Fiocchi 9mm 115gr JHP in Clear Ballistics Gel

[5pins]

Test Gun: Sig P229, Beretta Nano.
Barrel length: 3.9, 3 inches.
Ammunition: Fiocchi 115gr JHP
Test media: 10% Clear Ballistics Gel.
Distance: 10 feet.
Chronograph: Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph G2.
Five shot velocity average: 1080, 1039fps
Gel Temperature 70 degrees.

The second installment in the 9mm budget series is the Fiocchi Pistol Shooting Dynamics 115gr JHP. The price was $13.99 for a 50 round box from Target Sports U.S.A. This bullet is not a Hornady XTP like Fiocchi's that come in the 25 round boxes and it's about half the cost. This load is also on the flashy side.


The Sig gave an average five-shot velocity of 1080fps with a high of 1094fps and a low of 1066fps.


Ten yards off hand five shots with the Sig P229

In the Nano, I got an average velocity of 1039fps with a high of 1063fps and a low of 1030fps.


Ten yards off hand five shots with the Beretta Nano

The first round in the bare gel, fired from the Sig P229, had a velocity of 1081fps. It penetrated to a depth of 18.5 inches with a recovered weight of 115.2 grains and a recovered diameter of .48 inches. The second round had a velocity of 1071fps and also penetrated to 18.5 inches. It expanded to .47 inches and came in at 115 grains.



When shot through the gel covered with heavy clothing the first round penetrated 22 inches with a recovered weight of 114.9 grains and a diameter of .49 inches. No velocity reading was recorded. The second round hit the block at 1066fps and penetrated to 23 inches. The recovered diameter was .43 inches and the recovered weight was 115.2 grains.



Out of the Beretta Nano, the first round impacted the bare gel block at 1072fps and penetrated to 20.5 inches. The diameter of the recovered bullet was .46 inches and the recovered weight was 115.2 grains. The chronograph did not get a reading but the bullet also penetrated to 20.5 inches. The recovered weight was 115 grains and recovered diameter was .44 inches.

 

[Cump]

Count me as surprised they all expanded. Thanks for the report.

 

[rpenmanparker]

Count me as surprised they all expanded. Thanks for the report.

But just barely. A really good 9mm SD round with expand to .65 in or more.

 

[Cump]

But just barely. A really good 9mm SD round with expand to .65 in or more.

Agreed, and I wouldn't carry it, but I do occasionally buy a box of cheap jhp to store away or leave at the cabin. I've generally guessed they would bring a 50/50 chance of expansion through heavy clothing.

 

[Riomouse911]

It looks like the jacket folded back on itself until it hit the bottom of the hollow point more than the premium defense bullets do. I’ll guess that the bullet jackets’ lack of taper (and R&D costs) to limit that phenomenon is one reason it’s less expensive?.?.?

But count me also surprised that it expanded through clothes and retained its weight as well as it did.

For a budget conscious shooter, or for some stash-ammo in a quantity of 50 like Cump describes, this Fiocchi stuff looks pretty promising.

Stay safe.

 

[rpenmanparker]

It looks like the jacket folded back on itself until it hit the bottom of the hollow point more than the premium defense bullets do. I’ll guess that the bullet jackets’ lack of taper (and R&D costs) to limit that phenomenon is one reason it’s less expensive?.?.?

But count me also surprised that it expanded through clothes and retained its weight as well as it did.

For a budget conscious shooter, or for some stash-ammo in a quantity of 50 like Cump describes, this Fiocchi stuff looks pretty promising.

Stay safe.

I respectfully disagree regarding the reason for the lower cost. They have the research and can use the results wherever they want.

This situation is called price-pointing. Companies intentionally make and sell inferior products at lower prices on order to develop a rationale for buying their pricier stuff. Look at the cheesy interior is autos st the bottom price points. Those ugly upholstery fabrics aren’t necesssrily cheaper than pretty ones. They simply drive the market upwards to the more expensive part of the product line. Same thing here. They can make s profit st the price for these rounds. But they make more on the higher performance rounds. Everybody has something to buy st the price they are willing to pay, but the advertising about the higher performance pushes people up the line.

 

[Riomouse911]

Sure could be the reason, I’m not sure. Fiocchi has these priced inexpensively... and they do load Hornady XTP bullets in their higher end line..so it could be a reason for sure.

Of course Hornady paid for the R&D on the XTP so Fiocchi only pays Hornady for the end product rather than invest in the design, tooling, studies and evaluations of the XTP bullet performance, etc. This could also be a reason for the higher prices.

Since I don’t know if the Fiocchi 115 JHP bullet is an outside sourced product, or is an in-house design, all I was able to do is speculate as to why the bullet seemed to perform at a somewhat lesser level than true premium SD handgun bullets do.

Stay safe!

 

[roo_ster]

Good performance for an inexpensive round. Thanks, 5pins.

 

[golden]

The XTP bullets that FIOCCHI is using, were designed with an emphasis on penetration and not expansion, so that back when they were designed, they were one of the few bullets to pass the FBI penetration tests. They were never designed to expand much and they perform as designed. They might make good hunting bullets, but only the FBI thought they were good defensive bullets. You can get similar expansion for less money using the REMINGTON 115 jhp in 100 round boxes. FIOCCHI ammo is not that cheap if you buy it in 20 round boxes, just like every other brand maker who is using 20 or 25 round boxes.

Jim

 

[syntaxerrorsix]

I buy their 124gr JHP and take no issue with using them as a defensive load. I pay about $175 for a case of a thousand and have the luxury of actually shooting what I carry on a weekly basis. I think people place WAY too much emphasis on expansion when it could be better spent on reliable penetration and placement. Yes I know it's argued to death, no I don't care what you do. If it works for you then it's the right answer.