defense. I do that because while I have never had one of my hand loads fail to fire, the time to have it happen isn't when your life might be on the line.

Can not go wrong with either Winchester Orlin, or Remington AMMO: one would be hard pressed to make up a better hand load for self protection either. Federal is not bad either, but I like W&R better it is personal matter.

All I can do is [mis]quote my CCL instructor. Carry what the cops carry, shoot what the cops shoot. Cops do not shoot hand loaded rounds. Otherwise, you have to convince a jury that you're not the next George Zimmerman. Its called LEGAL self-defense.

Reload 'em and burn 'em at the range.