Quote Originally Posted by Archer1440 View Post
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.
Very interesting. I wonder how the .357 Mag HST performs in the FBI battery of tests?