Has anyone here run 200gr hard cast through an HK P30?

[Phaedrus]

Just curious if anyone here has ran 200gr Underwood hard cast through an HK P30? I've read a few sporadic reports that the 200gr isn't reliable in Glocks- IDK if that's an issue of weight, OAL or just an unfounded rumor. Normally I run 180gr FN-FMJ for woods carry and 180 Federal HST in the rare times I CCW my P30. FWIW, for CCW I'm pretty much a 9mm guy (usually either a P2000 or VP9, 147gr HST). But I live in Montana and due to the various shortages have not found a .44 Mag deal I wanted. So when I hike I carry the P30 with 180gr FN-FMJ, but I see Underwood has the 200gr hard cast which seems at first blush to be a bit of a step up. A 12ga loaded with Brenneke slugs is my go-to for camping but a sidearm is pretty much a must.

I'm not at all concerned about cast bullet if that matters. It's not like I'll be shooting hundreds upon hundreds of 'em. Just enough to check function, then loading the gun. The Underwood are coated anyway.

Thanks, all!

[farscott]

The question is referencing a .40 S&W P30? I have not used any loads heavier than 180-grains in my .40 V3 P30S.

[GJM]

Why not just run the Underwood Lehigh Penetrator load, which has been vetted in multiple HK pistols of different calibers.

[03RN]

Never heard about the 200s giving issues. I've heard of 220gr 10mm loads sometimes being an issue from partial mags or a compromised grip.

[Phaedrus]

Why not just run the Underwood Lehigh Penetrator load, which has been vetted in multiple HK pistols of different calibers.

I guess I'd have to see if any of 'em are in stock. Hard cast is kind of the standard for bear protection, I have no idea of the Penetrator stuff is effective for that. On their little matrix of uses the only ones they say are suitable for dangerous game are the hard cast.

[GJM]

I guess I'd have to see if any of 'em are in stock. Hard cast is kind of the standard for bear protection, I have no idea of the Penetrator stuff is effective for that. On their little matrix of uses the only ones they say are suitable for dangerous game are the hard cast.

I would say that hard cast is the standard for bear protection in revolvers. However, to my knowledge hard cast is not approved in HK pistols, and in any event, the wide meplat that makes hard cast perform well, leads to reduced reliability in many semi auto pistols. For example, I have been unable to make wide meplat loads work in the Glock 20, 29, 22 with a KKM barrel, the third Gen S&W 10mm pistols, and probably others I have forgotten. Others have tried the wide meplat hard cast in the USP FS 45 and found it unreliable.

In most bear defensive situations, you don’t have to kill the bear to stop the attack. That is the reason that handguns, by virtue of their handiness, are slightly more successful than long guns in bear attacks, despite having a fraction of the power of rifles and shotguns. However, your handgun has to go bang, and for that reason the Lehigh bullet profile is my sweet spot between reliability and penetration. If you care more about pure penetration than the other advantages of a semi auto pistol, I would carry hard cast in a revolver.

[03RN]

I think I've got 500 of these through my 2 1911s without a stoppage.

[GJM]

I think I've got 500 of these through my 2 1911s without a stoppage.

Hard cast seemed to run through my 10mm 1911 as well, although I elected to not carry a 1911 in AK due to field pistol considerations that became apparent after my first winter in AK.

[Phaedrus]

147gr Buffalo Bore runs fine through my HKs. I don't shoot a lot of it as HK doesn't approve of cast but it does work. Maybe I'll just stick to 180gr FN-FMJ in .40 for now.

[GJM]

147gr Buffalo Bore runs fine through my HKs. I don't shoot a lot of it as HK doesn't approve of cast but it does work. Maybe I'll just stick to 180gr FN-FMJ in .40 for now.

My shooting plan is, asssuming the time is available, to shoot a warning shot, followed by a shot center of mass, and if that doesn’t dissuade the bear, all shots then go for the brain.

If that 9mm hard cast runs in your HK pistols, why not just carry that, as opposed to try to get ammo and test the .40? Do you feel that a shot that penetrates the brain with 147 grain will stop a bear less than a 180 grain of similar velocity that penetrates the brain?