Having the very best ammunition available when and if the time comes to protect yourself and others is a topic that has kept many shooters up at night. A majority of shooters carry 9mm; to keep this guide concise, we rank the five best 9mm Every Day Carry (EDC) based on real world factors that you can feel in the field.
TLDR; Our Favorite 9mm EDC Cartridge
The Federal HST 124 Grain +P 9mm JHP is our top pick for EDC; it has the best performance of any other cartridge, is reliable, cost effective, and user friendly in recoil. It is low-recoil, barrier-resistant, and a law enforcement go-to for stopping threats quickly.
- Best Overall: Federal HST 124 Grain +P | Trusted by law enforcement, this round delivers consistent expansion and penetration without excessive recoil.
- Best For Reliability: Speer Gold Dot 124 Grain +P | Known for flawless cycling and barrier performance across a range of handguns.
- Best For Low Recoil: Federal Hydra-Shok 124 Grain: A softer-shooting load that’s ideal for lighter shooters or compact pistols.
- Best For Compact Carry: Hornady Critical Defense 115 Grain FTX JHP: Designed for short barrels, this affordable round delivers reliable expansion and low recoil.
- Best Subsonic: Fiocchi Defense Dynamics 147 Grain: Perfect for light pistols, offering quiet operation and dependable terminal ballistics.
Before we get into all of our rankings in-depth, let’s talk about the important factors that we considered for making our rankings the way that we did.
Why Focus on the 9mm?
Let’s face it, in today’s everyday carry world, the 9mm has become the real MVP of EDC. It has a real sweet spot for both power and control that has enough stopping power to neutralize a threat, but not so much that you can’t control it for quick follow up shots.
The 9mm also benefits from more high-capacity magazines, meaning more rounds in smaller, compact frames which are ideal for everyday carriers.
With its availability and track record, the 9mm is hard to argue with. Most police agencies have converted over to the 9mm and away from the .40 S&W caliber that was once popular. With that kind of hype, it is hard to argue against the 9mm. Plus, it is everywhere, so restocking is a breeze.
If you are an urban dweller or are out in public a lot, the 9mm really shines in close quarters use. Maybe you are out in the sticks a little more, avoiding the public, it is still reliable and light carry that gets the job done.
The 9mm feeds smoothly, recoil is very tame compared to bigger calibers, and it is easier to stay on target. Add in ammunition with Jacketed Hollow Points (JHPs), you end up with a cartridge that expands to dump energy into the bad guy, but the safety of not allowing pass throughs in most cases.
Key Factors For Ranking These Cartridges
Ranking cartridges isn’t just pulling random names out of a hat. It is based on solid criteria that is tailored to the needs of self defense and everyday carry. For this list, we dug into ballistic gel tests, user reviews, and expert comparisons from 2025 to ensure that these picks hold up in the line of fire.
First up, penetration depth. In order to reach vital organs without getting pass-through and risking innocent bystanders, you need about 12-18 inches of penetration in ballistic gel. Anything less or more will generally not make a good EDC cartridge.
Next comes expansion; we aimed for cartridges with at least 1.5 times the expansion size of the original diameter. For a 9mm round, this means we are looking for about half inch or more worth of expansion. This creates a bigger wound channel and transfers energy quickly, stopping threats quicker.
Cartridge reliability is critical. The last thing you want is an unreliable cartridge in such an important situation. We wanted cartridges with limited to no jamming during cycling studies. For this, we looked at nickel-plated brass for smoother operation and bonded cores to ensure that the bullet stays intact.
Recoil can sway a lot of shooters away from a cartridge. Lighter recoil means faster follow up shots, especially in smaller compact EDC guns. To avoid bias, recoil was measured more basically on a high, medium, and low scale for each round.
The first thing most shooters see is the price tag. For everyday folks, we tried to stick to cartridges that were roughly about $1 per round. This also allows us to stick to what has the most availability so that you can always have the type of cartridge that you count on.
Velocity, energy, weight retention, and barrier performance were also considered. We looked for rounds with 1,100-1,200 fps and 350-400 ft-lbs to ensure enough punch without excess. For weight retention, we went with bullets that held 90%+ mass after expansion, which usually prevents bullet fragmentation. Barrier performance was considered for clothing and tested on ballistic gel with layers of denim.
Ranking The Top 5 Self Defense Cartridges For EDC
Now on to the fun part, the rankings! All of these are 9mm JHPs with nickel-plated brass for reliability. They are ranked based on the above factors. We are going to take an in-depth look at each ranked cartridge, touching on all the factors we used to rank them.
1 | Federal HST 124 Grain +P 9mm JHP
This bad boy tops the list for its all-star performance. Based on its ballistic gel tests, it expands to 0.65 inches and penetrates 14-16 inches, even through heavy clothing. That makes it the gold standard with the perfect penetration and expansion to do the most damage.
Performance wise, it checks in with 1,200 fps and delivers 400 ft-lbs of energy, which is enough to take out any threat without adverse recoil. In shorter barrel firearms, it retains 95% of its weight on impact. It sports flawless feeding with no jams reported in 1,000 rounds of testing.
The Federal HST 124 grain comes with a great price point, at between $0.70 and $1 depending on the quantity you buy. The +P means that you should check your gun’s rating, but most modern pistols will be perfectly fine.
A little history on the Federal’s HST (Hydra-Shok Two) is that it evolved from law enforcement needs in the 2000’s, which focused on consistent expansion. Users have loved it for everyday carry because it’s not picky when it comes to barrel length, working great in subcompact and full-size 9mm and anything in between.
In its head-to-head match ups with others on the list, the Federal HST is the best in the expansion category, making it ideal for settings where over-penetration is risky. If you want the best cartridge for self defense and EDC, then this is your best bet. Buy it, practice with it, and you won’t be sorry for it will give you confidence for anything you come across.
2 | Speer Gold Dot 124 Grain +P 9mm JHP
Coming in a close second, is the Speer Gold Dot 124 grain +P. It is a bonded-core beast that gets 0.55 inches of expansion and 15 inches of penetration on the ballistic gel test. It also carries an excellent weight retention of 98%, which penetrated well on the denim test without clogging.
The Speer Gold Dot is designed for law enforcement duty use, so reliability is top of the class with no failures in a testing field of diverse pistols. It performs at 1,180 fps with a manageable +P recoil that is definitely snappier, but still controllable for follow-up shots.
The Speer Gold Dot is a little on the cheaper side as long as you buy in bulk, coming in at around $0.50 per round if you are buying about 1,000 rounds at one shot. Compared to the Federal HST, it is cheaper, but also retains its shape a little better through obstacles during testing.
This cartridge was released in the 1990’s with the intention of being used by law enforcement. It is actually still a favorite today just due to its predictability and reliable performance. You can’t go wrong with what law enforcement officers prefer.
User reports state that there were zero malfunctions in both Glocks and S&Ws, some of the most popular EDC pistols on the market. It is also stated that it performs extremely well in variable weather or when stored in vehicles when temperatures vary. One drawback that is noted, however, is that in shorter pistols, the velocity drops, but is still effective.
This one is best paired with full-size carry for maximum performance, thus making it a great runner-up.
3 | Federal Hydra-Shok 124 Grain 9mm JHP
This old-school cartridge lands at a cool number three. The Federal Hydra-Shok 124 Grain has standard pressures that bring a more mild recoil which is ideal for those with smaller hands or subcompact pistols. This cartridge has 0.50 inches of expansion along with 16 inches of penetration. It packs a nice, controlled punch with decent barrier performance.
Performance of the Federal Hydra-Shok comes in at 1,120 fps and around 350 ft-lbs of energy. It’s reliable without the +P recoil and has been around since the 1980s, evolving with notched jackets for consistent mushrooming on impact. It has a stellar reliability record that spans decades and is great for older and newer pistols alike.
This is a budget friendly cartridge that is in high demand because of its lower recoil and solid performance. This is also a great round for training.
In comparison, the Federal Hydra-Shok penetrates deeper than the Punch cartridges, but has less aggressive expansion and recoil. This is great for beginners or those looking for lower recoil. So, if you are a little recoil sensitive, this might be the pick for you.
4 | Hornady 115 gr Critical Defense FTX
The Hornady 115-grain Critical Defense FTX is great for small carry guns, and duty backups. Out of a 4 inch barrel it typically produces velocities around 1,140 fps with approximately 330 ft·lb of muzzle energy, expansion in the range of 0.50 to 0.56 inches, and penetration commonly measures 12–13 inches in calibrated gel, often including heavy clothing in test protocols.
The Flex Tip (FTX) polymer nose is clog resistant and promotes reliable hollow point opening after passage through short barrels and typical clothing, improving expansion reliability in compact platforms. This combination results in a useful wound profile with minimal over penetration and is controllable in lightweight pistols.
Compared to the Federal HST 124 grain, it opens a little less and penetrates a bit shallower but provides milder recoil and more reliable expansion from short barrels. Versus bonded duty rounds such as the Speer Gold Dot, it sacrifices some weight retention and extreme barrier performance for consistent real world expansion and easier follow up shots in micro compacts. Retail is around $1 per round, which is on par with most carry rounds.
Independent gel tests and multiple range reviews have documented consistent feeding, reliable expansion through clothing, and tight groups in common EDC pistols; which is why so many concealed-carry shooters trust the Hornady for small-gun setups. As always, test it in your carry pistol to verify feeding and reliability.
5 | Fiocchi Defense Dynamics 147 Grain 9mm JHP
With kind of a more niche pick at number 5, the Fiocchi Defense Dynamics 147 grain 9mm JHP is a great subsonic option, an excellent option for those running suppressors on their EDC. It is a much heavier grain at 147 than the previous four selections at 124 grain.
It has a velocity of 975 fps, which is perfect noise dampening for those using it with suppressors. It carries 15 inches of penetration thanks to the added weight, but only a 0.45 inch expansion.
It is affordable at roughly $40 per 50 rounds, which is fantastic for more of a niche cartridge which sometimes ups the price due to lower demand.
Reliability is good and up to standards, though it comes with a slightly less aggressive expansion.
This is a great cartridge for suppressed EDC pistols, but does rank lower due to its less aggressive performance in the standard tests. Might be great if you have a home range on your property and don’t want to bug the neighbors with the noise.
Head-To-Head Comparisons of the 9mm EDC Champs
Here is a quick table for easy viewing comparing our top five picks for the best EDC cartridge.
| Cartridge | Expansion (in) | Penetration (in) | Velocity (fps) | Recoil Level | Price (~$/50 rds) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal HST 124 +P | 0.65 | 14-16 | 1,200 | Medium | $50 | All-around EDC |
| Speer Gold Dot 124 +P | 0.55 | 15 | 1,180 | Medium | $60 | Barrier-heavy |
| Federal Hydra-Shok 124 | 0.50 | 16 | 1,120 | Low | $45 | Recoil-sensitive |
| Hornady Critical Defense FTX 115 | 0.50 | 12-13 | 1,140 | Low – Medium | $51 | Compact carry |
| Fiocchi Defense Dynamics 147 | 0.45 | 15 | 975 | Low | $40 | Suppressed setups |
Beyond 9mm: Other EDC Options
While 9mm did dominate this list and usually dominates the EDC and self defense cartridges in general, there are other options out there. On the smaller side, the .380 is great for better concealment and offers very light recoil for a pocket pistol. On the bigger side, many go with the .45, which offers more stopping power but packs a much bigger kick.
In general, stick to JHPs across the board, regardless of the caliber you choose for your EDC. Pay attention to the factors that were touched on in the rankings above. Things like penetration should apply similarly to other calibers of cartridges.
So we aren’t saying that you have to use 9mm, it just has become the most popular self defense cartridge to use for everyday carry. There is nothing wrong with using something different if it fits your practical needs for an everyday carry firearm.
Use what makes you feel the most comfortable and the most confident when the time comes, because when it does, there won’t be any second chances.
Choosing Your EDC Cartridge With Data
Don’t just take our word for it, grab some of these different cartridges and try them out for yourself. Find what feels comfortable to you and your pistol before settling on one. This will bring your confidence in your EDC to new heights when you truly trust your cartridge because it feels and performs the best for your needs.
We highly recommend that you train with your cartridge of choice and if you shoot a lot, get the FMJ twin to your EDC cartridge of choice. This can save you massive amounts of money while keeping you fresh and comfortable with your EDC cartridge of choice.
Also be sure to rotate your stock of ammunition every couple of months to ensure that it performs the best when you need it most. The EDC ammunition you are rotating out of use should be used for practice at the range and newly bought ammunition should become your new EDC ammunition. This ensures you are practicing with your EDC cartridge of choice as well as keeping it fresh.
We have an entire article about ammo ration if you want to learn more: Why You Should Be Rotating All of Your Ammo
Your Path to Confident EDC
We know that FMJs kill just as well as JHPs, but putting some thought and strategy into your everyday carry cartridge will give you the confidence and performance to defend those you love.
Your pick should come down to what works best in your firearm for your situation as an everyday carrier. Comfort and confidence comes from making choices backed by experience at the range.
With all the criteria we used in ranking these cartridges, you have more than enough information to make the choice that is best for you. So use that information wisely, try a few different types of cartridges, and find what is best for you.
