Federal Personal Defense Ammo - Your opinions please

Hi Folks,

I'm curious about what you (experts) think of Federal Premium Personal Defense ammo (Hydra-Shok JHP). Years ago I started buying a LOT of this stuff... for my .40 caliber Glocks (G23, G27) and for my Rugers (P85 MII - 9mm, P90 - .45 ACP). The Glocks and the Rugers feed this ammo flawlessly. The 9mm ammo is 135 grains, the .40 ammo is 135 grains, and the .45 ammo is 165 grains. (I don't have the velocities for each in front of me. Federal advertises this ammo as "high energy, low recoil."

I guess the reason I want your opinions is that I rarely read about the Fed Personal Defense ammo.... relative to the comments regarding Golden Sabre, Gold Dot, Hornady, Corbon, etc......

I must confess..... I'm not an expert on ballistics. Also, I will admit I've never shot a bad guy with a handgun, so I really don't know just how my Fed Prem Personal Defense ammo would perform in "stopping the threat" in the real world. (For what it's worth, I am a vet of 'Nam and did effectively fire the black rifle in combat.)

I prefer not to go to the expense of testing and replacing all of my carry ammo with another brand........ unless someone can convince me that ammo in inadequate.

I appreciate all the comments and opinions you can throw my way.

Please help....... Thanks much!!

Hydra Shoks are old tech and not nearly as effective as the current generation of self defense ammunition on the market.

Best Choices for Self Defense Ammunition.

I also am not an expert nor have I ever shot anyone with a hollow point. My own research has led me to carry Federal HST LE ammo or Speer Gold Dots.

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Originally Posted by Tally XD

I also am not an expert nor have I ever shot anyone with a hollow point. My own research has led me to carry Federal HST LE ammo or Speer Gold Dots.

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Thanks Tally XD..... Like I tried to say in my post ... there are lots of opinions on ammo..... Do you think the Federal Personal Defensive ammo would not do the job? Appreciate your reply........

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Originally Posted by sgb

Hydra Shoks are old tech and not nearly as effective as the current generation of self defense ammunition on the market.

Best Choices for Self Defense Ammunition.

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Thanks sgb......... While this ammo may be "old tech" do you think it would not stop a bad guy........

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Originally Posted by FastDraw

Thanks Tally XD..... Like I tried to say in my post ... there are lots of opinions on ammo..... Do you think the Federal Personal Defensive ammo would not do the job? Appreciate your reply........

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I think most any round would do the trick if the shot is well placed or even a lucky shot placement to the right vital area. Relying on the ballistics of any round is a fatal error. One must be able to properly place his shots in order for any round to be effective. All of this aside, though, the better quality of the round the better chance you have of the ammo doing what it was designed to do and that is to penetrate and expand (hollow points). I have used Federal Personal Protection rounds and did some home tests shot into water jugs. I was not impressed with the expansion of this round (.45acp 230gr) compared with that of Federal HST or Ranger -T Winchester. What I really dislike is that you pay more money for 20 rounds, as packed for civilian market, versus about $32.00 for 50 rounds of law enforcement ammo packages. Civilian personal protection ammo is a market gimmick and it is over priced for the amount you get.

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Originally Posted by FastDraw

Thanks sgb......... While this ammo may be "old tech" do you think it would not stop a bad guy........

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I would like to also chime in here. Federal HydraShok has been a widely used choice by law enforcement for many years now. It has been a good and trusty choice with the exception of a few reports that said it failed to penetrate enough and some failures to expand. Other than that it has performed well and would perform equally well today. It is just an older technology and does not out perform the ammo of today such as HST or Ranger-T.

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Originally Posted by FastDraw

Thanks sgb......... While this ammo may be "old tech" do you think it would not stop a bad guy........

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HydraShok has a bad tendency to not expand after passing through clothing and other barriers. The newer generation of LE-oriented JHP's are designed to properly expand after punching through most common barriers (heavy clothing, auto glass, etc).

The ammunition marketplace has gone through an amazing evolution in the past few years, and all of the major manufacturers are competing for our money. Finally the shooting industry has begun to recognize the self defense market and for the most part has reacted in their manufacture of guns and ammo. Stick with major manufacturer, modern self defense ammo and you should be well served. Read the fine print and see if it is rated to expand through various barriers and don't trust just one source for ammo data.

There have been many upgrades in both guns and ammo recently, and ammo makers have finally realized that some hollow point ammo clogs and doesn't expand reliably. (I've personally seen that in several autopsies.) Ammo makers have reacted by developing reliably expanding pistol ammo. As with many things in the gun market, many of us are slow to adapt to changing technology. The older hollow point technology where bigger cavities were considered best, has been shown to be not so reliable, but old comfortable ideas are slow to change with some folks. Many still cling to the older traditional ammo.

My personal preference is Hornaday Critical Defense in .40 S&W, and Federal EFMJ in .45 acp (mainly because EFMJ was hard to find for quite some time and I could only buy in bulk, so I have a bunch left.) I've conducted my own unscientific tests of both, and get 100% expansion through all barriers and mediums.

That's my experience and opinion, your mileage may vary.

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One must be able to properly place his shots in order for any round to be effective.

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That right there sums it up.

Biker

I carried Hydrashoks for years in 9mm and then .45 -- Now I carry either Federal HST or Hornady Critical Defense in my carry weapons....

It's not bad ammo, but the newer technology is far better
b

Just finished going over ballistics testing with a government employee that stopped in the shop. I asked this very question and this is what I was told. The only ammo they tested this year that sh#t the bed was the Hornady Critical defense. HydraShok is still used widely and has a 92% one shot stopage rating.

Am I the only one glad to have read this?

Federal's ammo lineup can be confusing...... at least to this old senior citizen..... So here's a specific question:

Does Federal make a "HydraShok" that is different than the Fed. Personal Defense HydraShok? And is "HydraShok" itself old technology? Sorry if my questions seem confusing.......

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Originally Posted by FastDraw

Federal's ammo lineup can be confusing...... at least to this old senior citizen..... So here's a specific question:

Does Federal make a "HydraShok" that is different than the Fed. Personal Defense HydraShok? And is "HydraShok" itself old technology? Sorry if my questions seem confusing.......

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Yes federal makes HydraShok and yes it is older technology, but it is very affective at what it does. There is some new stuff out there that is "better" because it expands a little more or easier or retains more bullet weight. Still as I stated earlier the HydraShok's data shows a 92% one shot fatality rate with Law enforcment, and government bodys.

a bullet made in the 1800's kills humans and a bullet today kills humans, both do the job new or old techonogly use what your firearm likes. what i use in my 45 acp are winchster silvertips (old) and gold saber bonded and non-bonded. i have some around 200 round of ammo of gold in 45 acp that i do not for edc because they just do not run as smoothly in my firearm as the golden saber and winchester.

in my 38 super i have winchester silvertips as my edc but i also have some corbon dpx and double tap ammo.

my s&w 642 i have 38 spec +p horandy CD

my 40 cal xdm i have pxd1 winchester.

i have a mixture of both old and new but i mostly carry firearms that use old tech i really like the golden saber and silver tips becuase my firearms really like them,