Gen_Y_Ballistics
Member
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2017
- Messages
- 16
In 2015 and 2016 I ran a large battery of gel tests with .357" and .355" bullets. These tests used up 1400 bullets, mostly on load development and chronographing. When I developed loads with standard deviations that were tight enough, the loads were tested in Perma-Gel under strictly controlled conditions. This gel battery was a follow-on to an earlier .45 ACP battery of 18 loads, mostly factory ammo.
The bullets in this .357"-.355" test included:
90 gr XTP
95 gr Magtec HP
95 gr Speer TMJ
105 gr Federal Guard Dog (Pulled)
110 gr Sierra HP
110 gr XTP
110 gr Copper M/LE (DPX)
124 gr Hydra-Shok (Pulled)
124 gr XTP
125 gr Speer SJHP
130 gr RN FMJ
130 gr TC FMJ
135 gr .357 Critical Duty (Pulled)
140 gr XTP
147 gr XTP
158 gr Speer HP
158 gr XTP
This was pretty much every bullet available at that time (during the Obama ammo shortage). Since then I have been considering the results, and waiting on the supply line to catch up with other bullet types. I will probably begin another battery of tests in October, when the weather cools down.
In between now and then I will be posting these earlier results on this thread, beginning with the 158s, along with analysis and Q&A.
The focus of this study is concealed carry loads at close range. A lot of the factory ammo available is similar to the loads I worked up. It is important to know why a certain load does what it does, and what the strengths and weaknesses are.
Gel is only a rough approximation of real world performance. It will show what a bullet does wrong, but not generally what it does right. Gel penetration is generally optimistically high, because the gel will allow a bullet to "coast" for several inches of weak penetration. In the real world we frequently find these bullets under the opposite hide of deer, or under the skin of human assailants. I will be interpreting these gel results to reflect these differences.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Arguably the most effective handgun load ever devised is the classic .357 Magnum 125 gr semi-jacketed HP at 1400-1500 fps. This load is achievable in 4" .357 revolvers, and can also be approximated in 5" 1911s and similar guns in .38 Super, 9x23mm, and .357 Sig. The load, depending on powder charge weight, produces recoil similar to .45 ACP hardball (calibers with heavier recoil than this begin to be impractical).
The load has a high likelihood of neurogenic shock ("dropping") and/or circulatory shock (fainting). The correct bullet will fragment about 1/3 of its weight to transmit "shock," with the bullet shank continuing for a gel penetration of roughly 15 inches. In short, this load carries all the advantages of a high velocity bullet, while penetrating deep enough to reach vital areas.
I encourage readers, especially in this dangerous era, to carry the most effective load that you can effectively wield. The nature of assailants changes. Not too long ago the average man was about 5'6" and 150 lb. Today we frequently see violent assailants in excess of 6' and 225.
Choosing the wrong load can risk not only your life or health, but risks the life and health of family members and friends, and also risks exposure to frivolous criminal and civil prosecutions.
The bullets in this .357"-.355" test included:
90 gr XTP
95 gr Magtec HP
95 gr Speer TMJ
105 gr Federal Guard Dog (Pulled)
110 gr Sierra HP
110 gr XTP
110 gr Copper M/LE (DPX)
124 gr Hydra-Shok (Pulled)
124 gr XTP
125 gr Speer SJHP
130 gr RN FMJ
130 gr TC FMJ
135 gr .357 Critical Duty (Pulled)
140 gr XTP
147 gr XTP
158 gr Speer HP
158 gr XTP
This was pretty much every bullet available at that time (during the Obama ammo shortage). Since then I have been considering the results, and waiting on the supply line to catch up with other bullet types. I will probably begin another battery of tests in October, when the weather cools down.
In between now and then I will be posting these earlier results on this thread, beginning with the 158s, along with analysis and Q&A.
The focus of this study is concealed carry loads at close range. A lot of the factory ammo available is similar to the loads I worked up. It is important to know why a certain load does what it does, and what the strengths and weaknesses are.
Gel is only a rough approximation of real world performance. It will show what a bullet does wrong, but not generally what it does right. Gel penetration is generally optimistically high, because the gel will allow a bullet to "coast" for several inches of weak penetration. In the real world we frequently find these bullets under the opposite hide of deer, or under the skin of human assailants. I will be interpreting these gel results to reflect these differences.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Arguably the most effective handgun load ever devised is the classic .357 Magnum 125 gr semi-jacketed HP at 1400-1500 fps. This load is achievable in 4" .357 revolvers, and can also be approximated in 5" 1911s and similar guns in .38 Super, 9x23mm, and .357 Sig. The load, depending on powder charge weight, produces recoil similar to .45 ACP hardball (calibers with heavier recoil than this begin to be impractical).
The load has a high likelihood of neurogenic shock ("dropping") and/or circulatory shock (fainting). The correct bullet will fragment about 1/3 of its weight to transmit "shock," with the bullet shank continuing for a gel penetration of roughly 15 inches. In short, this load carries all the advantages of a high velocity bullet, while penetrating deep enough to reach vital areas.
I encourage readers, especially in this dangerous era, to carry the most effective load that you can effectively wield. The nature of assailants changes. Not too long ago the average man was about 5'6" and 150 lb. Today we frequently see violent assailants in excess of 6' and 225.
Choosing the wrong load can risk not only your life or health, but risks the life and health of family members and friends, and also risks exposure to frivolous criminal and civil prosecutions.