So, you just picked up a Glock 19 and are wondering what 9mm ammunition you should be feeding it? Well, you’ve come to the right place.
With so many different 9mm ammunition options available, it can be hard to understand which factory loads work best for your Glock 19 handgun. That’s where we come in!
Below you’ll find our top 5 picks for the best 9mm ammo you should be loading into your Glock 19 mags.
If you simply cannot wait, the best overall 9mm Luger ammo for your Glock 19 is PMC Bronze 115gr FMJ.
If you’re new to the 9mm Luger and aren’t sure what to look for in self-defense vs range ammo, check out this Buyer’s Guide HERE. Otherwise, scroll down just a little more for the list…
The Best Ammo for Glock 19 On the Market in 2023
1) PMC Bronze 115 grain FMJ – Best Overall
2) Speer Gold Dot 124 gr GDHP – Best 9mm For Self Defense
3) Winchester Target and Practice 115 gr FMJ – Best for Target Shooting
4) Federal American Eagle 147 gr FMJ – Best Subsonic Round
5) CCI Blazer Brass 124 gr FMJ – Best for Bulk Ammo
Best Ammo For Glock 19 Overall
PMC Bronze 115 grain FMJ
Specs
- Casing: Brass
- Bullet Type: Full Metal Jacket (FMJ)
- Bullet Weight: 115 grains
- Muzzle Velocity: 1,150 fps
- Muzzle Energy: 338 ft-lbs
Pros
- Accurate
- Inexpensive
- Reliable
Cons
- Some indoor ranges require TMJ bullets
Why We Chose It
When you’re picking the best ammo for your Glock 19, you want a round that is inexpensive to shoot, has low recoil, and goes “bang” every time you pull the trigger. PMC Bronze 115 grain FMJ ammo fits that bill to a “T”.
It has low recoil thanks to its 115 grain bullet weight and a lower overall cost per round than many competitors. This makes for excellent range ammo that you won’t feel bad about blasting through more than one box at a time!
The only downside to PMC Bronze is that they use a traditional full metal jacket (FMJ) bullet instead of a total metal jacket (TMJ). Some indoor ranges require TMJ ammo to minimize lead contamination, so if you plan to shoot indoors it would be a smart move to call ahead and ask what type of ammo is permitted.
However, the low cost per round more than makes up for the standard FMJ bullet and I found this ammo to be 100% reliable in all my Glock pistols.
Overall, PMC Bronze 9mm Luger 115 grain FMJ ammo offers an incredibly high-quality round that is great for target practice and maintaining your marksmanship skills for concealed carry.
Honorable Mention
Magtech 115 gr FMJ – Although a hair more expensive, Magtech 115 grain FMJ ammo is a close second choice for the overall best Glock 19 ammo. I found these factory loads to be incredibly reliable and accurate in all my Glocks. The Magtech brass cases are also reloadable if you enjoy handloading like I do. This puts Magtech 115 gr FMJ ammo in a close second-place finish and a great alternative if PMC isn’t available.
Best Self-Defense Ammo for Glock 19
Speer Gold Dot 124 gr GDHP
Specs
- Casing: Nickel-Plated Brass
- Bullet Type: Gold Dot Hollow Point (GDHP)
- Bullet Weight: 124 grains
- Muzzle Velocity: 1,150 fps
- Muzzle Energy: 364 ft-lbs
Pros
- Proven self-defense track record for CCW and law enforcement
- Extremely reliable
- Amazing terminal performance
- Reasonably priced for hollow point ammo
Cons
- Cases not the best for reloading
Why We Chose It
Picking the best self-defense ammo for a Glock 19 is a tall order as there are so many good choices (and we have a lot of honorable mentions below). However, we simply could not find a better option than the Speer Gold Dot 124 grain JHP ammo.
The Gold Dot hollow point (GDHP) provides exceptional terminal performance with deep enough penetration to punch through the thickest fabrics. This ammo is often carried by law enforcement officers as well as CCW permit holders and has a proven track record in both FBI ballistic gel testing and real-life police shootings.
We found this personal defense ammo to be extremely accurate from shot to shot, with a smooth powder burn that makes cleanup a breeze.
As I’m sure you can imagine, defense rounds aren’t cheap when compared to FMJ ammo. However, the added bullet expansion, over-penetration protection, and stopping power is well worth the few extra dollars that Speer Gold Dot 124 gr JHP ammo offers.
The nickel-plated brass cases can be somewhat problematic for reloading. However, the smooth feeding, enhanced reliability, and corrosion resistance the nickel-plating provides more than makes up for any cases you have to discard for reloading.
When it matters most, reach for a box of Speer Gold Dots to load up your EDC Glock 19…You won’t be disappointed.
Honorable Mention
Hornady Critical Defense 115 gr FTX JHP – Hornady Critical Defense FTX offers top-of-the-line performance thanks to features like the patented polymer Flex Tip. This tip allows maximum penetration while eliminating hollow point clogging that can occur when a bullet passes through clothing. A favorite of CCW permit holders and law enforcement, Hornady Critical Defense makes for an excellent defense load at a lower price point than the company’s other hollow point line, Hornady Critical Duty.
Winchester PDX1 147 gr JHP +P – Descended from the legendary Winchester Ranger hollow point bullet, the newer PDX1 Defender represents the company’s latest advancements in hollow point technology. Featuring a notched hollow point design, the PDX1 is designed to expand rapidly into six even segments when it encounters soft tissue.
The +P ammo offered by Winchester gives shooters added pressure for deep penetration and increased stopping power at the cost of higher recoil. Unquestionably the most powerful defensive round on our list, the Winchester PDX1 also comes in at the highest price point. However, as many shooters understand, sometimes you have to pay for performance and the PDX1 is a real powerhouse self-defense ammo.
Federal HST 124 gr JHP – The Federal HST hollow point has become a mainstay for concealed carry and law enforcement. Descended from the mighty Federal Hydra-Shok, the HST represents the next generation of hollow point bullet technology. Designed for rapid expansion through multiple barriers, the Federal HST boasts a nearly 100% weight retention to transfer the maximum amount of kinetic energy into the target and prevent over-penetration. An excellent choice for concealed carry, home defense, or EDC, the 124 grain Federal HST JHP will deliver when your life is on the line (just at a slightly higher cost per round).
Best Range Ammo for Target Shooting
Winchester Target and Practice 115 gr FMJ
Specs
- Casing: Brass
- Bullet Type: Full Metal Jacket (FMJ)
- Bullet Weight: 115 grains
- Muzzle Velocity: 1,190 fps
- Muzzle Energy: 362 ft-lbs
Pros
- Inexpensive and plentiful
- Accurate
- Cases are reloadable
Cons
- Not good for self-defense
Why We Chose It
Ah, the classic Winchester White Box ammo…I can almost remember the smell of the burnt powder from when I got my first Glock pistol oh so many years ago. Winchester has rebranded their classic range ammo into new packaging, but don’t kid yourself, this is the classic white box ammo many of us grew up shooting.
In multiple range trips, we found this ammo to be an excellent choice for punching holes in paper targets. It’s inexpensive, accurate, clean-burning, and has low recoil, making it a perfect choice for your next trip to the shooting range.
The full metal jacket (FMJ) bullet is also exceptional at exploding cheap 2-liter soda bottles, popping tin cans off fence posts, and clanging steel targets with insanely boring regularity. FMJ’s are great for working at the range, but a poor substitute for jacketed hollow points when it comes to self-defense.
However, when it comes to practicing with your CCW pistol, Winchester Target and Practice 115 grain FMJ ammo cannot be beaten for its accuracy, value, and reliability.
Honorable Mention
Sellier & Bellot 115 gr FMJ – If you’re looking for an alternative to Winchester, Sellier & Bellot 115 gr FMJ range ammo is an excellent choice. We found that this ammo was a little less expensive than Winchester but also had higher recoil. This is common for European ammo manufacturers as they will load their cartridges closer to NATO spec. As such, this S&B ammo has about 90 FPS higher muzzle velocity compared to Winchester, which translates into slightly higher recoil. However, it’s a great option if you can’t find any Winchester ammo to run through your 9mm pistols.
Fiocchi Range Dynamics 115 gr FMJ – If you’re looking for a high-quality target practice ammo, then Fiocchi Range Dynamics is an excellent alternative choice to Winchester. For over 100 years, Fiocchi has been producing extremely accurate and consistent target and defensive ammo to the American consumer. Loaded with Boxer primed brass cases, Fiocchi ammo is great if you enjoy reloading but cheap enough that you don’t feel bad blasting through a few boxes on your weekend range session.
Best 9mm Subsonic Ammo for Glock 19
Federal American Eagle 147 gr FMJ
Specs
- Casing: Brass
- Bullet Type: Full metal jacket (FMJ)
- Bullet Weight: 147 grains
- Muzzle Velocity: 1000 fps
- Muzzle Energy: 326 ft-lbs
Pros
- Heavier bullet weight
- Designed for subsonic velocities
- Perfect for a suppressor
Cons
- Arching trajectory
Why We Chose It
If you like running a suppressor on your Glock pistols, then you’re going to love Federal American Eagle 147 gr FMJ 9mm cartridges. This stuff is extremely accurate and, when fired through a silencer, is 100% hearing safe.
Designed specifically for suppressor use, Federal’s subsonic ammo checks all the boxes: clean shooting to keep your silencer healthy, extremely accurate, and designed to reliably reciprocate semi-automatic slides while maintaining a subsonic muzzle velocity.
The only downside to subsonic ammo is its trajectory, as it cannot compete with its supersonic brethren. However, this is a small price to pay for the joy of hearing nothing more than the 147 grain bullets impacting the target and the reciprocation of the slide while shooting suppressed!
If you can get your hands on it, Federal American Eagle 147 gr ammo is our go-to choice when you want Hollywood-levels of suppressed 9mm Luger shooting from your Glock 19.
Honorable Mention
Sellier & Bellot Subsonic 150 gr FMJ – If you want the absolute heaviest 9mm bullet available, look no further than S&B. These 150 grain bullets shoot well below subsonic velocities to ensure hearing-safe shooting while using a suppressor. The 150 grain bullet is not as common as the 147 gr option, making this ammo a little harder to find. However, if you can get some, make sure you snap it up because this round felt silky-smooth in my Glock 19.
Best Bulk 9mm for Glock 19
Blazer Brass 124 gr FMJ
Specs
- Casing: Brass
- Bullet Type: Full Metal Jacket
- Bullet Weight: 124 grains
- Muzzle Velocity: 1,090 fps
- Muzzle Energy: 327 ft-lbs
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Cases are reloadable
- Reliable
Cons
- Not good for self-defense
Why We Chose It
When you’re looking to buy bulk 9mm Luger ammo for your Glock 19, or any 9mm for that matter, you want to get the lowest cost per round possible. And if you’re looking for an amazing value 9mm bulk ammo option, then look no further than CCI Blazer Brass 124 grain FMJ bulk ammo.
Although this ammo is nothing fancy, it goes bang every time you pull the trigger and holes appear in your targets downrange. It’s not the cleanest ammo, in our experience, but it works well if you want to stock up on range ammo for any potential supply chain interruptions (and the cases are fine for reloading to boot!)
In our experience, shooting more for less money is awesome. Therefore, the main benefit of this ammo is its low price point. This makes it easier to buy in bulk and put away for a long day of fun at the range or just to have some extra ammo on hand for any situation.
Although FMJ ammo is not ideal for self-defense, CCI Blazer Brass 124 gr FMJ’s make for excellent target ammo to keep those marksmanship skills high without breaking the bank.
Honorable Mention
Remington UMC 115 grain FMJ – You can’t go wrong with Big Green! Another extremely popular ammo to buy in bulk is Remington UMC 115 grain FMJ 9mm cartridges. Only slightly more expensive than Blazer Brass, Remington UMC ammo is awesome for high-volume shooting thanks to its low cost per round, reloadable brass case, and rugged dependability.
Parting Shots
Congratulations! You made it all the way to the end of the article. By now you should be nothing short of an expert in all things 9x19mm ammo and know EXACTLY what defensive ammunition, range factory loads, and bulk 9mm ammo you need to load into your Glock 19.
To check out all the 9mm Luger ammo we have in stock, check out our full 9mm ammo page or keep scrolling if you’d like to read our buyers guide to 9mm Parabellum ammo.
Buyer’s Guide: What to Look for in 9mm Luger Ammo for Your Glock 19
Welcome to our buyers guide for the Glock 19 and the 9mm Luger. Selecting the right 9mm ammo can be a daunting task with so many different options at your fingertips.
As the sidearm of choice for the US Army Rangers and Navy SEALs, the Glock 19 is a handgun that has a combat pedigree that few other pistols can boast. Carried by multiple law enforcement agencies and civilians alike, the Glock 19 is an excellent choice for home defense, concealed carry, and duty use.
In this guide, we are going to take a quick look into what qualities you should look for in the ammo you plan to use for EDC and what’s best for target practice. We’ll also touch on the backstory of the Glock 19 and share some tips on how to save money when you’re buying ammo.
Well, let’s get to it!
9mm FMJ vs JHP – Bullet Types Explained
As a general rule, full metal jacket (FMJ) ammo is used for target practice while jacketed hollow point (JHP) ammo is used for self-defense and CCW. But what is the difference between these two bullet types and why does it matter? Let’s talk about it.
A Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) bullet is exactly like it sounds. It is a bullet that has a lead core that is encapsulated by a metallic outer coating or “jacket”, typically made from copper.
FMJ bullets are great because they are simple and inexpensive to manufacture, making them ideal for plinking and general target practice.
The downside to FMJ bullets is that they do not expand when they encounter soft tissue, which means they will likely pass through a bad guy in a self-defense situation and retain most of their kinetic energy instead of transferring it to the target. This is where jacketed hollow points come in.
A Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP) bullet is designed for self-defense and to minimize overpenetration. Hollow point rounds have a soft lead core and are surrounded by a metallic jacket (typically copper), similar to FMJ bullets. However, the main difference in a JHP bullet is that there is a divot or “hollow” at the tip of the bullet that will expand when it encounters soft tissue.
The expansion of the hollow point allows more kinetic energy to be transferred to the target and slows the bullet down tremendously. These rounds are touted as self-defense rounds because they are designed to (ideally) not leave the bad guy.
As the bullet expands, it creates a larger wound channel that increases the odds of the bullet contacting vital organs. This is the main reason that hollow point ammo is considered the best choice for defense ammo, as it will stop a threat with fewer rounds and decreases the potential for overpenetration.
Although JHP ammo is great for self-defense, it’s also more expensive as it costs more to engineer and manufacture hollow point ammo than it does for FMJ rounds.
9mm Luger Bullet Weights
In general, 9x19mm ammo comes in three different bullet weights: 115 gr, 124 gr, and 147 gr. Of these three, the 115 gr and 124 gr bullet weights are the most common.
Most often you’ll find FMJ ammo loaded with 115 grain bullets as these are less expensive than the heavier 124 gr and 147 gr options. The 124 grain bullet is more popular for self-defense as it offers a little more kinetic energy and penetration while not increasing recoil significantly.
The heavier 147 grain bullets are sometimes used for self-defense, competitive shooting, and target ammo, but more often are reserved for use with a suppressor as they can be loaded to subsonic velocities.
Customized bullet weights are available in specialty 9mm ammo from as low as 65 grains to as high as 150 grains.
Most shooters gravitate toward the 115 grain FMJ for target practice due to its lower cost per round while most concerned civilians will EDC the heavier 124 grain bullet for concealed carry.
A Brief History of the Glock 19 and Why It’s Awesome
Glock handguns have been insanely popular in the United States since their introduction in 1988. A favorite of law enforcement and for civilian concealed carry, Glock has become the gold standard by which all other polymer-framed handguns are compared to.
The Glock 19 is the middle child of Glock’s 9mm family of pistols. The Glock 17 is the full-size pistol and the original Glock handgun to hit the market. The Glock 19 came a few years later and is the compact while the Glock 26 is the subcompact option.
For many decades, the Glock 19 and Glock 26 have been the go-to EDC choices for many gun owners who wanted to carry 9mm Parabellum. They offered shooters the ability to carry more ammo thanks to their double-stack magazine but were wider than traditional handguns like the 1911 that shoot 45 ACP.
The Glock 19 has been one of the most popular handguns in North America for many years thanks to its compact size, 15-round magazine capacity, and low overall weight (23 oz. unloaded). This makes it an excellent handgun for virtually every shooting need you might have. It’s great for target practice, concealed carry, and home defense.
Newer generation Glock 19’s are also available in the MOS configuration, which has a pre-cut slide capable of accepting a red dot sight.
With a wealth of aftermarket parts available like night sights, customized controls, and grips, the Glock 19 makes for an amazing carry pistol that can be customized to your specifications to make it the best gun for your carry needs. The Glock 19 is a capable weapon for both concealed carry and home defense, making it a great choice for any gun owner who’s looking for a 9mm handgun that checks every box a shooter could possibly want.
How can you save money buying 9mm Luger ammo?
The best way to save money on ammo is to buy bulk 9mm ammo.
When you purchase bulk ammo, your upfront costs will be higher than buying one box at a time, but your overall cost per round will be lower. This means it will cost you less every time you squeeze the trigger, and that’s a good thing!
Buying bulk 9mm also means that you’ll always have ammo when you’re ready to hit the range. No longer will you be at the whims of supply chain disruptions or whatever your local shooting range has available. Instead, you’ll have tons of your favorite 9x19mm ammo at the ready whenever you want to practice with your favorite 9mm pistols.
Make sure to check out our bulk 9mm ammo page to see all your bulk purchasing options to ensure that you’re always locked-and-loaded with 9mm Luger!
Back to the Best 9mm Ammo for Glock 19
Now that you have a clearer understanding of what the Glock 19 and 9mm have to offer, let’s get back to our top 5 list by clicking HERE!