Short barrel 9mm defense bullets

[rp-]

So I'm running out of my 9mm defense rounds and needed to order some more bullets. I've been loading and carrying hornady 115gr XTPs in my full size and compact pistols since I first started loading. I also was loading 115gr HAPs for practice and competition shooting. Both bullets are identical ballistically but one doesn't expand (and is a LOT cheaper!). I figured it was a great way of practicing with what I carried really.

I started looking into performance from short barrel 9s and was surprised by what I found. I found a YouTuber named shootingthebull410 (I think) who tested pretty much every 9mm out of a 3" barrel through plain gel and fbi gel w/ heavy denim. Most of the 147gr bullets failed to expand and a lot of the lighter 115s didn't penetrate enough.

Long story short, everything failed but the hornady critical DEFENSE and pretty much every HST load. The light XTPs did ok but the critical defense was just much better. I've ordered up 500x HSTs but all I could get that day was 115gr. Judging by the performance of the 124, 124+p, 147, and 147+p I'm guessing the 115s will do just fine.

Anyone have any experience with the 115gr HSTs? Anyone else even load their own carry rounds?

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[CPTKILLER]

I use Federal 150 Gr HST Short Barrel in my H&K P30SK.



This is impressive.



Another review on grains that you didn't mention.



Problem 115 gr HI-SHOK



Good 115 gr test



Federal 9BPLE 115+P+ (115 g5) and Win Ranger-T +P+ (127 gr)

 

[rp-]

The last video you showed was the series I watched. The Ruger bullets had impressive wound cavity but that was about it. The hishocks we're lack luster

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[rp-]

Also, my pistol isn't rated for +p+ so I'm not even touching that stuff. My Ruger p85 would work just fine with it...but this was all about short barrel 9mm.

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[Deavis]

So I'm running out of my 9mm defense rounds and needed to order some more bullets. I've been loading and carrying hornady 115gr XTPs in my full size and compact pistols since I first started loading. I also was loading 115gr HAPs for practice and competition shooting. Both bullets are identical ballistically but one doesn't expand (and is a LOT cheaper!). I figured it was a great way of practicing with what I carried really.

I started looking into performance from short barrel 9s and was surprised by what I found. I found a YouTuber named shootingthebull410 (I think) who tested pretty much every 9mm out of a 3" barrel through plain gel and fbi gel w/ heavy denim. Most of the 147gr bullets failed to expand and a lot of the lighter 115s didn't penetrate enough.

Long story short, everything failed but the hornady critical DEFENSE and pretty much every HST load. The light XTPs did ok but the critical defense was just much better. I've ordered up 500x HSTs but all I could get that day was 115gr. Judging by the performance of the 124, 124+p, 147, and 147+p I'm guessing the 115s will do just fine.

Anyone have any experience with the 115gr HSTs? Anyone else even load their own carry rounds?

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Buy the critical defense and carry it if you think it is best. Duplicate the velocity with a cheaper bullet of similar weight and practice with that. Then consider that getting shot with 9mm out of a 3" barrel, a few times, sucks worse than any gelatin results indicate.

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[rp-]

Buy the critical defense and carry it if you think it is best. Duplicate the velocity with a cheaper bullet of similar weight and practice with that. Then consider that getting shot with 9mm out of a 3" barrel, a few times, sucks worse than any gelatin results indicate.

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True about getting shot...

I picked up the HST 124gr. It turned out the 115grain the guy had was hydrashok or hishok so I got the 124s. I have a couple with different charges loaded to test out before I start cranking them out though.

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[Mike_from_Texas]

True about getting shot...

I picked up the HST 124gr. It turned out the 115grain the guy had was hydrashok or hishok so I got the 124s. I have a couple with different charges loaded to test out before I start cranking them out though.

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I run the HST 124+P in pretty much everything except my G17 and G34 where I run HST 147+P.

The 124 HST seems to have the best performance across the board.


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[Darkpriest667]

I have 147s in all of my guns.. HSTs.... I think the HSTs are pretty consistent as far as expansion and penetration go.. ShootingtheBull410 on youtube did a bunch of tests on 9mm and 380 carry ammo and HSTs in 9mm were the clear winners at 147 and 124 grain.... He hasn't posted a video in about a year he had some health problems.. he may have died.

 

[rp-]

I have 147s in all of my guns.. HSTs.... I think the HSTs are pretty consistent as far as expansion and penetration go.. ShootingtheBull410 on youtube did a bunch of tests on 9mm and 380 carry ammo and HSTs in 9mm were the clear winners at 147 and 124 grain.... He hasn't posted a video in about a year he had some health problems.. he may have died.

Those videos are exactly the reason I'm switching to the HSTs. I was pretty impressed. I chose the 124 because I'm just not a fan of the heavy bullets.

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[Dragonheart]

If you want a defense load forget the hollow points all together. Unless a bullet expands or fragments you are not creating any more damage than using a FMJ. Shooting at gel only proves little other than what doesn't work. The problem is hollow points clog up when they hit bone and there is an 85% chance a bullet will hit bone when fired at the center of mass of a human target. Hollow points are also more likely to cause a malfunction then a FMJ. So what's the answer? A polymer filled FMJ bullet like the Federal Guard Dog. The polymer filled FMJ is a light weight bullet moving at high velocity, which creates a tremendous hydraulic effect. The polymer nose starts to crush on impact and continues to full expansion with deep penetration regardless of where it hits bone or not, and expends most of it's energy on the target.

 

[Kar98]

I don't care. As long as I can knock his ass over, I'm good.

 

[rp-]

If you want a defense load forget the hollow points all together. Unless a bullet expands or fragments you are not creating any more damage than using a FMJ. Shooting at gel only proves little other than what doesn't work. The problem is hollow points clog up when they hit bone and there is an 85% chance a bullet will hit bone when fired at the center of mass of a human target. Hollow points are also more likely to cause a malfunction then a FMJ. So what's the answer? A polymer filled FMJ bullet like the Federal Guard Dog. The polymer filled FMJ is a light weight bullet moving at high velocity, which creates a tremendous hydraulic effect. The polymer nose starts to crush on impact and continues to full expansion with deep penetration regardless of where it hits bone or not, and expends most of it's energy on the target.

Do you know anything about terminal wound ballistics?


Because I don't.


But the FBI does.


...and they don't carry polymer filled FMJs

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[benenglish]

Federal Guard Dog

I note that the Czech Republic used to be a big market for Guard Dog. Over there, only plain lead or FMJ ammo is allowed; hollow and soft points are illegal in handguns.

After Guard Dog (I think it had a different name, back in the day.) essentially took over that market, the Czech government changed their statutes to outlaw it, too.

At least the Czech legislators thought the stuff was effective. I'm not sure if I could draw any conclusions from that, though.

 

[Texas42]

3'' is a micro barrel?

 

[smittyb]

I note that the Czech Republic used to be a big market for Guard Dog. Over there, only plain lead or FMJ ammo is allowed; hollow and soft points are illegal in handguns.

After Guard Dog (I think it had a different name, back in the day.) essentially took over that market, the Czech government changed their statutes to outlaw it, too.

At least the Czech legislators thought the stuff was effective. I'm not sure if I could draw any conclusions from that, though.

I have long said the only reason to use Guard Dog is if your pistol won’t cycle the ol flying ashtrays.

 

[rp-]

flying ashtrays.

Haha! I love it. I was loading up some 460mags last night and notice the 240gr XTP mags only have 4 grooves but all the 9mm I loaded had 6. Also noticed how huge the divot is in those monsters.


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[TxStetson]

Haha! I love it. I was loading up some 460mags last night and notice the 240gr XTP mags only have 4 grooves but all the 9mm I loaded had 6. Also noticed how huge the divot is in those monsters.


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Cuz it only needs 4 to open to almost an inch in diameter. The 9mm needs 6 to open up to just over half an inch.