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Informal 9mm test

1K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  dripster 
#1 ·
I posted this on another forum and then thought that I would run it by you guys. Nothing scientific about this, but interesting anyway. A gunbuddy and I did another round of expansion test using cloth covered phonebooks last Tuesday night at the range. Usual list of 9mm suspects, Power R Ball, Golden Sabers, Hydra-Shok, Mag-tech, Gold Dot and Remington 124 gr JHP and a 38+P PrB.
I used the CW9 for the 9mm and the 3 inch M66 for the 38. The books were 3 inches thick each.
The 9mm PrB performed as usual, penetrating slightly into the 2nd book with the usual core and jacket separation and the Hydra-Shok performed poorly, clogging up and penetrating the furtherest. The rest of the 9mm rounds actually performed pretty adequately, good expansion and adequate penetration. What was interesting was the 38+P PrB and the 124 gr GS 9mm. The 38 penetrated about 1/2 way through the 2nd book and remained intact except for losing the polymer ball. Expanded in an oblong shape to 50mm. The box rates the velocity of the 38 at 1125 FPS with 294 foot pounds of energy. By comparison the 9mm PrB is rated at 1425 FPS with 494 fpe. The 124 gr 9mm GS penetrated 3/4 of the way through the 2nd book but there was evidence of the impact into the 3rd book in the form of an indention and torn paper. This was displayed with the other rounds as well, with the smallest effect being caused by the 9mm PrB, which makes sense because the separation reduced the kinetic energy effect. What was impressive was the depth of the effect caused by the GSA. I was also a little surprised because I have seen the GS not expand at all, having gotten clogged by the cloth.
The 64,000 dollar question is; which is better, the reliable expansion of the PrB but with the reduced penetration, core/jacket separation causing multiple wound channels and apparently reduced kinetic energy or the unreliable expansion of the GS, but when it does expand, better than adquate penetration, large single wound channel and greatly increased kinetic energy?
More study is needed. Next I think that I will limit the tests to the PrB and the GS. 6 rounds each should give a fairly good idea of expansion reliablity and energy rate.
 
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