Best Ammo for Home Defense

Short, practical answer first: for most California homes the commonly recommended best home-defense ammo is quality jacketed hollow-point (JHP) handgun loads (e.g., Federal HST, Speer Gold Dot, Hornady Critical Duty/Defense, Winchester PDX1) tested in your gun for reliable feeding and acceptable penetration — and for a shotgun many pros prefer buckshot (a moderate load such as #4 or 00 depending on barrel/gauge and over-penetration concerns). Read on for why, California legal notes, and what to test before you rely on anything.

Why JHP for handguns

• JHPs are designed to expand on impact and transfer more energy to the target, which increases stopping power and reduces the chance of over-penetration compared with non-expanding FMJ in many scenarios. Ballistic-gel testing and agency choice support JHPs as the standard for self defense.  

Shotgun choices and the over-penetration tradeoff

• Shotguns are great for close quarters because of spread and stopping power, but different loads behave very differently: slugs and heavy 00 buck can over-penetrate interior walls, while lighter buckshot (#4) and some birdshot loads reduce penetration risk but may be less capable at stopping an adult human at moderate ranges. Pick a load that balances stopping power and reduced risk to bystanders; pattern and test it from your shotgun in realistic home-defense setups.  

California legal points (you should know)

• Hollow-points are not banned statewide in California for civilian possession/use, but California has an evolving body of ammunition regulation (sales/transfers/background checks, limits on armor-piercing rounds, etc.). Some cities have attempted local restrictions on certain defensive loads — so check current state DOJ guidance and local ordinances before you buy.  
• California law bans manufacture/import/sale/possession of certain armor-piercing handgun ammo and also restricts tracer/incendiary/other exotic rounds. Don’t assume every specialty round is legal — check the statutes or ask an attorney/dealer.  

Practical recommendations (what to buy & what to do)

1. Primary pick for handguns: quality 9mm/40/45 JHP from reputable defensive lines (Federal HST, Speer Gold Dot, Hornady Critical, Winchester PDX1). Choose a weight and velocity your pistol handles well (e.g., 124–147gr for many 9mm barrels). Test for feeding and point-of-impact shifts.  
2. If you carry or use +P: only use +P/+P+ if your firearm is rated for it and you’re comfortable with the recoil and wear. Test reliability.  
3. Shotgun: consider #4 buck or 00 buck depending on your home, gauge, and training. Pattern your shotgun through typical home barriers and across realistic distances — many recommend lighter buckshot as a compromise to limit over-penetration.  
4. Rifles/ARs: rifle calibers (5.56/.223) typically over-penetrate interior walls when using common FMJ loads; consider marksmanship, positioning, and alternatives — rifles can be effective but carry higher risk to bystanders inside and outside the home.  

Test, train, store

• Test defensive ammo in your firearm for feeding, accuracy, and where it hits compared to your carry practice loads. Ballistics tests vary widely by barrel length and platform.  
• Train under stress scenarios so you can make safe, legal decisions under pressure.
• Secure storage: keep firearms and ammunition stored safely and separately from children and unauthorized users; California has safe-storage and child-access laws to consider.

Final quick checklist

• Pick a well-tested JHP for a handgun (Federal HST / Speer Gold Dot are widely recommended).  
• If using a shotgun, pattern #4 or 00 buck in your tube and consider over-penetration risk.  
• Verify California rules for ammo sales, background checks, and restricted types in your city/county before purchase.  
• Test in your gun, get training, store safely.

If you want, I can:

• give a short, prioritized shopping list of currently popular defensive loads for a specific caliber (9mm, .40, .45, 12ga), or
• walk you through a simple patterning/test checklist you can use at the range for your shotgun/handgun.

Which caliber or platform do you use at home?