Federal HydraShok 9mm Accuracy

[YaNi]

I recently I purchased a Glock 19, and got to test it out at the range over the weekend. I'm pretty experienced shooting revolvers, but this is my first autoloader. I purchased a 100 round pack of Remington UMC 115grain JHP and a 20 round box of 124grain JHP Federal HydraShok. I bought the gun as a CCW, and want to get familiar with it before taking the class to get my license.

I broke in the gun with the Remington and it was shooting flawlessly. I was shooting at about 10 yards and after a few mags started shooting pretty well. I was putting 15 rounds within a 6" diameter circle around the bulls eye and the sights were perfectly aligned. I decided to try out the hydrashok, since it was recommended I carry it for defense. I loaded 10 rounds in a mag and fired 6 rounds. With the sights on the bulls eye the rounds were landing about 10-12" low and to the right (about 4 oclock)! I loaded a few of the remaining rounds of Remington UMC into the other mag and they shot normal.

What would cause the Hydrashok to be so inaccurate? Did I get some bad ammo, or should I look into another defense round? I'm kinda pissed seeing as they are about $1/round...

 

[Man With A Gun]

SPEED.

The weapon is sighted for 9mm standard loads.

The Fed are hot ( faster ) and hit lower.

I am surprised the 124 gr shot that low.

It is fixable with new sights OR try some other ammo such as anything with GOLD DOT bullets. Stuff really works.

You may need to play with different weight bullets and find a load which comes close to what you want done.

Best of luck.

 

[YaNi]

Thanks.
I will try some gold dot bullets and hope they are closer to zero. I'd rather not have to mess with adjusting sights when changing between carry and range ammo.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Some guns simply don't "like" certain loads. That same ammo might be accurate in a different gun. This is why you want to test ammunition for functioning, accuracy, point of impact, etc. in your gun before putting it to work.

 

[johnson_n]

Move the target in closer. Sights perfectly aligned should not give you a 6" grouping with any ammo.

 

[YaNi]

It was my first time shooting the glock, so I'm sure the groupings will get tighter with practice. Still getting used to the trigger.

 

[kmbrman]

Impact Problems!

YaNi . What you may like to try is the cheap adjustable sights you can get for your Glock, usually priced at 25 bucks or close to that. I've outfitted two Glocks with them and even though they are plastic or polymer, they are OK. You can easily put them on with a non-marring drift punch and a small hammer. Or just do what Lone Haranguer said and try for def. loads that hit the same as your target loads.

 

[Steve C]

I've found the Federal Hydrashoks to be quite accurate in any of my 9mm's including my Glock 19. I'd guess that after all the previous shooting you just lost concentration and developed a bit of a flinch. When testing ammo for accuracy I always bench at least 5 rounds to see what kind of group they're capable of and where the POI is before shooting unsupported.

When first learning the "safe action" of the Glock it takes a bit of learning to position the pistol correctly in the hand and concentration to keep the trigger pull straight back.

 

[Ken Rainey]

Yep, I agree with Steve C, if anything, they should've been more accurate ... sometimes, I've noticed that when people shoot a less expensive ammo that they are more relaxed and sometimes shoot better, at least initially, than with a more expensive ammo due, no doubt to psychological pressure to try to "make" them shoot better because they cost more and "should" shoot better ... which ends up causing the shooter to shoot a worse group due to trying too hard to make it happen.....in other words, relax and forget about what they cost (without cussing, if possible - lol) and just concentrate on the sight alignment and trigger pull the same as with the "cheaper, it-don't-matter-as-much-cause-it-don't-cost-as-much-if-I-pull-a-shot" ammo...not saying this is what your situation is but I've done it myself ... OR, it could be a bad batch of ammo!

You being a revolver shooter should help a lot if you're use to firing double action and maintaining sight alignment, 'cept the position of the trigger finger will be a little different cause you don't need as much pressure to work the action - keep it on the first pad of the trigger finger and apply pressure straight to the rear. Of course, if you've always fired your revos single action, then it'll take a little more pressure and trigger finger movement but you'll adapt quickly...

Dry fire practice with a Glock will increase your accuracy a lot ... learn the take up and trigger break with proper finger position and also, for quicker rapid fire (if desired), how to just release the trigger back to reset after the shot so that no take up is necessary for the next shot...it'll come to you with a little practice.

For example, I just took a new shooter to the range a few days ago, but prior to going to the range for live fire training with the Glock, I had her to do a lot of dry firing with proper grip, finger position, etc. so that when live fire did commence, she'd be more likely to do well ... and she did, she had accurate fire all the way back to 15 yds (max distance for this session) for her first time ever firing a handgun.

Ken