Federal .380 ACP 99GR Hydra-Shok Deep in Vyse Ballistics Gel

[5pins]

Test Gun: Ruger LCP
Barrel length: 2.75 inches.
Ammunition: Federal .380 ACP 99gr Hydra-Shok Deep.
Test media: 10% Vyse Ballistics Gel.
Distance: 10 feet.
Chronograph: Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph G2.
Five shot velocity average: 873fps
BB Calibration: 3.5 inches.

https://general-cartridge.com/2020/...-99gr-hydra-shok-deep-in-vyse-ballistics-gel/

 

[1KPerDay]

Pretty impressive. It appears they’ve limited the expansion to the jacket to ensure appropriate penetration along with some expansion.
Thanks for the test!

 

[5pins]

Yes, it's just the jacket that expands for the most part. But I guess any expansion is better than none.

 

[1942bull]

Interesting article showing the continuing effort to improve 380 SD ammo. The HYDRA Shock Deep ammo certainly seems like an improvement over most 380 ammo intended for self defense. However, the author missed something. He refers to the the Shooting the Bull blog testing report which cited that Hornady XTP proved to be most reliable for expansion in gel testing. Fact is that it was XTP bullets on Precision One ammo. That ammo won the contest for the best 380 in combined terms of deepest penetration and consistent expansion in gel testing. It was part of extensive testing done and recorded on videos now in YouTube.

But the XTP bullet lost the crown some time later when the 380 Lehigh Extreme Penetrator ammo was tested. It penetrated deeper, did not,expand as it was not intended to expand, and it penetrated deeper than any other 380 tested. You can watch that test of the 380 XP Here.



I viewed all those 380 tests he did. In the end I adopted them Lehigh ammo.for my LCP II EDC.

 

[murf]

a cookie-cutter hollow point to get both expansion and penetration out of the mouse gun 380 acp. great innovation for an up-and-coming cartridge. i am glad you used the lcp to do the test because the lcp has the shortest barrel and, therefore, the least amount of muzzle energy. i hope this bullet design catches on for the 380 auto.

murf

 

[C0untZer0]

"The four-layer os denim is a standard created by the IWBA as an alternative and harder test then heavy clothing."

No.

The 4 layer denim protocol is an engineering tool that consistently creates conditions that will fill or clog a hollowpoint and prevent pressure increases within the hollow point cavity. It came about because bullet designs that passed the FBI tests - were experiencing failures in actual police shootings. An investigation seemed to indicate that when hollowpoints failed to expand it was because material filled the hollow point cavity and reduced pressure in the cavity.

According to the creator of the tool:

"..the four-layer heavy denim test is NOT intended to simulate any type of clothing; it is merely an engineering evaluation tool to assess the ability of JHP handgun bullets to resist plugging and expand robustly.

Without such a tool how would designers know if changes in bullet design had a positive effect or not ?

 

[1942bull]

Thanks for the clarification. While I have seen numerous tests where the denim produces a failure to expand I had no idea that the denim use came about as you described. Like many I just assumed it was to simulate clothing as a barrier. Live and learn.

 

[5pins]

For a much more in-depth look at the IWBA four layers of denim testing take a look at the IWBA's Wound Ballistics Review 1998 Vol3 No3 page 12, and No4 page 30 linked below.

https://generalcartridge.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/1998-vol3no3.pdf
https://generalcartridge.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/1998-vol3no4.pdf