I was into 10mm Auto before it sold out and went mainstream, but these days I'm here for the revolver and epidemiology information.
Rather than start a new post, thought it would be worth mentioning that the 154 HST is finally available. At about two bucks a pop, it might not be worth it for some, but it does look like performance is as one would expect from the product line. Just shy of the rated 1340 fps from my 4.25” Pythons. Expansion looks as expected in the gel testing I have seen as well.
Last edited by Archer1440; 12-25-2023 at 04:17 PM.
Nevermind, necro.
”But in the end all of these ideas just manufacture new criminals when the problem isn't a lack of criminals.” -JRB
Some data for those interested:
Federal HST 154 .357 Magnum with an on-the-box claim of 1340 FPS from a 4" barrel.
Tested with Colt Python 4.25", velocities recorded with Garmin XERO C1 chronograph, 70º F at 4450 feet elevation.
5 shot averages: 1309.8 FPS, S=64.7, SD= 22.1, PF ~204
Notes:
The HST was much softer shooting than Federal 159 JSP (1272 fps) despite being about 37 FPS faster- zero visible flash indoors- no appreciable smoke- cases were very clean- no signs of primer smearing or other pressure related issues.
Softer and less snappy than Hornady Critical Defense 135, which clocks at 1464.4 FPS, S=57, SD=19.8 but runs ~20 PF lower.
Consistent 4" 5-shot groups shooting DA at 25 yards with a cadence of 1 shot per second. This cadence is too fast for the Garmin so the speed readings are from a separate 5-shot group shot at the speed the chronograph could calculate the velocity. POA=POI for my sights at 25, which was a nice surprise (Hornady Critical Defense shoots quite a bit lower)
The exceptionally soft feel of the HST is puzzling to me, given the close mass and definite velocity advantage over the "fireball producing" Fed JSP 158's with their very similar PF.
Damn, @Archer1440, just when I had decided to give up .357 Magnum for a carry load due to recoil, you come up with this. Now I'm bamboozled.
"Everything in life is really simple, provided you don’t know a f—–g thing about it." - Kevin D. Williamson