40S&W Premium PD bullets--we have a winner!...

[jeffreybehr]

...at least as far as I'm concerned. I tested these in my normal manner, by shooting them into a series of one-gallon waterjugs from ten feet. The bullets in the lower row were shot thru two layers of denim taped to the front of the first jug, while the bullets in the upper row were shot thru my 'thick-clothing' simulation of four layers of terrytowel with denim front and back.


From the left, the bullets, all 180g. but for the 175g Hornady, are the old Federal Classic Hi-Shok #40SWA, then the newish Federal Premium Law Enforcement Tactical HST #P40HST1, then the Hornady Critical Duty with FlexLock bullet #91375, and then the Winchester Ranger Bonded #Q4355.

.......................................Claimed...............Actual....
...........................................MV................at 10 Feet
Federal Hi-Shok...................990FPS................947
Federal HST.........................1010...................978
Hornady Critical Duty............1010...................984
Winchester Ranger Bonded......na.....................957

For the first time in memory, I recovered three expanded bullets while consuming only twelve jugs testing the HSTs.

The Federal Classic looks fine thru 2 denims but failed to expand thru thick clothing, typical performance from 'old' HP bullets.

The HST expanded excellently thru two denims AND expanded thru the thick clothing. The lower bullet struck the rear wall of jug #4**, while the two thick-clothing samples either did not dent the rear wall of jug #4 or just cracked it. Weights were 180.0 and 179.6g. The first one looked so good I fired another.

The Hornady Critical Duty FlexLok performed like a typical Hornady bullet* thru only denim, but two failed to expand at all thru thick clothing. This one really disappointed me.

The Winchester Ranger Bonded also disappointed me by not expanding at all when fired thru thick clothing. The bullet on the upper-right was fired thru a total of four layers and just started to expand.

IMO the HST is the clear winner here, as it was in my testing of 45Auto PD bullets...
http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-...873-45-acp-bullet-expansion-test-results.html
...post #42. This 40-cal. HST is what I'm now carrying.

* that means that in my experience Hornadys of several HP styles are designed more for penetration than for high expansion.

** Each is about 6 inches front-to-back.

 

[Fishinfool]

Interesting results, and thanks for testing and posting. Problem I see with testing like this is, well, it shows what these bullets will do when fired thru clothing and water filled jugs. Not what happens, necessarily when fired thru clothing, flesh, organs, and bone.

One of these days I would love to get a couple goat / deer carcasas, dress them in clothing, and give it a try. Even ballistic gelatin does not really accurately simulate what happens when a bullet hits flesh and organs of different densities, let alone bone. For what it is worth, those HST's are gaining a really good reputation in police shootings.

Larry

 

[jeffreybehr]

Interesting results, and thanks for testing and posting. YW.

Problem I see with testing like this is, well, it shows what these bullets will do when fired thru clothing and water filled jugs. Not what happens, necessarily when fired thru clothing, flesh, organs, and bone.

...

Larry

True, Larry, but I certainly prefer to carry cartridges with bullets that expand well under adverse conditions AND stay together AND have the potential to deliver all their energy into the body of the badguy instead of, for example, passing thru the badguy and injuring a loved one I'm trying to protect.

 

[MrMikeFish]

Looks like I may be looking for a new round for home defense. Currently using the Critical Defense rounds. Thanks for the test and share.

 

[jeffreybehr]

Looks like I may be looking for a new round for home defense. Currently using the Critical Defense rounds. Thanks for the test and share.

You're very welcome.

 

[hardluk1]

Better off going to you tube and watch the 30 or 40 videos showing many different bullets in GELL not water . I'll stay with underwood ammo and the speer bonded gold dot in a lighter 155gr weight with a claimed velocity of 1300fps .

Its faster than that .