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Old December 27, 2012, 10:57 PM   #1
Mrgunsngear
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Hornady TAP 9mm 147gr Ballistics Gel Test





Loaded up some Hornady TAP 147gr 9mm JHP rounds, brought out the Clear Ballistics gel (calibrated to manufacturors specs), grabbed my SIG P6 (3.9'' barrel), and the video camera and here's what I found.

Chrono Data:

-971 fps, 308 ft/lbs energy

Results:

-20.5'' penetration

As you'll see in the video below, the round failed to expand but did tumble in the block.

147gr Hornady TAP Gel Test HD Video Link

The manufacture of the gel block, Clear Ballistics, claims their gel meets FBI specs for testing. I calibrate my gel per their specs prior to testing and use 4 layers of denim per IWBA protocol.

However, by no means am I saying this test is a substitute for the great work industry professionals like Dr. Roberts and others do. I'm just a shooter that likes to learn about the products I use.
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Old December 27, 2012, 11:07 PM   #2
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I wonder if that's why Hornady doesn't make the stuff any more? The only TAP 9mm they list is 124gr.
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Old December 28, 2012, 11:40 AM   #3
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Did you try any follow up shots to see if you got similar results?
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Old December 28, 2012, 11:48 AM   #4
Luger_carbine
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Thanks for the review.

The older 147gr rounds got a bad rep for failure to expand, and there are still folks out there who attribute it to all 147gr 9mm bullets.

Probably out of a 16" barrel this round would expand, out of a < 4" - apparantly not, although as you said, this is just one data point.
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Old December 28, 2012, 01:30 PM   #5
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Good test, (wish you fired more rounds though,) many of us are shooting small 9mm guns with barrels under 4 inches like the G26, SR9c, P239, P229, Shield... Even with the 3.9 inch barrel you were still getting the advertised velocity range 971/975. The bullet should have performed at that velocity. Thank you for sharing the info.
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Old December 28, 2012, 05:31 PM   #6
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Good test, my only issue is the 147 JHP makes your 9mm a 38 special.
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Old December 28, 2012, 07:23 PM   #7
Mrgunsngear
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Quote:
Did you try any follow up shots to see if you got similar results?
I used to do that; then all the trolls would say things like "your test is totally invalid, the block is damaged once it's shot, blah, blah, blah...." So damned if I do, damned if I don't...

Of course the test isn't scientifically valid; I'm a dude with a camera shooting in a field not a scientist in a lab with all the controls afforded by that. The tests are just one datapoint and I'm just trying to share some info with fellow shooters out there.
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Old December 30, 2012, 03:34 AM   #8
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not surprised

When the outfit went to auto pistols, (1990's) the SIG P228 was the transition piece, and the issue ammo was 147 gr JHP. We carried those for about 2 years untill they began to allow some caliber and model options (still SIG, but .40 and .45 available)

I shot enough ferals and finshed off enough deer injured in deer v. car collsions to gain a really dim view of the 9mm/147. Whether it was the combo of the short P228 tube, or that the ammo was intended for sub gun use with a longer barrel, (that was the rumor, the load was intended for suppressed MP-5's) the round did not expand and was not a stopper nor killer on my targets. As I recall the 147 ammo was all W-W.

All the old hands likened the .355/9mm/147 to .38 spl., power wise. Only a few years before, we had just made the jump from .38 to .357/125, and were not happy about gowing "backward" in power, even if we did have 12+1 9mm in hand.

When the options came out, there was about an even split to .40 and .45. HQ types and vegetarians stayed with the 9mm.
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Old December 30, 2012, 02:00 PM   #9
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Thanks for another great test, plouffedaddy. Much appreciated!
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Old December 30, 2012, 04:28 PM   #10
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Quote:
Thanks for another great test
You're welcome.
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Old January 3, 2013, 03:04 PM   #11
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my only issue is the 147 JHP makes your 9mm a 38 special.
The Colt cylinders revolve one way and the S&W cylinders revolve the other.

Not sure about the SIGs

But seriously folks, are there any 147 grain loads on the market, that do have an acceptable record in testing or actual defensive use?

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Old January 3, 2013, 03:56 PM   #12
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Federal HST 147.

TnOutdoors9 has a decent YouTube video for it. The AR15.com list of handgun ammo has penetration and expansion data in an expandable spreadsheet, too.
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Old January 5, 2013, 12:01 PM   #13
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Has anyone tried out the Winchester 147gr JHP from Wal Mart? I picked up a box a while back thinking it might be better to carry than the 115gr Remington JHP I'm carrying now but I'm not so sure. I was thinking bigger tip would mean more damage but maybe not if it doesn't expand as intended.
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Old January 6, 2013, 06:32 PM   #14
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"The Colt cylinders revolve one way and the S&W cylinders revolve the other."

The more recent guns. Go back far enough and both companies made guns that went the other way.
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Old January 7, 2013, 06:34 PM   #15
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<<<But seriously folks, are there any 147 grain loads on the market, that do have an acceptable record in testing or actual defensive use?>>>

The Ranger 147 gr (RA9T) is great stuff.
The Federal 147gr. HST.
Speer Gold Dots 147gr.
Double Tap
Buffalo Bore
The Remington 147-gr. Golden Saber.
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