Federal HydraShok in PT145
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I don't know if I'd recommend using the Low Recoil HS's due to reports of less than great effectiveness on the hostile. I'm assuming that you are referring to the Personal Defense line of ammo and not the 185gr load (all I've got around here is the 230gr so I am not sure what else is/was available).
Beyond any of that, as far as checking them for function I'd suggest seeing if they will reliably feed from a locked back slide using the slide release as well as with the slide forward and doing a "pull and release". Don't fire off the round that you chamber so you can run it later. Once you are comfortable with the feed reliablity with a clean gun, get it dirty. Shoot 50, 100 or what ever rounds of cheap ball for practice and then try to see if the HS's will still feed. Now is the time to shoot them. A trick I read and have used myself is to alternate the test load with some ball ammo so the gun is working off the recoil impulse of the ball round. But you still wouldn't have to fire the round, you can eject it manually and try it again. This way you can chamber test the rounds many times without spending a small fortune in ammo. I would still recommend firing 2-3 of the test rounds in a row just to be sure of the reliability with the recoil impulse of the test round vs the ball round (not that I'd expect any issues unless you're testing a Glaser etc).
FYI, if you have a caliper available you could also measure the OAL of the rounds before you start all that chambering and the measure them again before you start actually shooting them up. That way you will know if the rounds have any tendance for the bullet to set back into the case. No, I haven't done this but its an idea.
Steelheart
Beyond any of that, as far as checking them for function I'd suggest seeing if they will reliably feed from a locked back slide using the slide release as well as with the slide forward and doing a "pull and release". Don't fire off the round that you chamber so you can run it later. Once you are comfortable with the feed reliablity with a clean gun, get it dirty. Shoot 50, 100 or what ever rounds of cheap ball for practice and then try to see if the HS's will still feed. Now is the time to shoot them. A trick I read and have used myself is to alternate the test load with some ball ammo so the gun is working off the recoil impulse of the ball round. But you still wouldn't have to fire the round, you can eject it manually and try it again. This way you can chamber test the rounds many times without spending a small fortune in ammo. I would still recommend firing 2-3 of the test rounds in a row just to be sure of the reliability with the recoil impulse of the test round vs the ball round (not that I'd expect any issues unless you're testing a Glaser etc).
FYI, if you have a caliper available you could also measure the OAL of the rounds before you start all that chambering and the measure them again before you start actually shooting them up. That way you will know if the rounds have any tendance for the bullet to set back into the case. No, I haven't done this but its an idea.
Steelheart
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I would have never thought about doing that with the feed testing. That's a pretty good idea. I think I may go ahead and carry a few of the HS's with me next time I go.
Just for grins I went to get the package. They are the 165g Low Recoil Personal Defense rounds. Muzzle velocity is 1060 and energy is 410. They measured higher than the 230g rounds I remember, but I don't recall by how much.
Just for grins I went to get the package. They are the 165g Low Recoil Personal Defense rounds. Muzzle velocity is 1060 and energy is 410. They measured higher than the 230g rounds I remember, but I don't recall by how much.
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I was at the range about a month ago and put 100 rounds of my practice ammo...230gr MagTech through my 145. After finishing, like I always do, I ran two mags of 230gr HydraShok JHP's through the gun as well. The first mag was cycled through by pulling the slide back, by hand, then releasing into battery. The second mag was cycled by releasing the locked back slide, using the release button. Both cycled flawlessly, as they always have. I have been performing this process since I started shooting semi-auto weapons. I only found one that would not sysle reliably both ways and I have sold that gun. It was a 5" Colt 1991.
I have found that the MagTech ammo shoots to the same point of aim as the HydraShoks, but much, much cheaper.
tex
I have found that the MagTech ammo shoots to the same point of aim as the HydraShoks, but much, much cheaper.
tex
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34 Posts
i just picked up a case of Federal Premium L.E. Tactical HST 230gr ammo for $28 (case of 50). is this the same as the hydrashok your were speaking of? the dude from the store was saying that this is a better type that the older hydrashok. also is that a good price for this ammo?
im thinking that this will be my regular defensive ammo, depending how it shoots at the range this weekend.
that is good to know about the MagTech ammo. i like shooting it as a practice load and its fairly cheap too at my local range (pack of 50 for $12.95).
im thinking that this will be my regular defensive ammo, depending how it shoots at the range this weekend.
that is good to know about the MagTech ammo. i like shooting it as a practice load and its fairly cheap too at my local range (pack of 50 for $12.95).
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I believe the HST line is a difference bullet design than the hydra-shok. It was designed to be more for LE (Law Enforcement) use with better barrier penetration with expansion afterwards. I would have no reservations about using HST for my primary carry ammo. FYI, I'm not suggesting that the HST is a LE-only load, just that it was designed for LE use. As far as the differences between HS and HST, it's highly unlikely the target will know the difference.KaliS-Pugilist said:
I haven't prices 50rd boxes of premium ammo lately but I'd think that was a good price.
Steelheart
The first concern I would have is the ability to cycle the slide. The dual spring system in the PT145 soaks up recoil, but won't tolerate some light recoil loads. If it works the slide, then think about the effectiveness of the round.
The big debate I've seen is (1) expansion and (2) penetration. Will the light load expand? And more concern is will it penetrate sufficiently to do the job. Personally, I don't worry about expansion on a .45 caliber... however, I do want to get the bullet sufficiently into or through the bad guy! The 230 grain hard ball had such a reputation because it seldom stuck in the bad guys... it knocked them off their feet and created tremendous blood lose.
The big debate I've seen is (1) expansion and (2) penetration. Will the light load expand? And more concern is will it penetrate sufficiently to do the job. Personally, I don't worry about expansion on a .45 caliber... however, I do want to get the bullet sufficiently into or through the bad guy! The 230 grain hard ball had such a reputation because it seldom stuck in the bad guys... it knocked them off their feet and created tremendous blood lose.
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