9mm gel test: 124 gr Federal Hydra-Shok

General Firearms Terminal Ballistic Information
1

//youtu.be/4kOXLQ1qENY

9mm 124 gr Federal Hydrashok fired from Glock 22 with Lone Wolf 9mm conversion barrel through four layers of denim into calibrated 10% gelatin.

BB: 588.4 fps, 3.7"

Impact velocity: 1,093 fps
Penetration: 15.1" of gel, found in first water jug.
Retained weight: 121.4 gr
Max expansion: 0.589"
Min expansion: 0.404"

*Please note that although this load performed adequately in this test, professional testing indicates it is more likely to fail to expand when fired through heavy clothing than more modern designs such as Gold Dot or HST.

2

what’s the current school of thought on the ideal load for 9mm with 4 inch barrels and the 3 inch? and summer vs winter?

heavier in the winter still?

3

Shouldn’t matter much so long as you choose a bullet that performs well against heavy clothing. Even with older designs, I’m not sure I like the idea of a heavier bullet for winter because heavier means slower and with older designs, slower meant more likely to fail to expand in heavy clothing.

I think the current favorites are 124 gr Gold Dot or HST, either standard pressure or +P. I’m sure someone more knowledgeable can straighten me out.

4

sounds reasonable to me and what i recall being the case too.

i have a pretty good supply of winchester ranger 124 +p and +p+. hopefully they are still GTG.

thanks

5

That should work just fine. Remember that the difference between the best and the worst performers isn’t huge. Even the difference between FMJ and the best JHP isn’t that great. Ranger is a very good bullet.

6

i try not to get too wrapped up in the magic bullet game and just practice as much as possible. better to hit with a 22 than miss with a 44

7

I’d say 124gr +P Gold Dot and 147gr HST with or without +P. Those are all phenomenal.

8

Kinda neat watching the slow-motion bullet enter the water jug.