Brass Fetcher Ballistic Testing: 9mm Luger

Products evaluated:

3.0” barrel semi-auto

  • • Barnes TAC-XPD 115gr (BPD9MM1)
  • • Hornady Critical Defense FTX 115gr (90250)
  • • Speer +P Gold Dot Short Barrel Personal Protection 124gr (23611)
  • • Winchester Defend JHP 147gr (W9MMD)

4.0” barrel semi-auto

  • • Cor-Bon +P DPX 115gr (DPX09115)
  • • Federal American Eagle FMJ 115gr (AE9DP)
  • • Federal HST 124gr (P9HST1S)
  • • Federal Hydra-Shok Deep 135gr (P9HSD1)
  • • Federal Expanding Full Metal Jacket 105gr (P9CSP2)
  • • Federal Tactical Hydra-Shok 124gr (P9HS3G1)
  • • Hornady Critical Defense 115gr (90250)
  • • Hornady XTP 124gr (90242)
  • • Hornady +P XTP 124gr (90224)
  • • Remington Golden Saber 124gr (GS9MMB)
  • • Speer Gold Dot 115gr (23614)
  • • Speer Gold Dot 124gr (23618)
  • • Speer Gold Dot 147gr (23619)
  • • Speer Gold Dot 2 147gr (54226)
  • • Winchester Bonded 124gr (RA9BA)
  • • Winchester +P Ranger-T 124gr (RA9124TP)

4.4” barrel semi-auto

  • • Barnes TAC-XPD 115gr (BPD9MM1)
  • • Federal Hi-Shok 115gr (9BP)
  • • Federal Hi-Shok 147gr (9MS)
  • • Federal HST 124gr (P9HST1S)
  • • Federal HST 147gr (P9HST2)
  • • Federal +P+ Tactical Hydra-Shok 124gr (P9HS3G1)
  • • Fiocchi EMB 92gr (9EMB)
  • • G2 Research RIP 92gr (G00000)
  • • Hornady Critical Duty 135gr (90236)
  • • Hornady XTP 124gr (90242)
  • • Magtech JHP 115gr (9C)
  • • Remington Golden Saber 124gr (GS9MMB)
  • • Remington +P Golden Saber 124gr (GS9MMD)
  • • Remington UMC FMJ 115gr (L9MM3)
  • • Speer Gold Dot 124gr (23618)
  • • Speer +P Gold Dot 124gr (23617)
  • • Speer Gold Dot 147gr (23619)
  • • Winchester Defend 147gr (W9MMD)
  • • Winchester Ranger-T 147gr (RA9T)

16” barrel semi-auto

  • • Federal American Eagle FMJ 115gr (AE9DP)
  • • Fiocchi EMB copper hollowpoint 92gr (9EMB)
  • • Speer +P Gold Dot 124gr (23617)

Suitability for self-defense

Impact velocities used in this report were obtained from an Oehler System 85 using no velocity corrections. All ballistic gelatin blocks used in this evaluation were nominal 10% ballistic gelatin blocks calibrated in accordance with FBI RFP-OSCU-DSU1704 as follows (FBI RFP-OSCU-DSU1704, page 104, 2017):

"Prior to the utilization of any block of gelatin, validation of the block will be tested to assure consistency of the gelatin mixture. This test consists of firing a .177 caliber steel sphere (BB) into the gelatin block at 590 feet per second (fps) +/- 15 fps. This sphere must penetrate a minimum of 2.95 inches but no more than 3.74 inches ".

Selection criteria is based upon the point system for penetration in FBI RFP-OSCU-DSU1704. Scoring is based upon both bare gelatin and heavy clothing performance — color code reflects the lower-scoring performance of the two test events.