Federal HST 9mm

[phylodog]

Thank you for your response! Do you see any objective reason to carry a .40 over a 9mm for personal defense, or even for law enforcement use?

Not anymore

 

[maverick18]

Not anymore

And this is why I only have one .40 anymore. In smaller than full-sized pistols, my accuracy and speed of follow up shots are WAY better with a 9mm than .40. Modern defense cartridge technology has advanced far enough to narrow the margin between the 9 and hot-rod .40.

 

[maverick18]

Also, I have heard that people have had less than stellar feeding reliability with the 147gr HSTs in S&W Shields (my EDC), hence the reason I am looking for the 124gr variety. With the shorter barrels, is there any benefit to using the +P loading or just stick with the standard pressures? With +P are you just getting a bigger fireball?

 

[pudly]

Also, I have heard that people have had less than stellar feeding reliability with the 147gr HSTs in S&W Shields (my EDC), hence the reason I am looking for the 124gr variety. With the shorter barrels, is there any benefit to using the +P loading or just stick with the standard pressures? With +P are you just getting a bigger fireball?

You should watch some of the ballistic test videos by ShootingTheBull410 on Youtube. He specifically tested for shot-barreled guns and tested a lot of 9mm HST variants.

HST Tests

 

[t-squared]

124gr standard pressure....[video=youtube;-lGqdMdbir0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lGqdMdbir0&list=PLgNSGOEQko_M90AMdRCDMgd-w4Yozc27i[/video]

124gr +p......[video=youtube;ld5jpsaDjbA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ld5jpsaDjbA[/video]

147gr standard pressure...[video=youtube;K3VfWkWMzOI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3VfWkWMzOI[/video]

147gr +p....[video=youtube;oM2AJm9VhYM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM2AJm9VhYM[/video]


There's a ton of videos on Utube about how to polish your feed ramps.....doing this cured any feed issues with the 147grainers in my Rugers.....

 

[WebHobbit]

I prefer the 124 +P. I refuse to buy ammo in boxes less than 50 rounds. I usually order mine from here (though right now all they have in stock is the fatty 147s):

Kyle's Gunshop: Ammo - 9mm Defense / Duty

 

[phylodog]

Also, I have heard that people have had less than stellar feeding reliability with the 147gr HSTs in S&W Shields (my EDC), hence the reason I am looking for the 124gr variety. With the shorter barrels, is there any benefit to using the +P loading or just stick with the standard pressures? With +P are you just getting a bigger fireball?

Can't speak to the 124gr offerings but with the 147gr you're getting more recoil and minimal differences in performance with the +P. The bullets of the standard and +P are each designed to do what they do at a specific velocity.

 

[poweraddict]

Also, I have heard that people have had less than stellar feeding reliability with the 147gr HSTs in S&W Shields (my EDC), hence the reason I am looking for the 124gr variety. With the shorter barrels, is there any benefit to using the +P loading or just stick with the standard pressures? With +P are you just getting a bigger fireball?

I found a box of 50 HST 147gr +p at Elmores thanks to a tip from a fellow Ingoer. I was just going to run three magazines and carry the rest (that may be a rookie mistake?), but now I just might run the whole box to be sure they feed well after reading this post since the Shield is my EDC as well. I'll be sure to keep you updated!

 

[Jeepster48439]

Has anyone shot the 9mm Federal HST Micro in 150gr from a full size pistol (ie 92FS)? If so, what was your experience?

 

[HubertGummer]

Has anyone shot the 9mm Federal HST Micro in 150gr from a full size pistol (ie 92FS)? If so, what was your experience?

After looking it up, it has a muzzle velocity of 900 ft/ sec. The .45 HST's MV is 890. So it moves as slow as a .45 but doesn't have the weight or size to offset that. I cant imagine it would perform near as good as a standard HST round.

 

[Bigtanker]

[video=youtube_share;zYTd1lNx_TQ]http://youtu.be/zYTd1lNx_TQ[/video]

 

[Jeepster48439]

[video=youtube_share;zYTd1lNx_TQ]http://youtu.be/zYTd1lNx_TQ[/video]

I saw that video. The tests I have seen are all done using a micro 9mm. I'm wondering about how it will shoot from a full size 9mm. Since it optimized for the micro sized gun, will it have the strength to operate the slide on a full-size gun. Guess I'll have to shoot some at the range and find out. If it doesn't work well in the full size, I'll be off to find some standard velocity 147g HP and use these in my micro 9mm.

 

[Jeepster48439]

After looking it up, it has a muzzle velocity of 900 ft/ sec. The .45 HST's MV is 890. So it moves as slow as a .45 but doesn't have the weight or size to offset that. I cant imagine it would perform near as good as a standard HST round.

That and being fired from a full-size gun may make it even slower. The standard velocity 147g round is 1035fps. The advantage is less recoil when fired in a micro-9mm.

 

[HubertGummer]

That and being fired from a full-size gun may make it even slower. The standard velocity 147g round is 1035fps. The advantage is less recoil when fired in a micro-9mm.

Thats true, but with less recoil comes a softer hit. I wonder if the bullet is moving fast enough to reliably expand.

 

[Peacekeeper3073]

Thats true, but with less recoil comes a softer hit. I wonder if the bullet is moving fast enough to reliably expand.

The 147's have an excellent track record of expansion. If you are concerned with the speed drop down to the 124 HST it's another great round.

 

[HubertGummer]

The 147's have an excellent track record of expansion. If you are concerned with the speed drop down to the 124 HST it's another great round.

I was referring to the low recoil 150 Gr. rounds. I carry the 147's myself.

 

[Peacekeeper3073]

I was referring to the low recoil 150 Gr. rounds. I carry the 147's myself.

Oh OK. Haven't tried the 150's but have tested a ton of the 147 and 124 HST's. To me they both shoot pretty smooth I imagine the 150 is not much different.

 

[cosermann]

The 124 and 147 HST work just fine in the micro guns (with respect to penetration and expansion). Why the 150 gr I wonder? Just for the reduced recoil? Marketing hype? More profit?

I see Federal's web site says, "Optimized for less felt recoil, more reliable cycling and better control with subcompact pistols."

Personally, I'd rather just stock a single load, like, say the 124 gr HST, for all my 9s (micro to full-size).

And frankly, the 150 gr micro test video above doesn't show anything extraordinary or unexpected. Doesn't seem to do much (if anything) that the current 124 and 147 gr HST loads don't already do.

 

[GreyState]

I've shot the 150's out of my Glock 43. I buy rounds and test them for the fun / neediness of it. They're a lower powered round. I'm of the same idea that I try to run two or less loads for carry.

FWIW, here's how I do my testing (from a recent batch) on the left are HST on the right, Speer G2 147 gr, in the background is the 10% gel block.