BEST 9mm DUTY Ammo?! Critical Duty vs Hydra-Shok DEEP vs Speer G2

Published on January 23, 2020
Duration: 18:19

This video provides a comparative analysis of three popular 9mm duty ammunition types: Hornady Critical Duty 135gr +P, Federal Premium Hydra-Shok Deep 135gr, and Speer Gold Dot G2 147gr. The tests simulate real-world scenarios, including heavy clothing penetration and a 16-gauge sheet metal barrier test, to evaluate expansion, penetration, and overall performance. The instructor offers insights into which rounds excel in different situations and provides a recommendation based on observed results.

Quick Summary

This expert 9mm duty ammunition test compares Hornady Critical Duty 135gr +P, Federal Hydra-Shok Deep 135gr, and Speer Gold Dot G2 147gr. Through heavy clothing, Critical Duty and Hydra-Shok Deep showed good expansion and controlled penetration, while the G2 over-penetrated without expanding. In a steel barrier test, the G2 excelled with expansion and penetration, followed by the Critical Duty, with the Hydra-Shok Deep showing inconsistent but promising results.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction & Test Setup
  2. 00:15Ammunition Overview
  3. 00:45Firearm & Gel Setup
  4. 01:45Test Plan Overview
  5. 02:03Heavy Clothing Test Begins
  6. 02:23Hornady Critical Duty (Clothing Test)
  7. 02:56Federal Hydra-Shok Deep (Clothing Test)
  8. 03:16Speer G2 (Clothing Test)
  9. 03:38Heavy Clothing Test Results Analysis
  10. 05:35Penetration Measurements (Clothing Test)
  11. 06:30Hard Barrier Test Setup
  12. 07:06Hard Barrier Test Strategy
  13. 07:16Hornady Critical Duty (Barrier Test)
  14. 07:47Federal Hydra-Shok Deep (Barrier Test - Attempt 1)
  15. 08:12Federal Hydra-Shok Deep (Barrier Test - Attempt 2)
  16. 09:02Federal Hydra-Shok Deep (Barrier Test - Attempt 3)
  17. 09:28Hydra-Shok Deep Barrier Results (Initial)
  18. 10:59Speer G2 (Barrier Test)
  19. 11:14Speer G2 Barrier Test Results
  20. 12:42Federal Hydra-Shok Deep (Barrier Test - Attempt 4)
  21. 13:24Hydra-Shok Deep Barrier Results (Final)
  22. 15:06Bullet Extraction & Analysis
  23. 15:14Critical Duty Bullet Analysis
  24. 15:37Hydra-Shok Deep Bullet Analysis
  25. 16:16Speer G2 Bullet Analysis
  26. 16:45Final Penetration Measurements
  27. 17:02Overall Comparison & Recommendation
  28. 17:49Viewer Engagement & Support

Frequently Asked Questions

How did the Hornady Critical Duty 135gr +P perform in ballistic gel tests?

The Hornady Critical Duty 135gr +P performed well in both heavy clothing and hard barrier tests. Through heavy clothing, it achieved about 16.5 inches of penetration with moderate expansion. Through a 16-gauge steel barrier, it penetrated 9 inches and remained intact, showing reliable performance.

What were the results for the Federal Premium Hydra-Shok Deep 135gr in duty ammo tests?

The Federal Premium Hydra-Shok Deep 135gr showed good expansion in the heavy clothing test, comparable to the Critical Duty. Through a steel barrier, its performance was inconsistent, but a successful shot achieved around 7.75 inches of penetration with jacket separation from the lead core.

How did the Speer Gold Dot G2 147gr perform in the heavy clothing test?

The Speer Gold Dot G2 147gr performed poorly in the heavy clothing test, reaching approximately 26 inches of penetration in 20% ballistic gel without expanding at all. This was considered unacceptable over-penetration by the instructor for typical self-defense scenarios.

Which 9mm duty ammunition performed best through a steel barrier?

In the hard barrier test using 16-gauge sheet metal, the Speer Gold Dot G2 147gr was the most impressive, expanding well and achieving 12 inches of penetration. The Hornady Critical Duty 135gr +P also performed reliably with 9 inches of penetration.

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