[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. Eventually, folks want to know what ammunition is "best" for self-defense, varminting, etc in their particular make firearms. Below are the chronograph results from a couple of my Brownings in 9mm and .40S&W. These are average velocities based on 10-shot strings. Unless otherwise noted, the rounds were fired from factory bbls.

9mm:

Cor*Bon +P 115 gr JHP ~ 1381 ft/sec
Cor*Bon +P 124 gr XTP ~ 1258 ft/sec*
*(No longer made with that bullet)
Triton 115 gr +P JHP ~ 1332 ft/sec
Triton 135 gr +P QuikShok ~ 1182 ft/sec
Hirtenberg 100 gr JSP ~ 1299 ft/sec
Glaser 70 gr Pre-frag (Blue) ~ 1534 ft/sec
Federal 115 gr JHP ~ 1130 ft/sec
Federal 124 gr Nyclad HP ~ 1079 ft/sec
Remington 88 gr JHP ~ 1526 ft/sec
Remington 115 gr +P JHP ~ 1251 ft/sec
Remington 124 gr +P Golden Saber ~ 1157 ft/sec
Speer 124 gr +P Gold Dot ~ 1199 ft/sec
Hornady 115 gr XTP ~ 1161 ft/sec

This is the bulk of what I have data on. I'll update as I get more, but think that this covers many of the popular "high performance" 9mm loads.

.40 S&W:

Speer 180gr Gold Dot ~ 1013 ft/sec
Federal 180 gr HydraShok ~ 948 ft/sec
Glaser 105 gr Pre-frag (Silver) ~ 1393 ft/sec
Triton 135 gr QuikShok ~ 1360 ft/sec
Winchester 155 gr Silvertip ~ 1164 ft/sec
Cor*Bon 165 fr JHP ~ 1133 ft/sec

Hope this is of interest to HP shooters.

Best.

 

[BK]

Thanks for posting your results Steve. Good info to have on hand.

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hi, Billy! Glad to see you here! Man, this is a good site in my view. I'd like to post what I've seen several of these do on critters, but that could be a tad "graphic" since most anyone can view this board.

Best and welcome.

(By the way, if you have any technical questions concerning parts, guns, etc, there are some guys here who truly know what they're talking about.)

 

[Jim Higginbotham]

Thanks for the report Stephen! Here are a couple to add to that rather complete list:

9mm Brng. MkIII
Win. 127 gr. +P+ Ranger Talon - 1301
Federal 124 +P+ H.S. (1989)- 1295
Federal 135 Per. Def H.S. - 1085
WCC 88 147 OSM - 948

.40 Brng. MkIII
Triton 155 Hi-Vel - 1180
Win. 155 S.T. - 1188
Speer Lawman 165 G.D. - 1145

Press on,
Cordially,
Jim Higginbotham

 

[38 Super Combat Commander]

Thanks Steve.Must have cost alot of $ to shoot all that ammo.Any way I appreciate all that you did.

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. All was not done at the same time as it takes awhile and I spread the cost out over time. But, thanks for the kind words.

Jim, how does the WW 127 gr +P+ group? I've not been able to shoot any of that yet.

Best and thanks.

 

[Jim Higginbotham]

On 2001-04-12 23:41, Stephen A. Camp wrote:
Hello. All was not done at the same time as it takes awhile and I spread the cost out over time. But, thanks for the kind words.

Jim, how does the WW 127 gr +P+ group? I've not been able to shoot any of that yet.

Best and thanks.

My Brng is box stock (except for pulling out the mag disconnect) and is not exactly a match grade gun but the Win. goes 2.25" at 25 which is as good as any other duty ammo in this gun.

We just recently went to Triton 135+P Hi-Vel for our duty load and while I have not done much testing I did get a chance to nail a squirrel in the head at 20 yards with it in the "Half Power" - he was impressed! :smile:

Cordially,
Jim H.

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello, Jim. Thanks for the information.

Best.

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. Today, I took a MkIII 9mm HP to the range to test IMI Samson 115 gr DiCut JHP ammunition for expansion and velocity. I noted that while I had velocity figures for Triton's 125 gr +P JHP, I did not out of the BHP, so I tested it for velocity only. Expansion tests were NOT conducted on it as I've shot enough animals with it to say that it does expand and gives between 12 and 14" in tissue so far as I can estimate from a number of javelina.

From the BHP w/factory bbl:

IMI Samson DiCut 115 gr JHP

Average Velocity ~ 1251 ft/sec (Based on 10 shots)
Extreme Spread ~ 36 ft/sec

Expansion testing was done by shooting into water-filled gallon milk jugs lined up in a row. The IMI bullets penetrated 3 jugs completely and were found lying right at 2" inside the 4th. Each jug measured right at 6" so this indicates approx. 20" penetration. Since bullets penetrate approximately 2.8 times as deeply in water as 10% ballistic gelatin, the bullet would penetrate about 7.14" in gelatin. I do NOT believe this figure. I think, based on previous testing of
similar ammunition, that this round will penetrate between 14 and 16" in ballistic gelatin and that the discrepancy is due to the bullet's having to go through 7 tough plastic layers before stopping. I have no way to correlate how much extra penetration that would have been. I've used rows of water-filled baggies in the past, but had none today.

I was not impressed with the IMI JHP. Expansion was partial and irregular. The 115 gr bullet had a recovered weight of 109.8 grains. One side, lengthwise, was barely deformed, but at a 45 degree angle downward, the opposite side was sheared back such that the expanded lead portion of the bullet was .51 X .47" and expansion due to "ribbons" of still-attached jacket was .57 X .70" with only one "ribbon" accounting for the larger number.

Accuracy was good and the ejected cases were relatively clean compared to some other commercial ammunition. Cases landed between 12 and 14' from my firing point and the gun had a Wolff 18.5lb recoil spring and shokbuff in it. This confirmed the 1251 ft/sec velocity reading as PMP 115 gr FMJ cases are tossed about 10' or less. It averages a bit over 1100 ft/sec from the same gun.

Wind was not as heavy here as in recent days, but was enough that I fired at 15 yards, standing with a two-hand hold. 8 shots stayed in the X-ring of an NRA 25 yard pistol target while two drifted out into the 10-ring, one at approx. 1 O'Clock and the other at 4 O'Clock.

So, what's it good for? That's a good question. It's decent enough in terms of accuracy and there were no malfunctions of any kind. The Hornady 115 gr XTP factory round expands at least as good as does this round and does so more evenly and at lower velocity. In terms of velocity, this round is
very close to Remington's 115 gr JHP +P, but I've had better expansion results from the Remington bullets. The Samson ammo is NOT marked +P or "Nato" anywhere on the box or headstamp. While there were no excessive pressure signs, I do suspect that it's loaded to +P pressures. I reckon I'll shoot it in practice for bullseye work and for the very good IMI cases for reloading. It can duplicate practice with the more expensive Plus P rounds available here from US makers who can make a bullet that will expand aggressively or "controlled."

Triton HiVel JHP +P
Average Velocity ~ 1281 ft/sec (Based on 10 shots)
Extreme Spread ~ 28 ft/sec

This load is my carry load of choice for defensive purposes. Once again, accuracy proved good with all 10 shots staying within the X-ring of the 25 yard NRA bullseye from a distance of 15 yards. Four of the 10 shots were in the same wallowed out hole approximately 1/2" in diameter. Ejected cases were tossed something like 15 to 18' from my firing point.

If you're looking at the DiCut IMI ammo, unless you get it at a deal, I'd pass.

Best.


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