Low Budget Self Defense Ammo -- Geco Red Zone -- Part2

Mr.RevolverGuy · July 28, 2019, 06:15 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPfhJoFxkNY

This is a follow up to episode 1. This time I have two ballistics gel blocks.

So what do you think should you and will you trust Geco Red Zone as Cost effective self defense ammo?

Double Naught Spy · July 28, 2019, 07:03 PM

No, I don't think so, but I have enjoyed the vids quite a bit. Keep up the good work!

wild cat mccane · July 28, 2019, 08:37 PM

Save you a ton of gel dollars?

Without expensive bonding, a fast opening bullet will shed it's jacket (old Golden Saber).

Without good bullet design, a bullet won't open unless pushed too hard. (old Speer bullets, Federal B9 at +P 115gr).

There is no replacement for the consistency of HST, Gold Dot, or Ranger T. And if you want deeper with less expansion by design, Hornady XTP.

Cheap doesn't work in this area.

IdaD · July 30, 2019, 09:01 AM

I like 115 grain Winchester White Box JHPs for budget combo carry/plink ammo. It runs well in my pistols and seems to function fine in Paul Harrell's meat target tests. I do pony up for the higher end ammo in 380 and the 9mm I load in my Shield, which are the two things I primarily carry.

Walt Sherrill · July 30, 2019, 09:56 AM

I see no reason to try to save money with SELF DEFENSE AMMO.

Once you find a particular round that you shoot well in your gun -- there's little reason to shoot it a lot.

You may have to try several types to get the performance you want, but that's money and time well spent.

Double Naught Spy · July 30, 2019, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Without expensive bonding, a fast opening bullet will shed it's jacket (old Golden Saber).

Without good bullet design, a bullet won't open unless pushed too hard. (old Speer bullets, Federal B9 at +P 115gr).

There is no replacement for the consistency of HST, Gold Dot, or Ranger T. And if you want deeper with less expansion by design, Hornady XTP.

Cheap doesn't work in this area.

Wait, Golden Saber weren't cheap. Hydroshoks weren't cheap and didn't open consistently, but they were bonded, right?

Apparently, spending a lot of money doesn't necessarily work either.

That is what makes ballistics tests interesting. Sometimes you find things that you don't think will work well that work fine and things that should work fine that don't.

T. O'Heir · July 30, 2019, 11:46 AM

"...Cost effective self defense ammo..." Doesn't have to be jacketed. A regular cast bullet, including a gentle thing like a .38 Special WC, will do nicely.
Geco Red Zone will be fine if your hand gun shoots 'em well. A 124 grain JHP at 1150 fps is exactly the same as a Federal HST.
Hydroshoks were a gimmick. Supposedly originally designed for Sky Marshalls back when airline hijacking was all the rage for terrs.

Double Naught Spy · July 30, 2019, 12:05 PM

Hydra-Shok were developed at the request of the FBI for development of a new round, not the Sky Marshalls.

kenny53 · July 31, 2019, 10:05 AM

I shoot a verity of defense ammo. Most is some sort of hollow point. I
believe it is all going to work. I also believe most bad guys are not made out of ballistic gel and the defense ammo will act different in human tissue. Ballistic gel is nice to show what a round is capable of but falls short of real world applications. That's just the opinion of this old man.

Cheapshooter · July 31, 2019, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Low Budget Self Defense Ammo

Kinda like a money saving do-it-yourself heart transplant kit.
Maybe not as serious, but could also have a similar, painful ending if needed.

July 28, 2019, 06:15 PM	#1
Mr.RevolverGuy Senior Member Join Date: February 24, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 991	Low Budget Self Defense Ammo -- Geco Red Zone -- Part2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPfhJoFxkNY This is a follow up to episode 1. This time I have two ballistics gel blocks. So what do you think should you and will you trust Geco Red Zone as Cost effective self defense ammo? __________________ Mr.Revolverguy http://www.dayattherange.com Firearms Reviewed and Reported On: An unbiased opinion with real world use.

July 28, 2019, 07:03 PM	#2
Double Naught Spy Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2001 Location: Forestburg, Montague Cnty, TX Posts: 12,717	No, I don't think so, but I have enjoyed the vids quite a bit. Keep up the good work! __________________ "If you look through your scope and see your shoe, aim higher." -- said to me by my 11 year old daughter before going out for hogs 8/13/2011 My Hunting Videos https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

July 30, 2019, 11:46 AM	#7
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...Cost effective self defense ammo..." Doesn't have to be jacketed. A regular cast bullet, including a gentle thing like a .38 Special WC, will do nicely. Geco Red Zone will be fine if your hand gun shoots 'em well. A 124 grain JHP at 1150 fps is exactly the same as a Federal HST. Hydroshoks were a gimmick. Supposedly originally designed for Sky Marshalls back when airline hijacking was all the rage for terrs. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

July 30, 2019, 12:05 PM	#8
Double Naught Spy Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2001 Location: Forestburg, Montague Cnty, TX Posts: 12,717	Hydra-Shok were developed at the request of the FBI for development of a new round, not the Sky Marshalls. __________________ "If you look through your scope and see your shoe, aim higher." -- said to me by my 11 year old daughter before going out for hogs 8/13/2011 My Hunting Videos https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

July 28, 2019, 08:37 PM	#3
wild cat mccane Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2011 Posts: 3,626	Save you a ton of gel dollars? Without expensive bonding, a fast opening bullet will shed it's jacket (old Golden Saber). Without good bullet design, a bullet won't open unless pushed too hard. (old Speer bullets, Federal B9 at +P 115gr). There is no replacement for the consistency of HST, Gold Dot, or Ranger T. And if you want deeper with less expansion by design, Hornady XTP. Cheap doesn't work in this area.

July 30, 2019, 09:01 AM	#4
IdaD Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2018 Location: Idaho Posts: 107	I like 115 grain Winchester White Box JHPs for budget combo carry/plink ammo. It runs well in my pistols and seems to function fine in Paul Harrell's meat target tests. I do pony up for the higher end ammo in 380 and the 9mm I load in my Shield, which are the two things I primarily carry.

July 30, 2019, 09:56 AM	#5
Walt Sherrill Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 1999 Location: Winston-Salem, NC USA Posts: 6,348	I see no reason to try to save money with SELF DEFENSE AMMO. Once you find a particular round that you shoot well in your gun -- there's little reason to shoot it a lot. You may have to try several types to get the performance you want, but that's money and time well spent.

July 31, 2019, 10:05 AM	#9
kenny53 Senior Member Join Date: December 30, 2015 Location: My back yard Posts: 971	I shoot a verity of defense ammo. Most is some sort of hollow point. I believe it is all going to work. I also believe most bad guys are not made out of ballistic gel and the defense ammo will act different in human tissue. Ballistic gel is nice to show what a round is capable of but falls short of real world applications. That's just the opinion of this old man.