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Old 12-12-2015, 10:39 AM
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Default Barnes TAC-XPD 9mm

Based on their strong penetration and expansion performance in the Lucky Gunner ammo tests (Handgun Self-Defense Ammunition - Ballistic Testing Data), I bought four boxes of Barnes TAC-XPD +P 115g 9mm SD rounds on sale at Cabela's. Two weeks ago, I took a box of them to the range to test with my Shield. I fired them back-to-back with Gold Dot 124 standard pressure rounds to compare functioning and accuracy. Both brands functioned perfectly, but there was a big difference in accuracy.

I test for accuracy by counting the percentage of shots that hit the 4" by 4" square in the center of a Birchwood-Casey 12" by 12" target at 15 yards. I fired 34 Gold Dots, using a two handed stance with slow, deliberate fire. Eighteen hit the square, for a 53% hit rate. I repeated this with 20 TAC-XPDS, but only five hit the square, for a disappointingly low 25% hit rate.

Thinking that the short-barreled Shield wasn't a good match for TAC-XPDs, yesterday I took my SIG P320 9mm Compact to the range to repeat the test. The results were better for the TAC-XPDs with the longer-barreled and more accurate SIG. Seven out of 15 hit the square for a 47% hit rate. Despite the TAC-XPD's improvement with the SIG, the Gold Dots were still superior, as ten out of 15 hit the square for a 67% hit rate.

Because the TAC-XPDs appear to be a well-engineered round, I wondered if it was me, and not them. However there is a least one other guy who has had a similar experience, and he's written about it here:
Ammo Review: Barnes 9 mm +P 115gr. TAC-XPD - The Truth About Guns

I know none of this small-sample research is very scientific, but based what I've seen so far, the TAC-XPDs will likely do best with long barrels at short ranges.

Anyone else have any experience with these?
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Old 12-16-2015, 05:10 PM
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I just picked up some of their .357 magnums that state right on the box- 1200 FPS out of a 2" barrel.

I shot a few, but I'm having accuracy problems with all the magnum rounds so it's hard to say at this point.
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Old 12-16-2015, 11:03 PM
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TAC-XPD is weak out of short barrels. Go with DPX if you want the Barnes copper bullet.
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Old 12-16-2015, 11:36 PM
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I have no experience with the Tac-XPD, but I really like the Corbon DPX. IIRC they recently stopped using the Barnes bullet and are manufacturing their own solid cooper bullets.

FWIW... The 95 gr. 9mm DPX version was specifically designed for short barrels according to Corbon. Chuck Taylor told me he carries it in his Glock 17 and found it performs better than the 115 gr. version based on his testing.
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Old 12-17-2015, 01:21 AM
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Originally Posted by Mister X View Post
I have no experience with the Tac-XPD, but I really like the Corbon DPX. IIRC they recently stopped using the Barnes bullet and are manufacturing their own solid cooper bullets.

FWIW... The 95 gr. 9mm DPX version was specifically designed for short barrels according to Corbon. Chuck Taylor told me he carries it in his Glock 17 and found it performs better than the 115 gr. version based on his testing.

If I wanted to shoot a 95 gr. bullet, I'd carry my .380ACP.
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Old 12-17-2015, 09:53 AM
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Originally Posted by REM 3200 View Post
If I wanted to shoot a 95 gr. bullet, I'd carry my .380ACP.
Yea, but your anemic 95 gr 380 would perform like **** where the 95 gr 9mm at 1250 FPS performs like a standard pressure 9mm load from a full sized gun.
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Old 12-17-2015, 11:43 AM
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Yea, but your anemic 95 gr 380 would perform like **** where the 95 gr 9mm at 1250 FPS performs like a standard pressure 9mm load from a full sized gun.
Except that I like heavy for caliber bullets. IMO 95gr. is to light for 9mm.
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Old 12-18-2015, 01:40 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oldguyshoot View Post
TAC-XPD is weak out of short barrels. Go with DPX if you want the Barnes copper bullet.
Their. 357 round states 1200 mv out of 2" barrel. How is that weak?

No muzzle flash and a tad less kick than the Buffalo bore tac Short barrel
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