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Old 01-11-2017, 01:07 AM
Davinman Davinman is offline
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Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo  
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Default Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo

I have been given a bunch of 9mm 147gr hydrashok ammo, and was wondering how effective it is for self defense as opposed to other loads. They'll be used in a Ruger LC9s, or a CZ75, thanks for any info you folks can give me.
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Old 01-11-2017, 07:30 AM
Brasky Brasky is offline
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Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo  
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It works, but federal hst will work significantly better in terms of consistent expansion and retention
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Old 01-11-2017, 09:46 AM
Arik Arik is offline
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Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo  
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What Brasky said. If you got it for free it's not bad but the newer stuff is better

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Old 01-11-2017, 10:08 AM
JK-linux JK-linux is offline
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Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo  
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I remember Hydra Shok being very popular in the 1990's, as well as 147gr ammo becoming more prevalent. From what I understand, it's been tweaked and improved over time. Assuming it's reliable in your guns, I'd imagine if you shot an aggressor with it in the right places, there's about as good a chance he'd stop as with most other 147gr 9mm rounds.
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Old 01-11-2017, 01:00 PM
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Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo  
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I agree with the three post...........

It was the top of the line SD ammo ten years ago, that passed
all the needed test to prove it would fill the bill.
There is nothing wrong with this ammo....................
just that the new HST bullet is so pretty, when you look at the
huge expansion, of "The New" bullet design by Federal.
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Old 01-11-2017, 01:05 PM
caleb4387 caleb4387 is offline
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Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo  
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itvwaa fine 20 year ago now we have HST and gold dot
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Old 01-11-2017, 01:29 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Davinman View Post
I have been given a bunch of 9mm 147gr hydrashok ammo, and was wondering how effective it is for self defense as opposed to other loads. They'll be used in a Ruger LC9s, or a CZ75, thanks for any info you folks can give me.
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It works, but federal hst will work significantly better in terms of consistent expansion and retention
That right there sums it up. In general the Hydrashok bullet is/was good but the HST bullet is better when it comes to Federal ammo. The Speer Gold Dot bullet is better too and maybe the Winchester Defender line too.
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Old 01-11-2017, 01:55 PM
TAC TAC is offline
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Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo  
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Don't rule out the 9mm Remington Golden Saber 147 gr.

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Old 01-12-2017, 12:20 PM
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Are the Golden Saber bullets still suffering from jacket separation? Of the older bullets out there still available in SD ammo I always likes Winchester Silvertip ammo but not Remington Golden Saber ammo.

I still carry Silvertips in several cartridges at times.
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Old 01-12-2017, 01:02 PM
TAC TAC is offline
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Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ArchAngelCD View Post
Are the Golden Saber bullets still suffering from jacket separation? Of the older bullets out there still available in SD ammo I always likes Winchester Silvertip ammo but not Remington Golden Saber ammo.

I still carry Silvertips in several cartridges at times.
The jacket separation is discussed in the video above, but not from a viewpoint that it is necessarily a bad thing. There is also a bonded version of the Golden Saber as well.
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Old 01-12-2017, 02:59 PM
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The Hydra-Shoks are good ammo will serve SD purposes. However, the newer HST rounds are the absolute best in my eyes. I have posted this before but will do so again. The only other bullet I would consider on the same field as the HST is Winchester's equivalent, the Ranger or whatever they call it now.

I tested 9mm HP ammo a while back. I used GoldDots, HST, Golden Saber, and other cheaper HP bullets. The HST were the only bullets to fully expand NO MATTER WHAT. The GoldDots really let me down compared to the hype they have, and the Golden Sabers were just poor.

I keep my 9mms full of 124gr. +P HST rounds. Sadly Federal never adopted the HST bullet over into revolver cartridges. So in my 38spl and 357mag conceal carry revolvers I use 147gr. +P Hydra-Shoks, 147gr +P+ Hydra-Shoks, both are 38spl rounds, or 140gr XTP home brews which are 357mag.

Here is a pic of the HST round after firing. They expand like this consistently!!!

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Old 01-12-2017, 05:41 PM
TAC TAC is offline
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Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iPac View Post
The Hydra-Shoks are good ammo will serve SD purposes. However, the newer HST rounds are the absolute best in my eyes. I have posted this before but will do so again. The only other bullet I would consider on the same field as the HST is Winchester's equivalent, the Ranger or whatever they call it now.

I tested 9mm HP ammo a while back. I used GoldDots, HST, Golden Saber, and other cheaper HP bullets. The HST were the only bullets to fully expand NO MATTER WHAT. The GoldDots really let me down compared to the hype they have, and the Golden Sabers were just poor.

I keep my 9mms full of 124gr. +P HST rounds. Sadly Federal never adopted the HST bullet over into revolver cartridges. So in my 38spl and 357mag conceal carry revolvers I use 147gr. +P Hydra-Shoks, 147gr +P+ Hydra-Shoks, both are 38spl rounds, or 140gr XTP home brews which are 357mag.

Here is a pic of the HST round after firing. They expand like this consistently!!!

These debates are never ending!

The best expansion doesn't always equate to the best choice. The more a bullet expands, the less it penetrates. There are so many variables, and unknowns, there is no one perfect solution.
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Old 01-12-2017, 06:13 PM
Brasky Brasky is offline
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Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo Rate 9mm 147gr. Federal Hydrashok ammo  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TAC View Post
These debates are never ending!

The best expansion doesn't always equate to the best choice. The more a bullet expands, the less it penetrates. There are so many variables, and unknowns, there is no one perfect solution.
Hst has consistent penetration in addition to the expansion. A winner in my book
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Old 01-12-2017, 06:17 PM
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My opinion is that so long as the ammo is reliable in your gun(s) and you can shoot it well, it should perform adequately. Yes, more recent ammo, like the HST, is more likely to perform better. If I were buying SD ammo, I'd probably start with HST or Gold Dots, but I probably wouldn't turn down free Hydrashocks.
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Old 01-12-2017, 06:19 PM
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Quote:
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Sadly Federal never adopted the HST bullet over into revolver cartridges.
Federal .38 Special +P HST Micro Self-Defense Ammo: Coming to the Range | Range365
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  #16  
Old 01-14-2017, 02:09 PM
Irn-Bru Irn-Bru is offline
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Luckgunner did an extensive test on many JHP rounds. As you can see from the link, the 147 grain Hydra Shoks performed very poorly when it comes to expansion. Personally I would use the ammo for practice and carry one of the HST rounds.

http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self...tic-tests/#9mm
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Old 01-15-2017, 11:56 AM
PPCSHOOTER PPCSHOOTER is offline
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I''L CHIME IN HERE. OVER THE YEARS I'VE SEEN SEVERAL PEOPLE SHOT WITH THE 147GR HYDRA-SHOK. IT WORKED FINE. YES SAW, NOT HEARD ABOUT, READ ABOUT OR ANYTHING ELSE; SAW. SHOT PLACEMENT IS KEY, BUT A WELL DESIGNED BULLET DOES HELP. JP
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Old 01-15-2017, 12:09 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iPac View Post
Here is a pic of the HST round after firing. They expand like this consistently!!!
This is timely with Valentine's Day approaching!

How to turn hollow point bullets into a flowering flower pot
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Old 01-15-2017, 06:12 PM
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I carry with the 147 grain HST in my LC9s and one distinct positive for this weight in my pistol is that the sights seem to be regulated for a 147 grain bullet. BTW, determined that my doing some testing with commercial 115 and 124 grain 9mm and both weights shot low. Ordered some 147 grain RN plated bullets from Extreme and the sights were dead on perfect just like when I tested some of the HST for function. Now I need to order some more of the 147 grain bullets because I already know that the 900 I have left won't be enough, while it has some snap to it I've found the LC9s to be a fun shooter and quite accurate when you aren't using a lot of holdover.

BTW, at this point I have a bit more than 700 rounds downrange and have not had one single failure of any description with the LC9s.
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Old 02-02-2017, 11:52 PM
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My former next door neighbor gave me 147 grain HydraShoks on a regular basis whenever his agency had qualifications. It would nosedive in my daughter's KelTec P11 without fail. It worked great in my brother's KelTec Sub2000 Glock magazine version.

My daughter loads standard pressure 115 grain Winchester Silvertips in he P11.

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