Gelatin tests: 10mm 195 & 156 gr cast HP, Underwood 9mm 115 gr Zero JHP

Andrew Wiggin · October 1, 2013, 03:19 PM

10mm 156 gr Lyman Devastator video link

10mm 156 gr Lyman Devastator hand load fired from 4.5" barrel EAA Witness through four layers of denim into calibrated gelatin.

BB: 587.3, 3.6"

Impact velocity: 1,450 fps
Penetration: 13.7"
Retained weight: N/A
Expansion: N/A

This bullet definitely lived up to it's name. Like the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. I just couldn't stop taking pics of this one. The deepest recovered fragment only weighed 22.5 gr and measured 0.616" x 0.307" x 0.110" but that fragment plus all the strained fragments (45.6 gr) only adds up to 68.1 gr, leaving 87.9 gr unaccounted for. If you look closely, you can see the mark where a fragment left the block at around the 13" mark, just before the last fragment that is in the block. I believe this to be the core, which should weigh in the neighborhood of 87 gr. Hopefully I can test again to confirm this.

10mm 195 gr Mihec cast LHP video link

10mm 195 gr Mihec cast LHP (shallow pin) fired from 4.25" S&W 1076 through four layers of denim into calibrated gelatin.

BB: 587.3 fps, 3.6"

Impact velocity: 1,100 fps
Penetration: 26.6"
Retained weight: 192.2 gr

(no expansion)

9mm Underwood 115 gr Zero JHP video link

9mm Underwood 115 gr Zero JHP fired from Glock 22 with Lone Wolf 9mm conversion barrel through four layers of denim into calibrated gelatin.

BB: 587.3 fps, 3.6"

Impact velocity: 1,234 fps
Penetration: 18.6"
Retained weight: 92.5 gr

(no expansion)

6.8 · October 3, 2013, 04:26 AM

Is that some older Underwood ammo? Ive never heard of that load.

Andrew Wiggin · October 3, 2013, 04:22 PM

Yes, sir. The load was discontinued a long time ago. Kevin now uses Gold Dots.

Beretta686 · October 3, 2013, 04:31 PM

Wow. That's some impressive penetration with the 195gr. That would make a great load for big pigs.

How was the recoil with something that hot?

Pardon my ignorance as I'm not a handloader, but is that a bullet you cast yourself?

Andrew Wiggin · October 3, 2013, 04:44 PM

Recoil was typical full power 10mm. Stout but manageable. I don't really know how to articulate my felt recoil in objective terms.

Yes, the bullets are cast from a mold made by Mihec. It comes with three pins for deep cavity, shallow cavity, and flat point.

I plan to test that load again on bare gelatin to see if it expands. Not too many pigs or bears wear heavy clothing. Except, well....

I also plan to test the same bullet closer to 1,200 fps and possibly with a softer alloy. I'd like to see just a little bit of expansion but keep penetration over 20".

6.8 · October 14, 2013, 11:37 PM

Thanks for posting these tests Andrew. Are you planning on testing any of underwoods current loads?

Andrew Wiggin · October 15, 2013, 12:33 AM

Probably, but 9mm Gold Dots are pretty well documented.

**JohnKSa** · October 15, 2013, 12:39 AM

That's an impressively deep ejector mark in the shell casing from the EAA Witness. Also a trace of firing pin "wipe". Is that typical of all shells fired from that gun?

Andrew Wiggin · October 15, 2013, 12:59 AM

Yeah, the elongated firing pin mark is typical of even low powered 10mm ammo with that gun.

October 1, 2013, 03:19 PM	#1
Andrew Wiggin Senior Member Join Date: December 22, 2012 Posts: 516	Gelatin tests: 10mm 195 & 156 gr cast HP, Underwood 9mm 115 gr Zero JHP 10mm 156 gr Lyman Devastator video link 10mm 156 gr Lyman Devastator hand load fired from 4.5" barrel EAA Witness through four layers of denim into calibrated gelatin. BB: 587.3, 3.6" Impact velocity: 1,450 fps Penetration: 13.7" Retained weight: N/A Expansion: N/A This bullet definitely lived up to it's name. Like the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. I just couldn't stop taking pics of this one. The deepest recovered fragment only weighed 22.5 gr and measured 0.616" x 0.307" x 0.110" but that fragment plus all the strained fragments (45.6 gr) only adds up to 68.1 gr, leaving 87.9 gr unaccounted for. If you look closely, you can see the mark where a fragment left the block at around the 13" mark, just before the last fragment that is in the block. I believe this to be the core, which should weigh in the neighborhood of 87 gr. Hopefully I can test again to confirm this. 10mm 195 gr Mihec cast LHP video link 10mm 195 gr Mihec cast LHP (shallow pin) fired from 4.25" S&W 1076 through four layers of denim into calibrated gelatin. BB: 587.3 fps, 3.6" Impact velocity: 1,100 fps Penetration: 26.6" Retained weight: 192.2 gr (no expansion) 9mm Underwood 115 gr Zero JHP video link 9mm Underwood 115 gr Zero JHP fired from Glock 22 with Lone Wolf 9mm conversion barrel through four layers of denim into calibrated gelatin. BB: 587.3 fps, 3.6" Impact velocity: 1,234 fps Penetration: 18.6" Retained weight: 92.5 gr (no expansion)

October 3, 2013, 04:31 PM	#4
Beretta686 Senior Member Join Date: May 11, 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 761	Wow. That's some impressive penetration with the 195gr. That would make a great load for big pigs. How was the recoil with something that hot? Pardon my ignorance as I'm not a handloader, but is that a bullet you cast yourself? __________________ "Our contract called for 16 cases of rifles and ammunition for $10,000 dollars, not a machine gun...........That is our present to the General"-Pike Bishop “When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.”

October 15, 2013, 12:39 AM	#8
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 24,989	That's an impressively deep ejector mark in the shell casing from the EAA Witness. Also a trace of firing pin "wipe". Is that typical of all shells fired from that gun? __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?

October 3, 2013, 04:26 AM	#2
6.8 Junior member Join Date: February 21, 2013 Posts: 316	Is that some older Underwood ammo? Ive never heard of that load.

October 3, 2013, 04:22 PM	#3
Andrew Wiggin Senior Member Join Date: December 22, 2012 Posts: 516	Yes, sir. The load was discontinued a long time ago. Kevin now uses Gold Dots.

October 3, 2013, 04:44 PM	#5
Andrew Wiggin Senior Member Join Date: December 22, 2012 Posts: 516	Recoil was typical full power 10mm. Stout but manageable. I don't really know how to articulate my felt recoil in objective terms. Yes, the bullets are cast from a mold made by Mihec. It comes with three pins for deep cavity, shallow cavity, and flat point. I plan to test that load again on bare gelatin to see if it expands. Not too many pigs or bears wear heavy clothing. Except, well.... I also plan to test the same bullet closer to 1,200 fps and possibly with a softer alloy. I'd like to see just a little bit of expansion but keep penetration over 20".

October 14, 2013, 11:37 PM	#6
6.8 Junior member Join Date: February 21, 2013 Posts: 316	Thanks for posting these tests Andrew. Are you planning on testing any of underwoods current loads?

October 15, 2013, 12:33 AM	#7
Andrew Wiggin Senior Member Join Date: December 22, 2012 Posts: 516	Probably, but 9mm Gold Dots are pretty well documented.

October 15, 2013, 12:59 AM	#9
Andrew Wiggin Senior Member Join Date: December 22, 2012 Posts: 516	Yeah, the elongated firing pin mark is typical of even low powered 10mm ammo with that gun.