By Joe Ferronato
It really doesn’t matter what you’re doing, the right equipment matters. When it comes to personal protection or the defense of your home and loved ones, the ammunition you put in your weapon is of equal importance to the gun you choose to carry.
When you’re at home, you want a bullet that will penetrate and expand on target without ripping through the next wall. When you’re in public, you want proper penetration and expansion and not a passthrough that ends up on the next block. That requires specialized ammo, especially when you consider the velocities produced my most compact handguns—which I’d argue is the go-to choice for the nightstands and waistbands.
It’s this very reason that every range session starts with the unloading of a magazine. These rounds are then placed aside to be reloaded once the practice stops, I’ve had the same carry ammo for years it seems; luckily, I’ve never had to discharge or reload an empty mag other than a few here or there for testing.
Now, my go-to G43X with Aimpoint’s COA sight is loaded with Fiocchi’s new CovertX carry ammo. This ammo is specifically designed for self-defense. But why don’t we just load up some of the range ammo and call it a day? It’s more than marketing hype and catchy names on a box. Just as with hunting, where a bullet needs to deliver adequate terminal performance on target, a self-defense round needs to be the same—and the stakes are likely higher if you ever discharge one of these rounds.
Fiocchi CovertX: Built for Compact Carry
The CovertX ammunition is designed to perform on target out of compact handguns at lower velocities. It’s a jacketed-hollow-point design with precut serrations in the core to help initiate and control expansion. The result is a bullet that delivers its energy on target instead of just ripping through it like standard FMJ range ammo would.
It’s also important to note that the specially designed bullet is set into nickel-plated brass for smooth feeding and to help with corrosion. Previously I mentioned that I’ve had the same carry ammo for years. Fiocchi understands that this isn’t a high-volume product and that many users will have their magazines loaded with CovertX for extended periods of time, so ensuring it holds up is of utmost importance. I haven’t had it for long, but I’ll report back if I notice any corrosion on the casings.
So, what is a specialized bullet worth if it doesn’t hit the target? Shite, as our friends from across the pond would say. When testing self-defense rounds, I want to be able to hold a tight group center mass at 20 yards on a standard IPSC plate. I’m not a good enough pistol shot to split hairs on group size anyway, so consistent hits on target is the exact confidence I need.
CovertX is available in .380, 9mm, .38 Special, .357 magnum, and .45 to accommodate the most popular carry guns. If you’re looking to upgrade your carry ammo, this stuff won’t disappoint.
Cost: $22 per 20 rounds.
Pros: Specifically designed for personal protection; optimized for performance out of compact handguns.
Cons: Pricey, but you can’t put a value on your safety.
