Underwood HERO 70gr 9mm Ballistic Gel Test & Review - Maximum Expansion Micro & Full Size

Published on December 30, 2023
Duration: 13:48

This video details a ballistic gel test of Underwood 70-grain all-copper hollow-point 9mm ammunition, comparing performance from a micro-compact (Taurus GX4) and a full-size (Glock 17) pistol. The test evaluates expansion, penetration, and wound cavity creation with and without denim barriers, highlighting how barrel length and velocity affect terminal ballistics.

Quick Summary

The Underwood 70gr 9mm Hero HP ammunition exhibits different performance based on barrel length. Shorter barrels yield lower velocity, potentially wider expansion, and shallower penetration. Longer barrels produce higher velocity, deeper penetration, and can cause fragmentation when encountering barriers like denim, with intact bullets retaining nearly all their original weight.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction: Underwood 70gr 9mm Gel Test
  2. 00:44Testing Setup: Barrel Lengths & Gelatin
  3. 01:57Results: Bare Gel Penetration & Expansion
  4. 03:50Side-by-Side Comparison: Short vs. Long Barrel
  5. 04:48Testing with Denim Barrier
  6. 05:09Denim Test Results: Fragmentation Observed
  7. 07:05Repeat Denim Test: Glock 17 Fragmentation
  8. 08:05Repeat Denim Test: Taurus GX4 Performance
  9. 09:05Expanded Diameter Measurements (Bare Gel)
  10. 09:55Retained Weight Measurements (Bare Gel)
  11. 10:33Retained Weight Measurements (Denim Test)
  12. 11:15Denim Test: Fragmented Pieces & Retained Weight
  13. 12:10Final Results & Analysis
  14. 13:05Conclusion: Ammunition Performance Summary

Frequently Asked Questions

How does barrel length affect Underwood 70gr 9mm hollow point performance?

Shorter barrels (like the Taurus GX4's ~3 inches) produce lower velocity, leading to potentially wider expansion but shallower penetration. Longer barrels (like the Glock 17's 4.5 inches) generate higher velocity, resulting in deeper penetration and increased likelihood of fragmentation when encountering barriers like denim.

What is the typical expansion of Underwood 70gr 9mm hollow points in ballistic gel?

In bare ballistic gel tests, the Underwood 70gr 9mm hollow points expanded to approximately 0.65 to 0.68 inches. The exact expansion can vary slightly based on velocity and how the bullet's petals fold.

Does denim affect the performance of Underwood 70gr 9mm hollow points?

Yes, when fired through four layers of denim, higher velocity rounds from longer barrels tended to fragment, losing petals. Lower velocity rounds from shorter barrels generally held together better, though expansion might be slightly reduced compared to bare gel.

What is the retained weight of Underwood 70gr 9mm hollow points after ballistic gel tests?

When intact, the Underwood 70gr 9mm hollow points retained nearly all their weight, typically between 69.4 and 70.3 grains. However, when fragmentation occurred through denim, retained weight was significantly reduced as petals separated.

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