"And next month, we'll be offering our perpetual motion machine"
I'm sorry, but a standard pressure 95 gr. load with identical performance to a 115 gr. +P load? At 1,300 FPS, their load develops 356 ft/lbs. Most 115 gr. +P loads are 400-500 ft/lbs. So supposedly this lighter bullet (less momentum) with less energy (reduced ability to do work) can perform "just as good"? I'm waving the B.S. flag until I see it in person
You have to understand how the standard DPX gets penetration that's deeper than a standard bullet of the same weight. I opens slower. Most bullets in bare gell are fully expanded in and inch or two. DPX is more like 4 inch's. They could achieve the same penetration with the 95 gr by designing it to open even slower and or to a smaller diameter.
As an aside, I played with a lot of 88, 90, 95, 100gr. bullets in 9mm, with velocities from 1,200 to 1,650 FPS. Sierra, Speer, Barnes, Remington, Hornady, Magtech. Not one of them got 16" of penetration, most of them came apart. I would not use these for defense. I even consider 115's too light. 124 and 147 in a 9mm.
Those bullets are not designed for those velocities. Energy and speed are not what get you penetration anyway. Momentum, expansion characteristics and expanded diameter are what control penetration. Higher velocity can cause a bullet to open faster or fragment giving less penetration. The bullet must be designed for the velocity it's being used at. Not to mention, if you're using clay for these test, it's not a very good tissue simulant.
And on yet another note, 102 gr. Golden Saber handloads as fired from my P3AT achieved 1020 FPS for 235 ft/lbs. They penetrated deeper in clay than the 115 gr. 9mm loads. Both expanded, but the .380 exited the 12" block. The 9mm load did not. Once again, 115's are too light.
I'm with you on the Golden Saber for the .380. The factory loading will not expand reliable out of a P3AT. Hand-load them to over 1000 fps and they work well, its what I use. I'll still take a well designed 115 9mm over the .380 any day.