Picked up a few defense rounds tonight...

[UNC151]

I was messing around in Academy tonight and picked up several boxes of defense ammo to try out. Based upon the descriptions on them, I will have to dust off my Oehler and see how they chronograph in my various pistols. The Hornady stuff is very familiar to me having used Hornady bullets for more than two decades, but the new kid on the block (at least for me) is the Barnes TAC-XPD stuff. I have used Barnes bullets in rifles, but this is the first time that I have seen one for pistols (in a defense load). Anyone else see these before and/or have any feedback about them?

The pistols that I plan to try them with are:

.45 ACP = FN FNX 45
.40 S&W = FN FNX 40, Walther P99AS, and Sig P226
.357 SIG = Sig P226
9MM = FN FNX 9, Walther P99AS, Sig P226, and Sig P229

 

[tomcat27]

sweet!

 

[zoomy]

Are they very effective on Zombies?

 

[UNC151]

Originally Posted By: zoomy
Are they very effective on Zombies?

I am thinking my custom Remington 700 6MM BR would be perfect for that--58gr Hornady VMax moving at about 3850fps would make an impressive head shot (perhaps I should be using the ZMax bullets?). It certainly does well on varmints out to several hundred yards. Then again, there is always the Bushmaster to fall back upon...

 

[UNC164]

Problem with using big open cavity hollow points for SD is that the open cavity will get clogged with cloth/fabric as the bullet penetrates and then it acts like a FMJ slug and does not expand. That's why the Hornady bullets have the red plastic filling in the HP cavity to avoid cloth/fabric clogging on penetration.

 

[CT8]

Zombies!! ISSIL coming soon.

 

[CT8]

Zombies!! ISSIL coming soon.

 

[UNC151]

Originally Posted By: cashmoney
Problem with using big open cavity hollow points for SD is that the open cavity will get clogged with cloth/fabric as the bullet penetrates and then it acts like a FMJ slug and does not expand. That's why the Hornady bullets have the red plastic filling in the HP cavity to avoid cloth/fabric clogging on penetration.
This is usually quite true, but I have had a chance to look out on YouTube and I did not realize (though I should have), that the bullet is solid copper (lead free). In both of the gelatin tests, the bullet opened fully even with the denim plug. Penetration was in the 16" range with a .40 S&W and a 125gr (mine are 140gr). However, I do like the Hornady bullets (they were out of them at Academy), but these Barnes were fairly cheap--$16.00 a box so it will be a change of pace to shoot them.

 

[EdwardC]

I'm curious, how many rounds of a new type/brand do you usually go through before you're confident that you firearm likes it? Do you qualify each magazine you have fully loaded with it?

 

[UNC151]

Originally Posted By: EdwardC
I'm curious, how many rounds of a new type/brand do you usually go through before you're confident that you firearm likes it? Do you qualify each magazine you have fully loaded with it?

I usually run 5 magazines with each bullet type in each firearm. My carry weapon is usually one of the Sigs (.357), but I am gravitating towards the Walthers a little.

 

[bubbatime]

.357 sig critical duty is the best of the bunch, the rest are mediocre.

 

[UNC151]

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
.357 sig critical duty is the best of the bunch, the rest are mediocre.

Agreed; but most of the others fared well in TNOutdoors9 tests on YouTube (except the Barnes in 9MM).