9mm gel test: Underwood 115 gr Lehigh Extreme Penetrator (and S&B 115 gr FMJ)

[chopinbloc]

Video link for phones





Underwood 115 gr Lehigh Extreme Penetrator solid copper projectile fired from Glock 22 with Lone Wolf 9mm conversion barrel into calibrated 10% gelatin.

BB: 585.3 fps, 3.3"

Impact velocity: 1,289 fps
Penetration: ~30" of gelatin & 2.5 feet
of water
Retained weight: 115.0 gr

No expansion.


For comparison, we took a look at some cheap 9mm ball. The cheapest I could find was S&B 115 gr FMJ. It was almost exactly 100 fps slower and penetrated quite a bit less. I expected lower velocity and less penetration but not to that degree. It was also surprising to see that plain, vanilla FMJ produced more tissue disruption than the vaunted Extreme Penetrator.

On my way out to test, I looked at my phone and saw that tnoutdoors9 had posted a video testing the very thing I was about to do. I was not thrilled, especially since he does such great work. It turns out that my test was a little different than his anyway. Take a look at his test too, if you have time.

 

[FireInCairo]

I know you went to a lot of trouble to put this video together, and I really thank you for that. The Lehigh offerings don't have a ton of reviews or tests on the interwebs.

That being said, please don't take this the wrong way, it seems you were very close to making an awesome review video (you had all the components necessary), but the execution was just really lacking.

In one aspect, if I could offer some advice, I wish you had cut open the gel to compare the cavities. Additionally, hand-held camera work, if not done well, can really be a distraction.

Otherwise, it does appear that the FMJ made a bigger cavity from tumbling (which doesn't always happen for FMJ0. The Lehigh appears to be moving so quick it actually has less of an impact on the cavity. Also, that kind of penetration is definitely a concern for possibly harming innocents.

I was thinking of buying some of this stuff, too, but I think I will pass now.

 

[chopinbloc]

Thank you for the feedback. My videos used to be just the actual shot and the photos but I recently started adding the portion after the shot because I felt like it provided a little better context and scale. Anyone else have an opinion on what parts of the test you like to see and what I should maybe skip?

 

[Vonderek]

Great video. Thanks for posting!

 

[JamieC]

Seems that design works much better in the .380 than the 9mm. Maybe TOO much velocity? Take a look at the 380 test done by Shootingthebull410 on You Tube.

 

[chopinbloc]

I don't believe that the .380 version is actually producing any greater tissue damage than FMJ. I'm pretty sure that is just an artifact of the test media.

 

[Shawn Dodson]

I don't believe that the .380 version is actually producing any greater tissue damage than FMJ.

It's not. It's simply producing a slightly larger diameter TEMPORARY cavity. That it penetrates less than FMJ shows the reverse ogive design (i.e., fluted nose) increases penetration resistance.

Personally, I believe the best performing .380 JHP bullet is the XTP; unfortunately its penetration and expansion performance is inconsistent, which appears to be the result of lot-to-lot variations.

 

[chopinbloc]

I believe you are correct.

 

[FireInCairo]

Any tissue damage caused by the unique face of the bullet has to come from the deflection of force, but is that actually enough to simulate the damage a decent JHP could do?

I'm really surprised there aren't more tests done on this round.

 

[C0untZer0]

Well they certainly gave the cartridge an accurate name.

If you drill an attacker with one of these and it ends up in the gut of a person standing behind the assailant you can't say "I didn't think it would go all the way through and strike someone else".

 

[JamieC]

From watching the Shootingthebull410 video, the Lehigh bullets seemed to produce a lot of 'disruption' almost the entire length of their penetration. The FMJ was a pin hole and strangely enough, the Precison One ammo that won his initial test seemed to disrupt the gel less, (through the whole length), than the Lehigh.

 

[C0untZer0]

Those were .380 ACP right?

Some people are big fans of the .380, but IMO you can really see the difference between the 380 and the 9mm with the Lehigh Xtreme Penetrator. The 380 version, through 4 layers of denim actually stops in the gel block. The 9mm version zips through 30" of gel and another 30" of water...

Yeow !

 

[JamieC]

Yes, I didn't mention that. They seem to work real well in the 380, TOO well in 9mm.

 

[MICHAEL T]

Looks like a lot of money for ad hype . I'll stay with JHP or DPX .Keep the wonder bullet or file with other over priced losers .