Corbons vs. hydroshocks?

dkb2003 · July 18, 2006, 02:12 PM

It seem like i here the same things time after time from police and my fellow gun lovers....hydro or corbons...i have a 40 cal that i just bought to have as my home def gun...i have 9s and a few 22. but wanted this for my pillow gun...i hear hydros are not that great as far as knockdown power...my fellow police buddys say the corbon is the best load out there.....any imput??..im shooting 180 g corbons now...is this the best load or not?...thanks

shield20 · July 18, 2006, 02:45 PM

Hydra-shoks have been around a long time = outdated. Corbons are usually too light so they can get extra velocity. Better designs out there to meet today's criteria.

Try Speer Gold Dots and Federal HSTs & Bonded Tacticals. In .40 i would go 165s - best combination round and less chance of over-pressure situations as can happen with 180s.

MK11 · July 18, 2006, 03:13 PM

CorBon DPX seems to be setting the new bar. Even the penetration fanatics like it.

choochboost · July 18, 2006, 04:37 PM

I don't know why everyone keeps talking about hydra-shoks. I have not seen anything that would make me want to carry them. Forget about the brand recognition and do a little research of your own. It might take a while but see what you come up with.

I generally don't pay attention to what cops are saying. Most are not very knowledgeable of firearms, and whatever this or that agency goes with is usually more about the budget and the lowest bid.

Syntax360 · July 18, 2006, 05:21 PM

HydraShoks are definitely not as cutting edge as they used to be. I would vote Corbon if I had to pick one or the other. If I could give you any advise, it would be to listen to shield20 - try Federal Hi-Shok Tactical's, Gold Dot, Bonded Golden Saber, or you can never go wrong with Winchester Rangers.

dave0520 · July 18, 2006, 05:27 PM

Hydrashocks tend to be better in revolver caliber guns, where they have bigger cavities because there are no eeding issues to deal with, but I think any of the premium bullets from almost any company will work about the same (Corbon, Winchester, Federal, Remington, etc.). I believe the only SD bullet that really is good enough to be able to tell a difference is the Gold Dot.

kenneth owens · July 19, 2006, 03:49 PM

Corbon! Corbon!

threefivesevenmag · July 19, 2006, 05:15 PM

Stephen A. Camp, a forum member here has a great site and tests a lot of different bullet designs.

It seems the Corbon DPX line is good.

I think it's more about...what shoots best in your gun, is accurate, and controllable.

I like Remington Golden Sabers and Speer Gold Dots. Most major brands are fine. It's not about the 1-stop shot.

mete · July 19, 2006, 06:02 PM

I've shot many a wodchuck with .40 155 Hydra-shoks .It does get their attention. In actual street use any .40 [except reduced recoil types] do well .Don't lose sleep over it !!!

BobK · July 19, 2006, 07:05 PM

There is nothing wrong with any of the premium self defense ammo choices out there. Pick one and make sure it works reliably in your gun. I primarily carry Corbon DPX and Powrball. But I also like Win SXT and Rem Golden Saber.

Also, most of the premium self defense ammo is accurate enough for self defense situations. Your carry ammo does not need to shoot 2" at 25 yards.

dkb2003 · July 19, 2006, 11:18 PM

I love this site!!!!!...im new here...and to get this kind of feedback is great..ty all!!!!!!

AFshooter · July 20, 2006, 12:12 AM

Funny, now that I think about my defense rigs, I have 16 cor-bons in a CZ mag, 5 hydras in a J frame speed loader and an 8 rd. Wilson mag filled with Gold Dot.

VirgilCaine · July 20, 2006, 07:36 AM

I go with what works/feeds. Hydros in my .45 Colt Commander, Gold Dot's in my J-frame .38 spl, Hornady Custom JHP's in my Beretta 92F.

I've spent a fortune testing and comparing.

I like Cor-Bon, but my pistols don't.

TacticalDefense1911 · July 20, 2006, 06:52 PM

It is really hard to find a .40 load that isnt good. Most of the major manufacturers offer very good loadings in .40 S&W. Between the Corbon JHP (Sierra bullets) and the Federal Hydra-shok they are fairly similar in performance. Neither bullet would be considered a tactical bullet, which are designed to defeat barriers (Gold Dots, Corbon DPX, Winchester SXT, Golden Sabers) The Hydra-Shok and Sierra bullets are designed to expand quickly.

I would stay away from Federals Low Recoil loads. Corbon makes very reliable and consistent ammunition. Try their DPX line of ammunition if you want something that will defeat any barrier and produces great penetration. The Hydra-shok, while being an older bullet design, still proves to be very dependable, especially in Federals 230 grain .45 ACP load. Better .40 S&W loads would be 155 grain - 165 grain offerings from Speer and Remington, but I would not feel bad about carrying Corbons or Federals, although Federals would be one of my last choices.

kenneth owens · July 21, 2006, 12:59 PM

oh yes!! how could I forget ranger 127+p+

acmetim · July 21, 2006, 01:10 PM

with my glock, cor bons have been no problem, but i had to quit carrying them as they would not feed reliably in my kel tec carbine that took the same glock mags. mine are 9x18s rather than 9x19s. this was all the shop had every time i went to buy corbons. maybe they are now making 9x19s? i dont know. i went with the heavier ones(148 gr?) the guys at the shop all carried the lighter ones (115s?) to get more velocity.
anyone else had trouble with the 9x18s feeding in other arms?
tim

bclark1 · July 21, 2006, 01:32 PM

i have historically bought more hydrashoks than other premium ammo but i'm aware of their shortcomings and have been headed in the gold dot direction. i've never liked corbons, bought and shot a few boxes but if i wanted light and fast i'd get a five-seven.

wixedmords · July 21, 2006, 01:32 PM

I would certainly have no problem carrying Hydroshock, as long as it was what I consider the right weight in the caliber.

But, Corbon DPX is really the current best, IMO. Corbon is a good company on the cutting edge. Still waiting on the other companies to catch up in their bullet design.

One thing to consider here though. If you shoot one of the other bullet designs noticeably better than go with it. The Corbon is great stuff, but the ninth degree of accuracy is better than the ninth degree of bullet design. Both these bullet designs hit hard, hard enough to stop an attacker.

choochboost · July 21, 2006, 02:37 PM

Acmetim, are you saying you were trying to shoot 9x18 through your Glock?

choochboost · July 26, 2006, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Corbon is a good company on the cutting edge. Still waiting on the other companies to catch up in their bullet design.

Corbon's DPX bullet is actually a Barnes bullet.

July 18, 2006, 02:12 PM	#1
dkb2003 Junior member Join Date: July 15, 2006 Posts: 61	Corbons vs. hydroshocks? It seem like i here the same things time after time from police and my fellow gun lovers....hydro or corbons...i have a 40 cal that i just bought to have as my home def gun...i have 9s and a few 22. but wanted this for my pillow gun...i hear hydros are not that great as far as knockdown power...my fellow police buddys say the corbon is the best load out there.....any imput??..im shooting 180 g corbons now...is this the best load or not?...thanks

July 18, 2006, 04:37 PM	#4
choochboost Senior Member Join Date: October 15, 2005 Location: orange county, ca Posts: 610	I don't know why everyone keeps talking about hydra-shoks. I have not seen anything that would make me want to carry them. Forget about the brand recognition and do a little research of your own. It might take a while but see what you come up with. I generally don't pay attention to what cops are saying. Most are not very knowledgeable of firearms, and whatever this or that agency goes with is usually more about the budget and the lowest bid. Last edited by choochboost; July 19, 2006 at 07:11 PM.

July 18, 2006, 05:27 PM	#6
dave0520 Senior Member Join Date: September 25, 2005 Location: Philadelphia suburbs Posts: 394	Hydrashocks tend to be better in revolver caliber guns, where they have bigger cavities because there are no eeding issues to deal with, but I think any of the premium bullets from almost any company will work about the same (Corbon, Winchester, Federal, Remington, etc.). I believe the only SD bullet that really is good enough to be able to tell a difference is the Gold Dot. __________________ si vis pacem, parabellum

July 20, 2006, 12:12 AM	#12
AFshooter Senior Member Join Date: January 17, 2006 Location: Eastern Nebraska Posts: 375	Funny, now that I think about my defense rigs, I have 16 cor-bons in a CZ mag, 5 hydras in a J frame speed loader and an 8 rd. Wilson mag filled with Gold Dot. __________________ 03 FFL, Certified Glock Armorer, Nebraska Concealed Carry

July 20, 2006, 07:36 AM	#13
VirgilCaine Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 2004 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 419	I go with what works/feeds. Hydros in my .45 Colt Commander, Gold Dot's in my J-frame .38 spl, Hornady Custom JHP's in my Beretta 92F. I've spent a fortune testing and comparing. I like Cor-Bon, but my pistols don't. __________________ "Danger Itself Is The Best Remedy For Danger"

July 18, 2006, 02:45 PM	#2
shield20 Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2005 Location: Hudson Valley, New York Posts: 1,371	Hydra-shoks have been around a long time = outdated. Corbons are usually too light so they can get extra velocity. Better designs out there to meet today's criteria. Try Speer Gold Dots and Federal HSTs & Bonded Tacticals. In .40 i would go 165s - best combination round and less chance of over-pressure situations as can happen with 180s.

July 18, 2006, 03:13 PM	#3
MK11 Senior Member Join Date: April 26, 2001 Posts: 577	CorBon DPX seems to be setting the new bar. Even the penetration fanatics like it.

July 18, 2006, 05:21 PM	#5
Syntax360 Senior Member Join Date: April 17, 2006 Location: Grand Prairie, TX Posts: 694	HydraShoks are definitely not as cutting edge as they used to be. I would vote Corbon if I had to pick one or the other. If I could give you any advise, it would be to listen to shield20 - try Federal Hi-Shok Tactical's, Gold Dot, Bonded Golden Saber, or you can never go wrong with Winchester Rangers.

July 19, 2006, 03:49 PM	#7
kenneth owens Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2006 Posts: 355	Corbon! Corbon!

July 19, 2006, 05:15 PM	#8
threefivesevenmag Senior Member Join Date: May 8, 2005 Posts: 406	Stephen A. Camp, a forum member here has a great site and tests a lot of different bullet designs. It seems the Corbon DPX line is good. I think it's more about...what shoots best in your gun, is accurate, and controllable. I like Remington Golden Sabers and Speer Gold Dots. Most major brands are fine. It's not about the 1-stop shot.

July 19, 2006, 06:02 PM	#9
mete Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2004 Location: NY State Posts: 6,575	I've shot many a wodchuck with .40 155 Hydra-shoks .It does get their attention. In actual street use any .40 [except reduced recoil types] do well .Don't lose sleep over it !!!

July 19, 2006, 07:05 PM	#10
BobK Senior Member Join Date: June 19, 2005 Posts: 838	There is nothing wrong with any of the premium self defense ammo choices out there. Pick one and make sure it works reliably in your gun. I primarily carry Corbon DPX and Powrball. But I also like Win SXT and Rem Golden Saber. Also, most of the premium self defense ammo is accurate enough for self defense situations. Your carry ammo does not need to shoot 2" at 25 yards.

July 19, 2006, 11:18 PM	#11
dkb2003 Junior member Join Date: July 15, 2006 Posts: 61	I love this site!!!!!...im new here...and to get this kind of feedback is great..ty all!!!!!!

July 20, 2006, 06:52 PM	#14
TacticalDefense1911 Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,277	It is really hard to find a .40 load that isnt good. Most of the major manufacturers offer very good loadings in .40 S&W. Between the Corbon JHP (Sierra bullets) and the Federal Hydra-shok they are fairly similar in performance. Neither bullet would be considered a tactical bullet, which are designed to defeat barriers (Gold Dots, Corbon DPX, Winchester SXT, Golden Sabers) The Hydra-Shok and Sierra bullets are designed to expand quickly. I would stay away from Federals Low Recoil loads. Corbon makes very reliable and consistent ammunition. Try their DPX line of ammunition if you want something that will defeat any barrier and produces great penetration. The Hydra-shok, while being an older bullet design, still proves to be very dependable, especially in Federals 230 grain .45 ACP load. Better .40 S&W loads would be 155 grain - 165 grain offerings from Speer and Remington, but I would not feel bad about carrying Corbons or Federals, although Federals would be one of my last choices.

July 21, 2006, 12:59 PM	#15
kenneth owens Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2006 Posts: 355	oh yes!! how could I forget ranger 127+p+

July 21, 2006, 01:10 PM	#16
acmetim Member Join Date: June 29, 2006 Posts: 39	cor bon feed problems with my glock, cor bons have been no problem, but i had to quit carrying them as they would not feed reliably in my kel tec carbine that took the same glock mags. mine are 9x18s rather than 9x19s. this was all the shop had every time i went to buy corbons. maybe they are now making 9x19s? i dont know. i went with the heavier ones(148 gr?) the guys at the shop all carried the lighter ones (115s?) to get more velocity. anyone else had trouble with the 9x18s feeding in other arms? tim

July 21, 2006, 01:32 PM	#17
bclark1 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,531	i have historically bought more hydrashoks than other premium ammo but i'm aware of their shortcomings and have been headed in the gold dot direction. i've never liked corbons, bought and shot a few boxes but if i wanted light and fast i'd get a five-seven.

July 21, 2006, 01:32 PM	#18
wixedmords Member Join Date: April 30, 2006 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 45	I would certainly have no problem carrying Hydroshock, as long as it was what I consider the right weight in the caliber. But, Corbon DPX is really the current best, IMO. Corbon is a good company on the cutting edge. Still waiting on the other companies to catch up in their bullet design. One thing to consider here though. If you shoot one of the other bullet designs noticeably better than go with it. The Corbon is great stuff, but the ninth degree of accuracy is better than the ninth degree of bullet design. Both these bullet designs hit hard, hard enough to stop an attacker. __________________ Live free or die isn't just a motto.

July 21, 2006, 02:37 PM	#19
choochboost Senior Member Join Date: October 15, 2005 Location: orange county, ca Posts: 610	Acmetim, are you saying you were trying to shoot 9x18 through your Glock?