This post is the result of hundreds of hours of work by “Tom from Northfield Township”. Over that past several years I have grown to admire Tom in his dedication to objective testing especially as it relates to ballistic testing. We started with the .380 acp, continued with the 40 S&W and now with the 9 mm Luger / Parabellum.
The 9 mm has again risen to the top of the defensive handgun hierarchy and will assist you in selecting effective ammunition for your needs.
Tom spent a career at Ford Motor Company as a test technician and now applies those same techniques to ammunition testing, which I am honored to share with you here on TriggerTalk Radio.
Tom has tested 24 different types of 9 mm ammo for ballistic terminal performance in a media that he has developed that simulate both tissue, and bone with tissue.
The results will be shard with pictures as well as data in a .pdf file and a downloadable Excel spreadsheet that you can sort by any parameter you desire.
Now the test data:
Link to Spreadsheet of 9mm test data
Link to Apple Pages file of test Data
Download the appropriate file from the links above for all the actual measurements of:
- Expansion
- Penetration
- Velocity.
Please note the Feet per second number was measured with a Chronograph at a distance of 9 feet from the muzzle and represents the velocity of the projectile when it actually entered the test media. This number more closely represents the velocity in a self defense situation than measuring the velocity at the muzzle.
Barnes TAC-XPD in Tissue Simulation
Barnes TAC-XPD in Bone and Tissue Simulation
Federal EFMJ – Expanding Full Metal Jacket (Now sold as Guard Dog) in Tissue
Federal EFMJ – Expanding Full Metal Jacket in Bone/ Tissue Simulation
Federal 9BPLE (Law Enforcement +P+) in Tissue Simulation
Federal 9BPLE (Law Enforcement +P+) in Bone and Tissue Simulation
Federal Premium Law Enforcement HST 124 gr. in Tissue Simulation
Federal Premium Law Enforcement HST 124 gr. in Bone and Tissue Simulation
Federal Premium Law Enforcement HST 147 gr. in Tissue Simulation
Federal Premium Law Enforcement HST 147 gr. in Bone and Tissue Simulation (No Expansion!)
Federal Premium HST MICRO 147 gr. in Tissue Simulation
Federal Premium HST MICRO 147 gr. in Bone and Tissue Simulation
Federal Premium HST MICRO 150 gr. in Tissue Simulation
Federal Premium HST MICRO 150 gr.in Bone and Tissue Simulation
Federal Hydra-Shok Deep 135 gr. in Tissue Simulation
Federal Hydra-Shok Deep 135 gr. in Bone and Tissue Simulation
Hornady XTP Handload (6.7 grains of Alliant Power Pistol) 1141 F.P.S.) in Tissue Simulation
Hornady XTP Handload (6.7 grains of Alliant Power Pistol) 1141 F.P.S.) in Bone and Tissue Simulation
Hornady Critical Defense in Tissue Simulation
Hornady Critical Defense in Bone andTissue Simulation
Hornady Critical Duty in Tissue Simulation
Hornady Critical Duty in Bone and Tissue Simulation
Norma M.H.P. in Tissue Simulation
Norma M.H.P. in Bone and Tissue Simulation
Remington Ultimate Defense Golden Sabre in Tissue Simulation
Remington Ultimate Defense Golden Sabre in Bone and Tissue Simulation
Sig Sauer 365 V-Crown in Tissue Simulation
Sig Sauer 365 V-Crown in Bone and Tissue Simulation
Sig Sauer 124 gr. V-Crown in Tissue Simulation
Sig Sauer 124 gr. V-Crown in Bone and Tissue Simulation
Sig Sauer 147 gr. V-Crown in Tissue Simulation
Sig Sauer 147 gr. V-Crown in Bone and Tissue Simulation
Speer Gold Dot 124 gr Tissue Simulation
Speer Gold Dot 124 gr Bone and Tissue Simulation
Speer Gold Dot 147gr Tissue Simulation
Speer Gold Dot 147 gr in Bone and Tissue Simulation
Speer Gold Dot G2 Duty 124 gr Tissue Simulation
Speer Gold Dot G2 Duty 124 gr in Bone and Tissue Simulation
STREAK Visual Ammunition in Tissue Simulation
STREAK Visual Ammunition in Bone and Tissue Simulation
Winchester Defender 124 gr +P in Tissue Simulation
Winchester Defender 124 gr +P in Bone and Tissue Simulation
Winchester Defender 147 gr in Tissue Simulation
Winchester Defender 147 gr in Bone and Tissue Simulation
Winchester SilverTip 124 gr in Tissue Simulation
Winchester SilverTip 124 gr in Bone and Tissue Simulation
Winchester SilverTip 147 gr in Tissue Simulation
Winchester SilverTip 147 gr in Bone and Tissue Simulation
Again, Thank You “Tom from Northfield Township” for all this hard work you have done to help us make informed ammunition choices!