Which .40 S&W Federal HST round for carry?

YES!!!!





Either.. My likes is the 155 or 165 but Either. I sometimes carry the 135gr as well.

 

From ATK's ballistic workshop results I've worked up the following -
Federal 40S&W HST, 165gr, 1130fps, KE=468, P=14.00, E=.75, 5.3ci, 637psi
Federal 40S&W HST, 180gr, 1010fps, KE=408, P=13.40, E=.77, 5.6ci, 582psi
The two are VERY close in performance! It may be just as well to flip a coin and not look back.

Personally I'ld choose -
DT 40S&W Gold Dot, 155gr, 1275fps, KE=559, P=13.00, E=.76, 5.4ci, 825psi
- before either of the other two. To me, penetration/expansion/wound volume are a wash, but BPW jumps up quite a bit. And DT is just as reasonably priced and comes in boxes of 50 also.

All info based on 4" barrels.

 

when my g23 is in 40cal config, i use p40hst3.

 

delete

 

Exactly what conditions would cause you to switch from 155/165 to a 135gr???

 

for .40 HST i would go with the 180 grain

 

I can not think of any advantage. Although there are somke velocity junkies out there that pick ammo from those numbers instead of performance.

 

"Those numbers" are performance. What does the 135gr load not give you that others do? More penetration? Isn't 12" enough? Guess everyones mileage varies a tad.

 

Congrats on the Glock 23. I have both 165gr and 180gr HST's, but I tend to favor the 180gr HSTs when the time to choose comes around.

 

My choices in .40S&W are:

Hornady XTP (TAP/FPD/CQ) Either 180gr or 155gr
Reminton Golden Saber Bonded 165gr or 180gr
Speer Gold dot 180gr or 165gr (not the LE 165gr version)
Maybe the Ranger T, depending on whether or not the "enhanced" change has been made.

I'm not really big on HST yet for lack of street data, but if I were forced to choose, I'd pick the 180gr version because underpenetration is my main concern with this round.

 

If that was true in all cases than Lamas,Fang-face/Air-freedom and RCBD would all be the best rounds available.

As far as penetration it is a crap shoot. 12' may or may not work on any given shooting. Most official testing is done in calibrated jello. This will show what a bullet might do in nearly idea circumstances.

 

You would compare frangible ammo to nonfrangible ammo? I wouldn't, nor do I know of anyone else who would.

Otherwise, a round like the 135gr Nosler in 40S&W or 10mm can be an excellent choice for something like home/apartment defense depending on one's specific risk assessments.

 

Some hard core velocity junkies only look at those numbers. They could care less what kind or brand of bullets they are.

Many people have little quirks. I would rather have a 9mm with a 115+P+ for home/apartment than the ones you have listed. I would rather carry a 40 cal 180gr than a 45 with less than 230gr. A 9mm rather than a 40 with less than 180gr.

The 10mm is on my list of calibers to pick up when I find a deal on one. I know if I wait long enough I will have a customer trade one in on a more common caliber pistol.

 

In those areas that I would worry about to much penatration( hotels for one example. Every one has there ideas on SD ammo, I've carried 135gr Corbons and DT for quite some time and have now tested the HST's and like them all...

 

ALL of the HST .40s are good. Try a box or two in each weight, pick whichever one your pistol shoots best and call it a day.

 

I see what you're saying.

 

Sometimes the 12" in gel may not be enough DEPENDING on the actual bullet constuction.

For example: I'd much rather see a sturdy 135gr 'bonded' bullet in .40S&W than a heavily fragmenting one.

Penetration in gel doesn't take into account more common intermediate barriers like arms, legs & bones...you know, body parts.

The same 135gr high velocity round in a fragmenting version may not be able to penetrate enough to hit any vitals if it must first breech an ulna, whereas a bonded version of the same bullet might go just deep enough.

I believe in this theory although I honestly do not have much study related basis to fall back on.....It would be interesting to collect that specific data, or even know how/where to collect it.

glock20c10mm,
You seem to pretty up on your performance numbers so maybe you can help me out here.....
I'd like to see a comprehensive list of .40S&W 135gr performance numbers, specifically penetration numbers through the various accepted media.
Of course links to gel photos would just tickle me pink.
...and by "comprehensive" I mean more than one bullet type/design.

 

180gr. Data in signature. Also, as a bonus, the 180gr has less felt recoil in my G23.

 

I can't say for certain, as I'm not an "expert", but I would argue your statement from the standpoint that the average human body is 9.5" deep, front to back through the thoratic cavity. Therefore I would suggest that 12" would be enough on average to reach any VITAL organ or structure EVEN IF the bullet had to pass through an outstretched arm or whatever first (I don't care if the bullet makes it out the back side of the BG).

I realize some people prefer to plan for extremes and would just as soon be using a bullet rated for closer to 18" penetration in gel so they have the drugged up +400lb biker BGs covered. I'll stick to at least 12" penetration with an actually usefull PBPW at least 50% of the time. I tend to stay out of the way of crazed +400lb biker BGs (plus they can't run faster than me), and if I end up protecting someone else from one I've usually got my spare mag loaded up with DT 10mm 200gr XTPs @ around 1200fps (because of hiking in the mountains where the little black bears and big kitty cats hang), so that will hopefully do it.