I hesitate to recommend loads because if a person's favorite load isn't listed people tend to get fanatical. But, I get asked frequently, so I am making a brief list of what I have used. I don't purport to list the "best" (whatever that means) or the one with the most "stopping power" (whatever that means) but these work and shoot straight -- at least out my pistols.
No gel tests, no power formulas, no statistics, no cadavers, no actual shootings. For that, I leave you to Google and the reams of internet info you will find.
However, if you are interested in what school of thought I follow, interested in ballistics, or just have a lot of time -- I recommend searching on the following: Dr. Martin Fackler, Doc Roberts aka DocGKR, FirearmsTactical.com and FBI HWFE (handgun wounding factors effectiveness). That should keep you busy for a while :)
A lot of my choice simply has to do with price and availability. I am not going to pay $50 for a box of 20 rounds that I can only find once a year.
22LR - CCI Stinger (faster the better in my semiautos)
22WMR - amazingly have never owned one!
25ACP - Hornady XTP (feed well and available). Not much you can do with 25ACP.
32ACP - Winchester Silvertip (feed well and available)
380ACP - Hornady Critical Defense - I am not sure any one load is better than another but I want more consistent than FMJ and Hornady is always accurate and rated properly.
9mm - Winchester RangerT 147gr. My second choice would be Speer Gold Dot 124gr +P (less recoil than Win 127gr +P+ and more available)
357Sig - I don't own one, but any 125gr loading or even the Hornady 147gr
38SPL - Mine are snub-nose so Speer Gold Dot 135gr +P
357mag - Federal Hydrashok 158gr, have had that forever. Previously, for camping I liked the Speer 170gr Gold Dot soft point. These shoot straight for me.
40S&W - Speer Gold Dot 180gr, but recently got some Federal 180gr HST to try, the Golden Saber 180gr are nice but hard to find in bonded. Hornady 180gr TAP is accurate in my HiPower.
10mm - Hornady XTP 180gr (except for camping, which I just got some SwampFox 200gr). Super accurate and a lot more manageable and consistent (IMO) than Winchester SilverTip.
41AE - Used to have Uzi/Samson Ammo. Bonus points if you know what that is :)
41mag - don't own one, but it is an awesome round
44SPL - don't have a load...
44Mag - not sure why (I don't remember picking it) but I have some Federal HydraShok. Used to have some Garrett 300gr for elk.
45GAP - don't own one but it would be Speer Gold Dot (didn't they design the round?) Look at the ballistics for this round out of a 3" pretty impressive.
45ACP - Hornady XTP 230gr +P -- shoots almost as straight as a 10mm! LOL
There you go, take it for what it is worth. But, I would pick a load you can consistently get in your area and shoots accurately in YOUR hand and gun(s). There are also a lot of good loads, best is really going to depend on a lot of factors you can't predict, so don't sweat it. I wouldn't pay double for a box of Win RangerT 127gr +P+ if Speer Gold Dot 124gr +P is available. Although I do prefer 147gr...I think I still have a box of Corbon 147gr +P around here. Federal HST 147gr +P would be comparable (P9HST4 I think).
Don't get mad if I didn't mention your favorite load. It probably just means I haven't a chance to shoot it--for example until recently HST was hard to get, and Golden Sabre Bonded still is. I would like to try some of the CorBon with Barnes non-lead bullets (XPB?) but they are little rich for me.
