How about the penetration factor this time of year with heavy clothing aka coats, jackets, etc???
This inquiry is directed at the experienced members here with actual knowledge...
I hear a lot of good about the 147 HST, anything extra special other than the weight?
Is this the appropriate thread to ask, since a lot of us are using HST, where is a good place to get HST now? Prices have skyrocketed since Federal cracked down on selling the 50 round boxes only to LE.
Is this the appropriate thread to ask, since a lot of us are using HST, where is a good place to get HST now? Prices have skyrocketed since Federal cracked down on selling the 50 round boxes only to LE.
Is this the appropriate thread to ask, since a lot of us are using HST, where is a good place to get HST now? Prices have skyrocketed since Federal cracked down on selling the 50 round boxes only to LE.
In 9mm, the older federal Hydra-Shok 135 grain JHP's tend to work just fine...
9mm Hydra-shoks are very inconsistent in expansion. Clear gel and water testing are not analogues to 'real world performance' or penetration, but they do show expansion under ideal conditions. In other words, if it doesn't expand in water or clear gel testing, it's never going to expand.
135gr Hydra-shok:
147 gr HST:
135 Critical Duty +P:
You can see the consistency of the HST and Critical Duty rounds.
Hydra-shok performs even worse through tougher intermediate barriers. With options like the HST, Ranger Bonded, Critical Duty, etc. all being both better performers under a wider variety of circumstances AND offering significantly better consistency, I'd have a tough time recommending hydra-shoks for 9mm or .45 use. Potentially in .380 if you're required to carry a HP per policy but are looking for more penetration then rounds that actually expand offer.
I was an early adopter of the Federal HST line when it first hit the market, but I have finally sworn it off. Why? Because I am just tired of replacing the creased cartridges of HSTs. (No, I do not re-chamber the rounds. They just tend to crease after being loaded and unloaded from mags after a while.) No other brand that I have carried does this.