What Is HST Ammo?
Put simply: HST is the most effective line of self-defense ammo ever developed by Federal Ammunition.
This 10mm load is part of that successful HST line of defensive ammo.
This is a cross section of the 10mm HST bullet.
Undoubtedly, the companys experience with its long-running Hydra-Shok line contributed a wealth of data to the bullets construction.
For the 10mm round, Federal uses a 200-grain bullet that was specifically tweaked for optimal performance.
From a 5 barrel, the 10mm HST ammo is rated for 1,1130 fps.
This is a cross section of the 10mm HST bullet.
This makes it a full power 10mm load not a downloaded replication of a .40 S&W round.
At the muzzle, the round is pushing more than 565 ft-lbs of energy.
While short of .44 Magnum performance, it is still a hard-hitting round suitable for many uses.
Federal offers this load in 20 round boxes as part of its Premium Personal Defense catalog of products.
The part number is #P10HST1S.
Federal HST 10mm Specifications
Why Use the HST 10mm?
A side by side look at the Federal Hydra Shok (left) and the HST after being shot into ballistic gel.
There are several situations in which the Federal Premium HST 10mm load should excel.
The most obvious is self-defense.
Personal protection is the primary design purpose behind the HST line.
As such, Federal optimized the rounds for this use case.
Penetration and expansion should be ideal for human-sized threats.
The officer had to fire one-handed as he held the reins of two horses in his other hand.
While you may not be a police officer, it is possible to find yourself in a similar situation.
If you do, you need both the skill and equipment to make the shot.
The 10mm HST can be part of that package.
A lot of variables affect long-range bullet performance.
As stated above, the typical muzzle velocity of this load is 1,130 fps.
Thats impressive and enough to stop a threat.
Can the 10mm HST Be Used for Hunting?
For thinner-skinned animals within 100 yards, Id argue yes.
As with most shooting activities, the key is bullet placement.
Beyond that, however, the 10mm is often used for handgun hunting.
The only question that some people may have relates to the penetration of the bullet.
Does 18 to 19 in bare gel equate to enough depth for human game harvesting?
In many circumstances, I think it does.
For larger game animals, I would instead choose a deeper penetrating load.
It would not be my first choice for hunting moose or elk.
Yet, one round did stand out as being a bit better than the rest: the Hydra-Shok.
In its time, the Hydra-Shok was a revolutionary step forward.
Designed by Tom Burczynski, the bullet used a center post inside of a hollow point to encourage expansion.
Some have theorized that HST is an acronym for Hydra-Shok Two.
Id still carry Federal Hydra-Shok rounds today if thats all I had.
However, in a straight comparison of HST vs Hydra-Shok, Ill take the newer HST every time.
Final Thoughts
Is the HST the hottest 10mm ammo on the market?
Bullet expansion is impressive and weight retention is as close to perfect as one might obtain.
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