Many experts (and non-experts) claim Federal’s 99 grain .380 Hydra-Shok Deep is the best self-defense load for the .380. Why? Federal says their new product solves the .380’s penchant for under penetration, an age old problem with this cartridge.
The .380 ACP–developed by gun genius, John M. Browning–has never enjoyed a good reputation as fight stopper. Compared to other common defensive handgun cartridges, the little .380 delivers almost half the kinetic energy. This causes a conundrum for those who carry the .380. .380 hollow points often do not penetrate enough to reach an assailant’s vital organs. Whereas full metal jacket .380 loads can over penetrate and possibly endanger innocent bystanders. Thus, the .380 carrier is faced with a tough choice.
Federal Premium Ammunition decided to tackle the “.380 Problem.” They took their redesigned Hydra-Shok bullet, which they dubbed Hydra-Shok Deep, and adapted it to the .380. The .380 Hydra-Shok Deep is supposed to provide the energy transfer associated with hollow points and improve penetration. Federal claims the round yields at least twelve inches penetration in ballistic gel, which is the minimum recommend by the FBI, along with more reliable expansion.
Never one to accept a company’s ad hype at face value, we put the .380 Hydra-Shok Deep up against LocaCarnivore’s exclusive “Frost Giant” extreme gel test to see for ourselves if Federal has indeed solved the “.380 Problem.”
Watch what happened in the test–before you carry this load for self-defense.
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At time of publication, LocaCarnivore had no commercial interests in any products or brands mentioned in this video.
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