Called Federal customer support got a nice guy with the right answer. Why did you guys change the 000 handgun defense .410 ammo from 1200fps down to 850fps indicated by all the new boxes? Even when the dealer sites for the ammo clearly have 1100-1200fps printed on the box in the catalog photo?

Answer from Federal: We did not change the ammo at all but the original box was based on shooting the "handgun" ammo through a 30" inch barrel. So now the box reflects what you get from a short barrel like the Governor or Taurus Judge. Which is 850fps approx.

This was very disappointing to me since the four bucks weigh 300 grains and at 1200fps that means a muzzle energy of about 900foot pounds which compares to a 357 magnum at 587 very favorably.

In reality the 45 colt, 45acp and 410 all deliver about the same muzzle energy. The recoil is slightly more snappy with the 410 rounds, I assume due to the weight of the 300gr payload.

Never the less this federal 000 .410 load passes through an old style USA steel drum at 50 yards like butter. And likely would zip completely through any vehicle. So in that sense it's a serious round, and it shreds targets like a meat grinder.

The article in American Rifleman March 2012 page 98 on the governor publishes their 1200fps results in error.

So the 800fps printed on the Winchester PDX1 ammo is actually accurate. And now the Federal box is too. The Remington HD buckshot probably still says 1300fps on it's box which would also be wrong.

I only shoot the federal 000 because it outperforms the other two in consistency and punch. The flat discs in the PDX1 bounce off a steel drum half the time and the BBs go much more wild than any publication claims. The Remington HD 410 bucks have 1-2 wild shots on almost every round. I would be scared to death firing either one of those around innocent people. The federal on the other hand, very predictable.

Hope that info is useful to someone, happy shooting.