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  #1  
Old 04-12-2021, 07:30 PM
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130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals  
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Default 130gr HST with a M49 revolver test... finals

Well it has been a long time coming.......

I started this test back on 8/3/2020 and am now finishing it,
today on 4/12/2021. Lots of things have happen and I hope
that all of you are safe and well.......... so lets do it.

As mentioned on my first test, this bullet was brand new from Federal and there was NO, I repeat, no loading data for your safety if you wanted to test the waters at rolling your own.

I tested three loads in my 686 6" and three light load in my M49 snub nose on my first try. The cases looked ok and I thought that maybe this might be a cake walk.
Then on load #8, I had a load hit +1,000fps with the little J frame and I realised that I was not out of the forest, just yet !!

I tested 7 loadsin the 686 and 25 more in the M49 for a total or 32 loads.
The OAL started with a safe 1.22" (14) to a few long 1.43" (4) and finally when I felt safe, the factory +/- 1.18" OAL (14) with & with out a crimp.

Powders used were red dot, green dot, w231, be86, unique, blue dot, 2400, hs6 & one with alliant steel.
I was ok with a 50% volume powder charge but really wanted a 90-100% case fill of powder, but did not know it this was going to work, with this long .61" JHP bullet being seated like a lead 148 HBwc !!
Pressures were going to be very HIGH if you did not take care and work up very slowly and take small steps.

4.2gr of w231 with a 1.18" OAL gave a 53% case volume.
3.5 Red dot ..................................... 75%
4.8 BE86 ......................................... 60%
6.3 Blue dot ..................................... 90%
9.0 2400 ......................................... 100% (8.8 better) ?

In my revolver 2400 & unique powder had fluxuating es that made me pull my hair out.
Crimping this bullet in most loads gave poor accuracy over a non-crimp case.
I had no luck with the long 1.43" OAL in my M49 but it did shoot in the 686 6" revolver.

After the smoked cleared.............
in "my" revolver I had four loads that were close to POA and match the factory fps, which it is all about.
The OAL was 1.22 & 1.18" w/o a crimp with Red Dot and BE-86 powders.

W231, Blue Dot or 2400 might work in your weapons, if you want to test this bullet out, they just came close for me.

I will be down loading 4 pictures...............
so hang in there, if you are "Early"

I hope this will help those that want to try and use this bullet but care is needed and I don't think you need to load higher than 850fps for a good safe SD loading.



These are my loads for my revolver........M49 steel frame.
This load has LESS recoil than the 135 +P Gold Dot in a J frame
and has a larger expansion with the same penetration !!

Good shooting.

Last edited by Nevada Ed; 04-28-2021 at 12:15 PM.
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  #2  
Old 04-12-2021, 07:44 PM
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130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals  
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Good research. Thanks!
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Old 04-12-2021, 07:45 PM
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130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals  
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Thanks for all your effort. Sure saved me a lot of time.
Not to mention primers.
I believe I'll give BE-86 a try.
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Old 04-12-2021, 09:20 PM
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130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals  
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Yes, thanx for your time, effort, monetary investment and searching for components. A good clear and concise presentation.............
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Old 04-13-2021, 12:26 PM
ejjeff ejjeff is offline
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130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals  
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Thank you for all the work. I am curious, how did the Alliant steel do?
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Old 04-13-2021, 12:37 PM
BillBro BillBro is offline
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130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals  
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Had an opportunity to buy a ton of these and passed, wish I hadnt. I do have the HSTs for my 9mm, 45acp and 10mm and I love them, slot. In the 10 they're an awesome sight to see when fired into gel.
Very nice write up, I applaud and appreciate your efforts. Though, I am a little green now.
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Old 04-13-2021, 01:02 PM
YkcorCal YkcorCal is offline
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130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals  
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An absolutely great post and report on the Federal 130gr. HST Micro. I love it when someone takes the time to do a really thorough test and report on a product. As a ballistics "nut" myself I tip my hat for such a great job!

I wish Federal and others would make "similar" rounds specifically designed for the S&W 627 Performance Center 627 and 629 2.6" short barrels and similar such revolvers. They would definitely upgrade the guns' concealed carry personal defense as well as police anti-personnel carry potential. Such a cartridge designed to function at .357 "lite" velocities, .44 Special +P, and .44 Magnum "lite" velocities would offer great protentional in my humble opinion.

Rocky


Last edited by YkcorCal; 04-13-2021 at 01:16 PM.
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Old 04-13-2021, 02:26 PM
Borderboss Borderboss is offline
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130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by YkcorCal View Post
An absolutely great post and report on the Federal 130gr. HST Micro. I love it when someone takes the time to do a really thorough test and report on a product. As a ballistics "nut" myself I tip my hat for such a great job!

I wish Federal and others would make "similar" rounds specifically designed for the S&W 627 Performance Center 627 and 629 2.6" short barrels and similar such revolvers. They would definitely upgrade the guns' concealed carry personal defense as well as police anti-personnel carry potential. Such a cartridge designed to function at .357 "lite" velocities, .44 Special +P, and .44 Magnum "lite" velocities would offer great protentional in my humble opinion.

Rocky
I may be misinterpreting your comment, so sorry if that's the case.

Both Speer and Federal do make a number of "Short barrel" rounds, so those designed for use in short barrel guns. Their design, supposedly, is to maximize velocity while minimizing flash in those short barrels. I know that I use these in my .38s and still have a supply of the now-discontinued Speer "Short Barrel" .44 Mag Gold Dot that I carry in my M69 2.75" barrel.

There are a couple of really good YouTube channels that have done a lot of testing of ammo in short barrel guns as well. Check HERE and HERE.

I agree with you that it would be great to see even more development of ammo for short barrel carry guns.
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  #9  
Old 04-14-2021, 12:26 PM
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130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ejjeff View Post
Thank you for all the work. I am curious, how did the Alliant steel do?
As we all know, the powder companies tell us what powders are best suited for rifle, shotgun and pistol loads and put out data to help us out.
There is usually a reason why some powders are not listed through their testing and this one "Shotgun powder" that was specialy made for the use of loading steel pellets, falls into this area.

I had no idea where to start but it was sort of like Blue Dot in my duck loads with steel shot, so I took a wild guess at the amount of powder to try out in my test.

I used 7.2 grs of Alliant Steel powder with a OAL of 1.18" with a light crimp, in test #4 that was posted in my last years test and the picture of the results.

The good news............ no damage to the weapon or shooter.

The bad news..... LOW fps was at 725fps and the HIGH was at 959fps.
That is a ES of....... 233 and it looked like a shotgun pattern, as well. The average fps was 863 but a big looser on all counts, if you want it for a SD load.

As a note on the other loads;

One reason that I used a 1.22" length OAL over the factory 1.18" loading,
was that I found it easier to load in my cylinder.

Both lenghts had two GOOD loads with a different powder that MATCHED
the Federal Factory ammo, that I saw on Lucky Gunner, the Federal site, and several youtube test.

I will let you deceide if a light crimp is needed .........
but using a "Hammer" to remove a 130 HST set at 1.22", will give you a very good idea on how much friction is on the 38 special case, tring to get a .61" JHP bullet free of the case.

In the light J frame revolver there is the light recoiling 148 lead target load..........

but if you want expansion along with penetration with a modest recoil, I would suggest the.......

130 HST load with the 135 Gold Dot that has a little more recoil
for the little J frame.

I can place 5 on paper, vs 3 heavy recoiling 158 lead FBI loads, when messing arond last year, in the same time frame.

They all work...........
but like one youtube site said........

"Is this the one " ?
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  #10  
Old 04-14-2021, 01:17 PM
reddogs reddogs is offline
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The factory load looks swollen where the bullets is.
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Old 06-05-2021, 10:26 PM
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130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals 130gr HST  with a M49 revolver test... finals  
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Any tips on sourcing some of these projectiles?
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