Some CCW Ammo data

[AdamSean]

I tested some more ammo today to see if I to change my choice of self defense ammo. I tested Hornady's new Critical Defense 9mm 115gr and Winchester's new PDX1 Bonded 9mm 124gr +P.

The Hornady did very well, little recoil, accurate, and perfect expansion.

The Winchester performed a little better. It was accurate, had scary expansion, penetrated deeper than the Hornady, with one big difference. The recoil was a good bit heavier due to the higher pressures, but manageable in my XD9 SC. I am now carrying the PDX1 ammo. A good choice since the FBI has chosen to use it.



Left to right: Winchester PDX1 Bonded 9mm 124gr +P, Hornady Critical Defense 9mm 115gr, Cor-Bon Pow'R Ball 9mm 100gr +P, Federal Hydra Shock 9mm 124gr +P

 

[kokapelli]

What medium did you use in your tests?

 

[Madcap_Magician]

And what's your data about penetration?

 

[SC_1911Shooter]

WOW, this is a great test! I'm especially happy because I bought about 20 boxes of the PDX 124 +P when they first came out, blindly...and it's what I currently have loaded in all of my CCW pistols (my main one being like yours, the XD9 Sub Comp), so I'm glad it has performance to match their claims.

Excellent test and thx again!

 

[AdamSean]

For test medium I wait until after it rains and gather a box full of moist dirt, not mushy though. I remove all sticks and rocks and pack it down tightly. Cut off the front of the box and fire away. Penetration is pretty darn close to ballistics gelatin +/- .5 inch. I got about 12.5 inches from the PDX1 and about 11.5 from the Hornady Critical Defense.

 

[84B20]

I'm also using PDX1 for my CCW only in .45 ACP. I bought a couple of boxes a few months ago when I saw it featured on one of the Outdoor channel programs called Handguns. I have been searching ever since for more but it has been on backorder. I had orders in at Midway and Cabela's but Midway said it wouldn't be available until February and Cabela's said the end of December. I decide to do another search this time on Gunbroker and found it available now through Wholesale Hunter. It was even a better price than the other two. If you go directly to Wholesale's site the shipping is less also. You can get it for $20 a box or about $175 a case. Not too bad.

 

[CWL]

Penetration is pretty darn close to ballistics gelatin +/- .5 inch.

What makes you say that? How are you calculating this?

 

[kokapelli]

You're using DIRT as a test medium!
I have always been critical of comparing bullet performance in wet phone books and water jug tests to bullet performance in human tissue and now we have dirt!

I can't think of any medium that could be more different than dirt and human tissue and I can't see any way to compare bullet expansion and penetration in dirt to bullet expansion and penetration in human tissue.

JMO

 

[psyopspec]

It's more of an anecdote than it is data.

Still sounds fun though!

 

[kokapelli]

It's more of an anecdote than it is data.

Still sounds fun though!

I agree that it's fun and it is interesting, but irrelevant when it comes to picking your carry ammo.

 

[AdamSean]

The main reason for testing it was to see which one penetrated deeper and which one expanded the most. No real scientific data, just which one did the best.

 

[SalchaketJoe]

Does it function in your pistol? Then either should carry fine.

Dirt is better than nothing. I dont see a lot of bones in gelatin, so it isnt perfect either.

 

[kokapelli]

Dirt is better than nothing. I dont see a lot of bones in gelatin, so it isnt perfect either.

Shooting into calibrated gelatin will give us a pretty good idea how a bullet will expand and penetrate in human tissue.

No gelatin is not perfect but it is the closes medium to human tissue we have where dirt doesn't relate to anything in the human body!

 

[bullturkey]

If you can get your dirt from a firing range it would be considered ballistic dirt. Remember to calibrate it first.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

For test medium I wait until after it rains and gather a box full of moist dirt, not mushy though. I remove all sticks and rocks and pack it down tightly.

Dirt doesn't simulate living tissue very well, but it does give a rough idea of the bullets in comparison to each other, I suppose.

However big and deep a hole a bullet makes, you still have to put as many of them as possible in the right place(s) for them to be effective. I don't concern myself overly with fractions of inches in width or depth.

 

[Katana8869]

Any round that expanded consistantly in dirt would be pretty impressive IMO. Most hollowpoints that I have dug out of dirt berms just got dirt clogged in the hollow cavity and failed to expand at all.

 

[AdamSean]

Any round that expanded consistantly in dirt would be pretty impressive IMO. Most hollowpoints that I have dug out of dirt berms just got dirt clogged in the hollow cavity and failed to expand at all.

I have actually had the same thing happen on the standard Hornady hollow points and the Cor-Bon DPX ammo.

 

[REAPER4206969]

PDX1 is Ranger Bonded.

 

[AdamSean]

Looks pretty darn close to me.

 

[North Bender]

The replies are hilarious Adam. Welcome to the world of posting any data whatsoever on ammunition performance. There are a lot more critics than there are testers.

Don't give it up; all tests are usefull knowledge.