Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns .45 ACP Bullet Testing Results (pic heavy)

Ok guys, after guzzling milk like a mad man for many weeks, i finally got enough jugs together to test what i had. I started this test by asking the Campfire guys with some spare ammo, or bullets they would like to see tested to throw in three of each to this cause. A few kind people responded. EWY, Gunner500, and Hutch to name them.



I started this test string with 12 different types of ammo. They are from left to right, top to bottom...

• Bullet Test List
  FACTORY LOADS
  
  Magtech 165gr. +P SCHP
  PMC Gold Starfire 230gr. SFHP
  Hornady Critical Defense 165gr. FTX
  Federal Premium 230gr. Hydra Shok JHP
  Federal Premium Guard Dog 165gr. EFMJ
  Cor Bon DPX 185gr. +P DPX

HANDLOADS

The first one here was Gunner500's carry load. It was a peppy load with some snap in the recoil
Barnes 185gr. Tac-XP not sure of the powder, or charge.

Next we had a 230gr. Speer Gold Dot HP. I loaded this with 5.3gr. of Bullseye and a WLP primer.

Next was the Winchester 230gr. SXT. I also loaded this with 5.3gr. of Bullseye and a WLP primer.

Now, i have to admit an error I got the RBCD 90gr. TFSP mixed in with the handloads.

The last two rounds you see sitting there are the 230gr Remington/UMC green and white box JHP bullet loaded with the same 5.3gr. of Bullseye and WLP primer as all the other ones i loaded.

The round on the right is a 230gr. Hornady XTP loaded with 5.3gr. of Bullseye and a WLP primer.


Sadly, as of right now, i dont have the bullet weights as my scale is elsewhere right now, and i wasnt able to get my Chronograph back in time for the testing.

I will be updating this thread shortly, when i get my scale back. Below, i am listing the number of jugs each load penetrated, and posting a video of one of the tests.

Starting from the top of my list posted here with the factory ammo first...

[*]Bullet Penetration List
Magtech- 3-1 gallon jugs, recovered in the third one.


PMC Gold Starfire- 4-64oz juice jugs, 2-1 gallon jugs. This bullet did not expand, and was actually a second test. It left a hole in the back of the 6th jug, but was recovered inside it.


Hornady Critical Defense- 3-1 gallon jugs. Recovered in the third one.


Federal Premium Hydra Shok- 3-1 gallon jugs. This bullet separated from the jacket, and the core was recovered from the third jug, however, the jacket was recovered from the first and second jugs.


Federal Premium Guard Dog- 3-1 gallon jugs. Recovered in the third jug.


Cor Bon DPX- 3-1 gallon jugs. This bullet destroyed two jugs completely, then penetrated the third enough to make it leak, but was recovered next to the third jug, not in it.
[img]http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo359/ironeagle_84/IMG_0944.jpg[/img]

Gunner500's carry load, 185gr. Tac-XP- 3-1 gallon jugs. This bullet was recovered in the third jug, and it should be noted that it knocked over the two jugs behind the one it was recovered in.
[img]http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo359/ironeagle_84/IMG_0948.jpg[/img]

230gr. Speer Gold Dot- 3-1 gallon jugs. This bullet was recovered in the third jug, however, it did poke a hole out the back, and into the front of the fourth jug, but did not exit the third where it was recovered.
[img]http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo359/ironeagle_84/IMG_0947.jpg[/img]

230gr. Winchester SXT- 1-64oz jug, 2-1gallon jugs. This bullet was recovered in the second milk jug after passing through the 64 oz juice jug.
[img]http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo359/ironeagle_84/IMG_0946.jpg[/img]

RBCD 90gr. TFSP- 4-1 gallon jugs. The little white ball passed all the way through all the jugs and was recovered at the base of the tree we were using for a backstop. the fragments were recovered on the ground near the jugs, and inside the third jug. This ammo was the lightest recoiling i have ever shot, and the most explosive on jugs. It was INCREDIBLE!!!
[img]http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo359/ironeagle_84/IMG_0945.jpg[/img]

And the video...



So, there you go Gents. i hope you find this informative and useful as i did. I will update this with the other two fired rounds here when i get a few more jugs.

Marty

Marty,

Thanks for the info. I'm sure the extensive testing process was grueling, unthankful labor .

I'll say this about Gunner's carry load....you won't recover the bullet after shooting a 300+ lb. hog.

George

Good job Marty, thanks for the sacrifice you had to make doing this Sir!

Great post Marty. Very informative. Good pictures too.

Thank you!

3- 1 gallon milk jugs. I think I see a pattern.

i know right? it made me laugh when i read my results side by side.

the PMC Gold Starfire ammo had to be tested twice. the first shot went through the 4-1 gallon jugs i had up there, but i couldnt find it on the bank in the video.

What I'm seeing here is that someone could choose any of several different brands of ammo and be assured of consistent performance. That's reassuring.

Great post very enlightening and thanks for all your hard work.

Thanks Marty. The Starfire was the only disappointment.

Great testing. But I sure hope folks don't get the idea that pretty mushrooms are meaningful.

A little election year humor - Obama's plea for your vote: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4nvhAZ0vr0 - enjoy!

Good job, MArty! Thanks for your efforts.

Nice, Marty!
I have to say that the Barnes DPX? load looks pretty impressive there.

Nice work, Marty! Thanks for the pics.

Thanks Marty

Hard work, that someone has to do.

We did some ammo testing as well with different 45 loads, but the testing medium was saturated wet phone books wrapped in one layer of old blue jeans. The results were enlightening to say the least. I have the pics somewhere in my photobucket account.

Still shakin' my head on that one George, flat unbelievable to me that my light-weight handload would do that, very good to know though, and thanks


Fine job Marty, and thank you too....lotsa fun work .......You gotta post a pic of that 230 gold-dot starfish I sent ya.

Gunner

Marty, my 45 ACP carry load is:

W-W +P brass
185 Barnes TAC-HP
8.0 gns Power Pistol
WLP primer
COL 1.230
Vel. 1100 fps from a 5" Springfield W/ 22lb Wolf spring.

Gunner

this one...???

...thats the little over-stressed darlin', I told a bud I had a 45 cal gold-dot expand to 1.5" and he allowed it would be a good week for me to quit smokin' crack, LOL

I tried to separate the jacket and core.......it wont

Thanks Marty

Gunner