Honady Custom 9mm 147gr XTP in Clear Ballistics gel

[5pins]

Test Gun: Sig P229, Kahr MK9.
Barrel length: 3.9, 3 inches.
Ammunition: Hornady Custom 9mm 147gr XTP.
Test media: 10% Clear Ballistics Gel.
Distance: 10 feet.
Chronograph: Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph G2.
Five shot velocity average: 932, 884fps
Gel Temperature 76 degrees.

I’m sure just about everyone has heard of Hornady’s XTP bullets and I have always found them to be good performers. They may not be the “best” but usually give deep penetration with modest expansion.

Shooting five rounds, from the Sig P229, gave me an average velocity of 932fps with a high of 938 and a low of 927fps.


Five rounds at 10 yards

When shooting the Kahr Mk9, I got a five-shot average of 884fps with a high of 901 and a low of 873fps.


Five rounds at 10 yards

Shooting the first round from the Sig P229, into the bare gel I got a velocity of 941fps with a penetration of 18 inches. The bullet had a recovered diameter of .54 inches and a recovered weight of 146.9 grains. The second bullet penetrated to 19.5 inches with a recovered diameter of .54 inches. The bullet’s recovered weight was 144.1 grains and the velocity was 951fps.



When shooting through the heavy clothing, the first round form the P229 had a velocity of 944fps and penetrated to 21 inches. Its expansion was .49 inches and the recovered weight was 146.8 grains. The second round had a velocity of 936fps and penetrated to 23.75 inches. Recovered weight was 145.7 grains and it expanded to .48 inches.



Out of the Kahr Mk9, the first round’s velocity was 892fps and it penetrated to 18 inches. The recovered weight was 146.8 grains and the recovered diameter was .51 inches. Round two's velocity was 900fps and its penetration was also 18 inches. It’s recovered weight was 146.9 grains and its expansion was .53 inches.

 

[murf]

I have been using the xtp bullet in my self defense ammo since the early nineties. glad to see they still work.

murf

 

[JR24]

Deep penetration with expansion around .5 inches, sounds like an XTP to me!

 

[Riomouse911]

Man, consistent in both velocity and penetration/expansion... excellent performance!

Thanks for the post, I appreciate your efforts to show us the results you are observing .

Stay safe.

 

[Charlie98]

I've considered switching to the 147grn XTP. Hornady discontinued the TAP 147grn ammos during the Great Shortage, so I've been using their 135grn Critical Duty... but I'm not real hot on the gummy tip stuck in the end of the HP. Speer, on the other hand, does have the 147grn in the Gold Dot... I've got a box for testing...

 

[IdaD]

I carry XTPs in my 380 but I think they're a good 9mm load too. Very consistent and they favor penetration over expansion which isn't necessarily a bad thing at all.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Seems to work. I still carry XTPs in the woods.

 

[MTMilitiaman]

I carry 200 gr XTPs loaded by Grizzly Cartridge Co in my G20 and find them to be good performers at "real 10mm" velocities. I've taken deer with them and other smaller critters around the property, and know to expect early and consistent expansion and deep penetration. I don't know if they would be my first choice in 9mm, but I know you could do worse.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

If you are looking for penetration this ammo is for you. Expansion & energy dump not so much.

 

[JR24]

I carry 200 gr XTPs loaded by Grizzly Cartridge Co in my G20 and find them to be good performers at "real 10mm" velocities. I've taken deer with them and other smaller critters around the property, and know to expect early and consistent expansion and deep penetration. I don't know if they would be my first choice in 9mm, but I know you could do worse.

I load XTP to much the same specs for my woods load as well in my 5" 1911. I like em quite a bitm

 

[Walt Sherrill]

If you are looking for penetration this ammo is for you. Expansion & energy dump not so much.

I haven't heard "energy dump" mentioned in a long time. That approach to assessing round performance seems to have been generally discounted over the past decade or two.

Expansion is important, but only if the round penetrates enough to hit a vital spot in the body -- a major structural component (a hip bone, a shoulder that knocks the arm out of action), a major organ (the heart, lungs, kidneys), or part of the central nervous system (such.as the brain or spinal column). If there isn't a Central Nervous System hit, the attacker may hit YOUR central nervous system. Even if the attacker later dies, you may also die, too. The objective is to stop the attacker before the attacker stops you.

A bigger hole is better, because a bigger bullet is a bit more likely to hit something important that a smaller bullet. That said, I'm not convinced that a bigger hole is nearly as important as where the bullet ends up.

The hole behind the bullet (i.e., its path through tissue) itself isn't all that important, because when caused by a handgun, that wound path (it's damage to tissue and the bleeding it might cause) is seldom disabling unless it follows the bullet to an important structure in the body..Unlike the wound path seen in ballistic gel, human tissue expands and then contracts, and even when damaged severely, it can quickly return to something relatively LIKE its original position. (A person shot in the thigh won't always lose the ability to walk or run UNLESS the thigh bones are broken, for example.)

It's not until a round's speed is greater than 2000 fps that the bullet's passage through tissue (that doesn't hit a vital spot) can be disabling, and darned few handguns push bullets that fast. (The only ones I can think of offhand are the FN 5.7 and AR pistols. and not many people will carry an AR pistol concealed.)

Hornady XTP ammo is good stuff, and I use it in several different guns, but like all handguns and handgun ammo, I know their use (the handgun and self-defense ammo) is really a compromise -- because it's not practical to carry something much more powerful.

What else is out there that is also effective? The Gold Dot web page has a lot of performance stats showing how various loads work against barriers, clothing, etc. What else is out there?

 

[Dave T]

A lot of LEOs, both active and retired, think highly of Federal's HST loads. Winchester Ranger Bonded are also well thought of.

Dave

 

[Zaydok Allen]

It's not until a round's speed is greater than 2000 fps that the bullet's passage through tissue (that doesn't hit a vital spot) can be disabling, and darned few handguns push bullets that fast. (The only ones I can think of offhand are the FN 5.7 and AR pistols.

Agree with your comment on energy dump. Also, S&W 460 magnum can break 2000 fps, and the new and rare 7.5 FK can as well.

Neither would be a logical carry choice with the exception of for woods carry. However even a 5" 460 magnum is huge and heavy, and the FK BRNO Field Pistol is absurdly expensive. Neither would be needed, or even considered appropriate for defense against human.
Thought I'd mention them though for academic purposes though on the 2000 FPS thoughts..

 

[saiga308]

View attachment 861707

Out of the Kahr Mk9, the first round’s velocity was 892fps and it penetrated to 18 inches. The recovered weight was 146.8 grains and the recovered diameter was .51 inches. Round two's velocity was 900fps and its penetration was also 18 inches. It’s recovered weight was 146.9 grains and its expansion was .53 inches.

a little dab of caulking silicone on the nose of those will open those up more'