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Thread: New 9 mm ammo testing

  1. #21
    Member LeeC's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DocGKR View Post
    The 115 gr +P+ GD did not do that great in our testing; the 124 gr/124 gr +P GD has better penetration and expansion characteristics.
    DocGKR -- I've read and heard a lot of pros and cons about the Federal 9BPLE 115 gr +P+. Do you have test results for this load?

    Thanks,

    Lee
    "You are no more armed because you are wearing a pistol than you are a musician because you own a guitar." -- Jeff Cooper, in "Principles Of Personal Defense"

  2. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by LeeC View Post
    DocGKR -- I've read and heard a lot of pros and cons about the Federal 9BPLE 115 gr +P+. Do you have test results for this load?

    Thanks,

    Lee
    i second this its readily available and inexpensive id probably stock some if its effective

  3. #23
    ...........
    Last edited by Robert Mitchum; 12-28-2011 at 01:47 AM.

  4. #24
    Site Supporter DocGKR's Avatar
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    9mm Fed +P+ 115 gr JHP 9BPLE fired from S&W 5906 (lot # 24C-0684) 5 shot ave:
    BG: vel = 1342 fps, pen depth = 11.7", RD = 0.47", RL = 0.21", RW = 67.2 gr

    Note that the Federal 115 gr 9BP and 9BPLE were very inconsistent in testing, with insufficient penetration in bare gelatin, bullet fragmentation leading to poor expanded diameter, and a high failure to expand in denim testing.

    There are NUMEROUS better loads available today: http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=19887.

  5. #25
    Member LeeC's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DocGKR View Post
    9mm Fed +P+ 115 gr JHP 9BPLE fired from S&W 5906 (lot # 24C-0684) 5 shot ave:
    BG: vel = 1342 fps, pen depth = 11.7", RD = 0.47", RL = 0.21", RW = 67.2 gr

    Note that the Federal 115 gr 9BP and 9BPLE were very inconsistent in testing, with insufficient penetration in bare gelatin, bullet fragmentation leading to poor expanded diameter, and a high failure to expand in denim testing.

    There are NUMEROUS better loads available today: http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=19887.
    Thanks DocGKR. "very inconsistent" in actual testing is not a characteristic I want in equipment I'm betting my life on. I was stuck on the "utils" per dollar proposition, and the fact that the 9BPLE round had such a good pedigree. But reliability trumps every other attribute for defensive gear in my book, so I'll be switching to one of the loads you've recommended.

    I think I will have to change my practice habits to keep my practice ammo budget under control. Since I unload/reload for dry fire practice a lot, I usually move the cartridges around within the magazine to avoid bullet compression issues I've heard could become a problem. And I have been shooting up my everyday carry 9BPLEs every week or so to keep some practice with the hotter load and to keep the carry ammo fresh. I've been thinking about buying a second Glock 19 for a number of reasons, and having one that matches my EDC for dry fire practice is now another reason on my list.
    "You are no more armed because you are wearing a pistol than you are a musician because you own a guitar." -- Jeff Cooper, in "Principles Of Personal Defense"

  6. #26
    Member LeeC's Avatar
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    How many test rounds before the load and gun combination is "cleared" for EDC ?

    OK, so I'm loading up a few magazines for my Gen4 G19 with my newly acquired Federal 9mm +P 124 grain HST P9HST3, and headed to the range. What is the thinking on how many rounds of a specific load need to be run through a specific instance of a gun (mine), when there are already many people shooting the same combination (P9HST3 in Gen4 G19) ?

    I know some folks follow a rule of shooting 500 to 1,000 rounds before considering the load proven for their EDC gun. At $30/box that's a $600 investment that seems kind of unnecessary. I've already run about 500 rounds of Federal 9BPLE +P+ 115 grain through the gun and it seems to me that the rounds are fairly similar. I"m inclined to shoot maybe 50 to 100 and call it done.

    Thoughts?
    "You are no more armed because you are wearing a pistol than you are a musician because you own a guitar." -- Jeff Cooper, in "Principles Of Personal Defense"

  7. #27
    Member TGS's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LeeC View Post
    I've already run about 500 rounds of Federal 9BPLE +P+ 115 grain through the gun and it seems to me that the rounds are fairly similar. I"m inclined to shoot maybe 50 to 100 and call it done.
    I agree, and that's all I do. My reasoning is that if the gun is already sufficiently reliable with varied brands/types of FMJ ammo over a significant quantity (1000+) then it's only going to be unreliable with your carry ammo if the JHP ogive doesn't jive with the gun.....and if that's the case, you're not going to need more than one box of ammo to figure it out, because it's going to choke a lot.

    If that's asking to get killed, then I'll take my chances because I don't have $600 laying around just to call myself special.
    "Are you ready? Okay. Let's roll."- Last words of Todd Beamer

  8. #28
    Site Supporter DocGKR's Avatar
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    I put 500-750 rds of FMJ through the pistol. If all is good, then 100-250 rounds of duty ammo. If things functioned without issues, then I carry it without worries.

  9. #29
    Member tjbeck's Avatar
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    Doc, just curious if the Ranger T ammo is comparable to the HST's. I have and carry RA9TA 127gr +P+ but, have seen a lot of glowing reviews for the HST rounds. Is there much of a difference in performance. Thanks for the information already in the thread.

  10. #30
    Site Supporter DocGKR's Avatar
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    One of the largest west coast LE agencies carried Ranger Talon (147/180/230) for over a decade and switched to the analogous HST loads about 5 years ago--both have given good service, with a slight edge to HST.

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