defensive ammo types

Question
ive been boucing around the different types of ammo i use in my carry weapon, normally a 9mm (used be be baretta 92 but ive now aquired a ruger P95DC) and what is the major difference in using JHP and HS ammo if the grains are the same and muzzle velocity is nearly also? what does the added spike in HS rounds really accomplish? and i aquired some 125gr federal +P hollow points (marked HST) what is your opinon of those versus 147gr HS by the same manufacturer, and what does the HST stand for? Thankyou for your help.

Answer
Zach,

I am uncertain as to what you mean by "HS," unless that is your designation for the Federal HydraShok, and by "added spike" you mean the central post that aids in expansion.
I do not see any real difference in the top-end bullet designs, e.g. HydraShok, Gold Dot; Golden Saber, Winchester SXT, etc.

But of the cheap ammunition, most of what is sold as "hollow point" will not expand.  Hollow points were originally used in rifles, and were effective because of the very fast velocities at which the projectiles traveled. When this idea was first transfered over to handguns, there was not enough velocity to cause the hollow point to expand.  Later bullet designers were able to overcome this with their best designs, such that the state-of-the-art projectiles now will often (not always) expand when fired out of a handgun.  If you are going to use generic "hollow points," you might just as well use ball ammunition.

At one time the FBI fiddled with 147 gr. subsonics, but they were such poor performers (no expansion, very poor incapacitation), that the agencies that now use 9mm almost invariably use 115 or 124/5 gr bullets, except for specialized uses.

I feel good about carrying HydraShok, Gold Dot, Golden Saber, Winchester SXT, Federal EFMJ (Expanding Full Metal Jacket), or CorBon.  I myself would not rely on ball ammunition or ammunition simply marked as "Jacket Hollow Point."