May 30th, 2021
6:03 runtime
Who said a micro-sized .380 ACP pistol is ineffective for self-defense?
Well, pretty much everyone at one point or another.
Frankly, this has been a common mantra for decades, even from me that is, until now.
What changed my mind?
The release of the new Federal Hydra-Shok Deep 99-gr.
And I recently had a chance to conduct a performance gel test of it myself.
Check out the video above and continue reading this article below.
This outward force ensured maximum expansion and controlled penetration.
Hydra-Shok Deep was initially launched in a 135-gr.
Recently, it has also been released in a 165-gr.
.40 loading as well as a 210-gr.
Now, with the new 99-gr.
.380 ACP load, there is an option for some of the smallest EDC pistols available.
But what about this new Hydra-Shok Deep offering?
The .380 loading is listed as having a muzzle velocity of 1,000 feet per second (fps).
Lets do the math here.
projectile, that would mean that this ammunition would have 220 ft.-lbs.
of energy, which is nothing to sneer at.
That is all fine and dandy on paper, but how does it actually perform?
This is where I wanted to put this new ammo the ultimate test: ballistic gel.
I wanted something compact and light, with a short barrel of 3 or less.
Basically, I wanted something highly concealable.
I soon set my sights on theSpringfield Armory 911.
The best way I can describe the 911 is that someone got a 1911 wet and shrank it.
It is basically a mini-1911.
However, it does have all the other features that make it almost identical to a full-size 1911.
Now for the test media.
I opted to use Clear Ballistics Gel, a synthetic-based ballistic gel medium.
There are several reasons I decided to use Clear Ballistics Gel.
First, as the name states, it is clear rather than the murky brownish color of ordnance gel.
Second, it is reusable.
Clear Ballistics Gel can easily be melted to be used repeatedly.
But I didnt need a tank to perform a ballistic test on a 2.7-barreled .380 ACP.
I decided for something sturdy and reliable, so I picked up a Ransom Multi-Cal.
Range Time
D-Day was finally here.
My videographer asked me, how many gels are you going to set up?
In hindsight, my reply was a mistake.
I should have thought about that a little more carefully.
I found the projectiles about 10 feet downrange from the block of gel, fully expanded.
I couldnt believe it, they were perfectly expanded.
Just like the photo on the Federal website.
Conclusion
I honestly had expected some minor expansion and weight loss as well as average penetration.
What I got was totally unexpected and quite impressive.
So, how about we ask that question again?
Is a micro .380 ACP pistol ineffective for self-defense?
The answer is simple.
The Springfield Armory 911, combined with the 99-gr.
Federal Hydra-Shok Deep ammunition, is just about the most effective combination I have ever tested in that caliber.
Pretty impressive for a tiny pistol and an ineffective round, wouldnt you say?
Go to forum thread
