Comparing Bullet Weights in 9mm Luger 

There is more to penetration depths and terminal performance to a bullet than just projectile weight. Hollow point shape, bonding, lead alloy, velocity, sectional density, etc., all help contribute to performance beyond just weight. It didn't surprise me in the least that the Hi-Shok and the Hydra-Shok didn't perform well, as they are old designs as compared to Guard Dog and the Punch. I suspect that a lighter Hydra-Shok would have performed better, not because the bullet weighs less, but because it will be going faster and exceeding its expansion threshold.

Unreliable expansion in hollow points is the reason i went to underwoods extreme defender rounds with the lehigh defense bullets. Great penetration, wound cavities, and the solid projectiles resolve any feeding issues (at least in my glocks).

RIP Chicken. You're the real hero here.

The 124 grain is my favorite bullet weight & IMO the ideal weight for 9mm. Though I don't shoot 9mm as much anymore because the ammo is expensive where I'm from.

This video definitely deserves more likes.I do think it would have been interesting to throw in 1 +p+ load for comparison.

I fall in the 124gr camp. Whether it’s Winchester Defender +P, Gold Dot +p, Federal HST or Punch. I used to run a lot of Remington years ago, but not so much now. Not because anything is wrong with it, just local availability issues really. Good video, thanks.

I carry liberty 50 grain supper light 9mm but it's going over 2 thousand feet per second so it's very good at getting through light body armor and the way it dumps energy and stars out is great really a great self defense load .

So... my takeaway from this video is 124gr. seems to be the most effective weight and expanding potential. Thank you

Good stuff!!

Nice video man thanks

Great info. 105 guard dog or the 124 punch seem to be the best

I'm a 124-grain person. Speed is a major factor in opening in most accounts. I have found punch to be very good. And of course the venerable Speer gold dot.good shooting 🔫 nice video..thank you

This video makes me not want to use federal ammo. But it is too small of a sample size. I have only used Speer Gold Dot 124 grain tough. Thank you sir.

Thanks for that video. Also do video with (micro compacts) small three inch barrel gun

Great video, congratulations! I'm from Brazil and I love firearms, but here everything is very restricted and expensive (that's why it's very violent and the bandits do what they want), to give you an idea Federal Punch arrived here but the box with 20 ammunition costs $ 80.00 and clear gelatin $367.00 each. I would like if possible to test the Magtech ammunition in 9x19 of 147 grain bonded (which is a Brazilian company and here is called CBC) with car windshield and if possible make this comparison with Punch. Thank you and you won another writing!!!

I'm not recoil sensitive ether and I really can't feel the difference between a 115 grn and a 147 grn even with standard pressure and +p and +p+ I can't really feel a big difference I can hear the difference more than I can feel it. Great video I'm definitely going to be trying theme 185 grn bullets even tho they didn't perform well they didn't over penetrate as bad as I would have thought with the little expansion they did.

Invalid for a bullet weight comparison. The types of ammo were too varied. Hi Shok is majorly obsolete, Hydra Shok is obsolute, Punch is new and as yet unproven. IMO, this should have been done with HST for the 124 and 147 weights. They rarely fail to expand, are modern and in law enforcement use, and are well tested. Both do very well, but the 147 has been shown to expand MUCH larger, and leave a larger, more severe wound channel. Love what you do and I'm not slagging you, just pointing out what are -- IMO -- facts.

IMO with the 9mm it is the speed that you are after. You should see what 115gr +p+ does to body armor on impact. I have personal experience with Federal 115gr +p+ I'm sure that Speer Gold Dot in 124gr +p+ would be just as effective also. Since the 9mm and the 38spl .357 Magnum are close in diameter .355 and .357 why is the 357 Magnum a. Better stopper than the 38 special. It's due to the speed. So if you take the 9 mm and jack it up this is all due to bullet design also. It's a better stopper when it has speed behind it. I would be happy with 115gr on the low end 1250 and 124 at 1280fps. As far as a 185 grain or 147gr Yes, they might provide deep penetration but you want to shock the body with a high velocity lightweight round. The shootings that we were in the medical examiner said that he noticed brain hemorrhaging in the perpetrators that were shot with the lightweight high velocity 115 grain bullets we used. When the federal border patrol use the federal 115gr +p+ The first 10 shootings were one shot stops. When they went to the 40 caliber they were using a 155gr they had similar results. Don't know why the hell they went to a 180gr. People trying to turn the 9 mm into a 45 with these heavy grain bullets. Out in California. The police agencies are using them and have to shoot perpetrators a lot of times. Look at some of the videos from shootings out there. I say again the 9 mm. It's the speed that you're after.

Interesting looking firearm ,almost like glock,Springfield and sig had a baby😆

i like the 115 gold dot for summer carry. I otherwise carry .40 S&W 165 gold dots.

Can you compare bullet weights of between 135gr to 180gr .40 s&w, both FMJ & JHP, and maybe even all the brands, or at least Underwood Ammo, Federal HST & Punch, Hornady Critical Duty & Defense, Double tap Ammo, Corbon Ammo, Black Hills Ammo, Winchester Ranger T-Series & Supreme Elite PDX1 & Silvertip, Buffalo Bore Ammo, Spear Gold Dot, Sellier & Bellot, Fiocchi, Grizzly Ammo, Remington Ultimate Defense & Golden Saber, Sig Sauer Elite V-Crown, Nosler Ammo, Minuteman Ammo?

I don’t think the heaviest rounds are as good! 124 gr is what I’m loaded with. I watch many test 115 and 124 seems to be best performance. TY for the test

I have a 55gr 9mm hollow tip. Any thoughts on the round ?

How can you compare a modern punch with older Hydrashok? Should have used HST when possible.

Federal HST 147gr expands the same as 124gr. Hydro shok not so much.

Thank you for showing us pictures of the mushrooms. The videos would be worth so much less without them.

What pistol is that?

As a newer shooter , please excuse my ignorance. Apparently the grain on the box is referring to the bullet weight & not the power amount?

For 9mm, I've been carrying the old school, but effective, Speer Gold Dot 124gr. +P in my G19.

All I wanna know is where the hell did you get all those telephone poles?

Hi ❤. Bro. You are living PA. right ?

No problem with any of those rounds. I am more concerned about shot placement.

Now i know why chicken little screamed the sky is falling. But using a hollow ed out bird is not quite the correct median for this kind of comparison. (JMHO)

Under loaded / low velocity bullets give unpredictable results , I have been reloading and testing 9mm " with premium bullets " the four major brands for over 30 years. In my opinion hollow points need to be loaded to a minimum of 1,200 fps for consistent devastating performance. Also these low velocity bullets have inferior lethality after ANY barrier penetration such as a car wind shield , door facing or even a furniture barrier " and that could be fatal to you. If you are serious about self/ family protection you should carry and practice with brands like Buffalo Bore and Underwood. Too expensive you say ? The cost of a family members funeral on average is 10-15 Thousand Dollars. Recoil you say ! suck it up, real men will take on any discomfort to protect their family. Your Brother in Christ , R.Walters Gy. Sgt. U.S.M.C.rte P. S. The 9mm ammo Joe Biden said would blow the lung right out of the body is my reloads ! for once he didn't lie L.O.L !

The test makes some sense on the surface but why didn’t you use the same line of rounds from Federal to conduct your test? Understanding the weights are specific to certain federal lines. In any test the goal is usually to test a certain hypothesis by minimizing the most variables as possible against a control. This test is so inconsistent and inaccurate it’s sorta like comparing which Ford pickup truck would be best for driving to Home Depot for your DIY projects and your choices are the(Ford Maverick, Ranger, F-150, F-250 and so on with the 350 and 450) 😂

BBQ chicken anyone 👍😂

Not sure the chicken really tells us much about the ammo. Maybe a line of 20 chickens.

Very interesting but get rid of the sun glasses, they're gross!!

Some of these rounds are examples of old technology. Bullets have come a long way since Hi Shok and Hydra Shok. A better test would be to test varying weights of HST rounds. I know that costs a lot of money, so I'll gladly send a little $$$ your way if you'd ever like to compare performance with various weights of HST or whatever bullet you think would he interesting.