The Best Ammo for Glock 43x: Five Ideal 9mm Options for Your Glock Mags

First off, congratulations on your new Glock 43x! You’ve got yourself an amazing slimline 9x19mm pistol that combines the subcompact slide of the Glock 43 with the 10-round capacity of the Glock 48.

There’s no doubt that the Glock 43x makes for an amazing carry pistol. But now the question comes to what is the best ammo for a Glock 43x? And this can be confusing with so many different 9mm Luger ammo options out there. Well, you’re in luck because you’ve come to the right article!

In this article, we will share with you our top 5 picks (plus a few extra) for the best 9mm ammo you should be feeding your Glock 43x.

If you simply cannot wait, the best over 9 mm ammo for your Glock 43x is CCI Blazer 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 43x On The Market in 2023

  1. CCI Blazer 115 grain FMJ – Best Overall

  2. Federal Premium HST 124 gr JHP – Best 9mm For Self Defense

  3. Winchester Target and Practice 115 gr FMJ – Best for Target Shooting

  4. Hornady Custom 147 gr XTP JHP – Best Subsonic Round

  5. Prvi Partizan 124 grain FMJ – Best for Bulk Ammo

Best Ammo For Glock 43x Overall

CCI Blazer 115 grain FMJ

Specs

  • Casing: Aluminum
  • Bullet Type: Full Metal Jacket (FMJ)
  • Bullet Weight: 115 grains
  • Muzzle Velocity: 1,145 fps
  • Muzzle Energy: 335 ft-lbs

Pros

  • Inexpensive
  • Great for the range
  • Reliable

Cons

  • Cases not reloadable (Berdan primers)

Why We Chose It

When you’re picking the best ammo for your Glock 43x, you want a round that is inexpensive to shoot, has low recoil, and goes “bang” every time you pull the trigger. CCI Blazer 115 grain FMJ ammo fits that bill.

It has low recoil thanks to its lower bullet weight and keeps the cost down by using aluminum cases to keep manufacturing costs as low as possible. 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 CCI Blazer is that they use Berdan primers, which makes them undesirable for reloading. However, the cost of Blazer ammo is so low that most shooters don’t even consider reloading and view them as a one-time-use ammo.

Overall, Blazer 9mm Luger 115 grain FMJ ammo is great for plinking and target practice, which is critical for maintaining your marksmanship skills for concealed carry.

Honorable Mention

Federal American Eagle 115 gr FMJ – Although slightly more expensive, Federal American Eagle 115 grain FMJ ammo is a close second choice for the overall best Glock 43x ammo. We found this ammo to be very accurate, reliable, and it’s brass cased and Boxer primed to boot. This means you can reload the cases if you’re into that. This ammo is only a hair more expensive than the CCI ammo, making it a great alternative if you can’t get your hands on any Blazer ammunition.

Best Self-Defense Ammo for Glock 43x

Federal Premium HST 124 gr JHP

Specs

  • Casing: Nickel-Plated Brass
  • Bullet Type: HST Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP)
  • Bullet Weight: 124 grains
  • Muzzle Velocity: 1,120 fps
  • Muzzle Energy: 345 ft-lbs

Pros

  • Proven self-defense track record for CCW and law enforcement
  • Extremely reliable
  • Amazing terminal ballistics

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Cases not the best for reloading

Why We Chose It

Picking the best self defense ammo for a Glock 43x 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 Federal HST 124 grain JHP ammo.

The HST jacketed hollow point bullet provides exceptional terminal ballistics 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 as well as on the streets.

We found this self-defense ammo to be extremely accurate from shot to shot, with a clean powder burn that makes cleanup a breeze.

As with most personal defense ammo, HST’s aren’t cheap by any stretch of the imagination. However, are you really going to worry about spending a few extra bucks on self-defense ammo should the worst happen? I think not.

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 what the pros use and load up your EDC Glock 43x with Federal HST.

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 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 self-defense ammo that is an excellent alternative to Federal HST if you can’t find it (just at a slightly higher price point).

Speer Gold Dot 124 gr GDHP – Speer Gold Dot is the most-trusted duty ammo carried by law enforcement agencies across the nation. Meeting all the FBI ballistic gel testing requirements for expansion and penetration, the Speer Gold Dot hollow point is the benchmark that all other ammo manufacturers use when it comes to terminal performance.

This round features a structurally plated pressure-formed core that prevents core-jacket separation. The result is a devastating wound channel and deep penetration that will quickly and effectively stop any bad guy who threatens your life.

Winchester PDX1 124 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 power for deep penetration and increased stopping power at the cost of higher recoil. Unquestionably the most powerful 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.

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 beat 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 Glocks.

PMC 115 gr FMJ – PMC is a great ammo company out of South Korea that has made a name for itself by providing American shooters with reliable ammo at bargain prices. We found this PMC ammo to have acceptable accuracy in our Glock handguns, though Winchester was slightly better in our hands. Winchester and PMC are essentially equivalent in terms of price. This makes it an excellent alternative to both Winchester and S&B and you should have no qualms about running boxes upon boxes through your Glock 43x.

Best 9mm Subsonic Ammo for Glock 43x

Hornady Custom 147 gr XTP JHP

Specs

  • Casing: Brass
  • Bullet Type: XTP Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP)
  • Bullet Weight: 147 grains
  • Muzzle Velocity: 975 fps
  • Muzzle Energy: 310 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 firearms, then you’re going to love Hornady Custom 147 gr XTP ammo. This stuff is extremely accurate and, when fired through a can, is 100% hearing safe.

Designed specifically by Hornady for suppressor use, their subsonic ammo checks all the boxes: clean shooting to keep your can 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 XTP hollow point bullets impacting the target and the reciprocation of the slide when shooting suppressed!

If you can get your hands on it, Hornady Custom 147 gr ammo is our go-to choice when you want Hollywood-levels of suppressed 9mm Luger shooting from your Glock 43x.

Honorable Mention

Winchester Super Suppressed 147 gr FMJ – Another great 147 grain subsonic round that is amazing suppressed, the Winchester Super Suppressed 9x19mm cartridge offers you similar levels of enjoyment like the Hornady offering. When comparing these two cartridges, we found the XTP hollow point from Hornady to be slightly more accurate than the 147 gr FMJ bullet fired by Winchester. However, the Winchester ammo comes in slightly less expensive than the Hornady option.

Best Bulk 9mm for Glock 43x

Prvi Partizan 124 grain FMJ

Specs

  • Casing: Brass
  • Bullet Type: Full Metal Jacket
  • Bullet Weight: 124 grains
  • Muzzle Velocity: 1,132 fps
  • Muzzle Energy: 353 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 43x, 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 Prvi Partizan 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 reloadable 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 at the range or just to have some extra ammo on hand for any situation.

Although FMJ ammo is not ideal for self-defense, Prvi Partizan 124 gr FMJ’s make for excellent target ammo to keep those marksmanship skills high without breaking the bank.

Honorable Mention

Blazer Brass 115 grain FMJ – Another extremely popular ammo to buy in bulk is Blazer Brass 115 grain FMJ cartridges. Although not as cheap as the aluminum cased ammo we mentioned earlier in the article, Blazer Brass has the added benefit of using reloadable cases as they are Boxer primed. Only slightly more expensive than Prvi Partizan, Blazer Brass 115 gr FMJ ammo is awesome for buying in bulk thanks to its low cost.

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 you need to load into your Glock 43x.

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 43x

Welcome to our buyers guide for the Glock 43x and the 9mm Luger. Selecting the right 9mm ammo can be a daunting task with so many different options at your fingertips.

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 43x 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 43x 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.

For many decades, the Glock 19 and Glock 26 were 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.

A double-stack magazine aligns rounds in a zig-zag pattern compared to a single-stack magazine that has the rounds sitting on top of each other in a vertical line. Double-stack mags generally have greater capacity than their single stack brethren, but double-stack mags have the downside of being wider.

However, as time passed, shooters wanted something even lighter and easier to carry than their traditional Glock 26’s and the firearm market responded. Single stack 9mm subcompact carry guns became all the rage with the likes of the Taurus PT709S, Smith & Wesson Shield EZ, Ruger EZ9s, and Sig Sauer P365.

These handguns were thinner, lighter, and easier to conceal than the traditional double-stack Glocks, and Glock enthusiasts were lighting up the internet with calls for a new single-stack Glock handgun to be developed.

In 2014, these shooters got their wish in the Glock 42. This was Glock’s first single-stack subcompact pistol and Glock fanboys were elated except for one tiny detail…

The Glock 42 was chambered in 380 ACP and NOT 9mm Luger!

However, Glock did not turn a deaf ear to their loyal fanbase, and everyone finally got their wish of a single stack 9mm subcompact pistol when the Glock 43 was announced at the 2015 NRA Annual Meetings.

Sporting a 3.41” barrel length and a 6+1 magazine capacity, the Glock 43 became incredibly popular for concealed carry as it was intended. It was a slimline pistol that was easy to conceal inside the waistband (IWB) but still maintained Glock’s reputation for absolute reliability.

Then in 2018, Glock unveiled their X-series of pistols where they combined their larger pistol frames with shorter slides. The first was the Glock 19X, which is essentially a Glock 17 frame riding a Glock 19 slide. This offers shooters the “best of both worlds” concept for firearms as it increases the magazine capacity while still keeping the overall weight as low as possible.

It was only a year later at SHOT Show 2019 that the Glock 43x was announced, combining the compact Glock 48 frame with the short barrel of the Glock 43. This allowed for the use of Glock 48 10-round magazines while offering shooters the ease of carry of a Glock 43.

The Glock 43x is also available in the MOS configuration, which is pre-cut for a red dot sight direct from the factory.

With a wealth of aftermarket parts available like night sights, customized controls, and grips, the Glock 43x 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 43x 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 slimline 9mm handgun.

How can you save money buying 9mm Luger ammo?

The best way to save money on ammo is by buying 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 43x

Now that you have a clearer understanding of what the Glock 43x and 9mm have to offer, let’s get back to our top 5 list by clicking HERE!

The Best Ammo for Glock 43x: Five Ideal 9mm Options for Your Glock Mags originally appeared on Ammo.com.

4 Likes

Articles are something besides 9mm . I am sick of hearing about 9mm .

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Why is the 115gr Gold Dots almost never included?

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Well , wasnt that originally developed as a bullet for law enforcement

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No Gold Dots? Inconclusive. :crazy_face:

I use them when I can find them (too much demand) and Federal HST as a fill-in until I can.

Though I prefer .45 ACP for most applications. NEVER either in a Glock. :wink:

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I will take a .45 cal any type any day over a 9mm . Go big or go home ! Bigger the boolit the bigger the hole ! Shock factor !!

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I put the Gold Dot on equal footing with the HST, for sure.

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