10mm gel tests

[Raggedyman]

I've tested several 10mm loads in homemade ballistic gelatin. While my gelatin is not 250A bloom photographer's gelatin, it is still actual gelatin, not synthetic material and it is calibrated with a .177 cal BB @600 fps +/- 10 fps.  I also have compared the performance of well documented loads such as factory Speer Gold Dot .40 S&W and Prvi Partisan 75 gr BTHP. The results are almost identical (within expected statistical variation) to the published results so I feel confident that these results, while not scientific, are at least indicative of the general performance ability of the loads tested and should be within a few inches of what a professional lab might get.

[pacapcop]

165 looks good.

[REDLINE]

Nice job.  Thanks for posting your results.

[pacapcop]

Would it be wrong to say that the XTP round is not cutting it.

[REDLINE]

Under 1100fps I think yes.  1200fps or more I feel it's great.

I think with the XTP more velocity is needed to aid expansion, which in the XTP is more of a roll back type of expansion as opposed to the the blow open expansion of a Gold Dot.  Did that make any sense?  Did I convey my thoughts adequately there with the highly scientific terminology of roll back compared to blow open?

[pacapcop]

My thought exactly on the XTP Redline.It needs serious punch to expand.

[REDLINE]

Definitely.  XTP bullets are good in most scenarios.  But soup up the velocity some, and IMO they simply shine all the more.

[Raggedyman]

I have another thread going in the factory ammo forum. Intercooler suggested that I just post results there so I'm going to do that. There's another set of tests over there now.

[The_Shadow]

The reason is that the XTP's are long is because of the thickness of the real copper jackets, bullets like the Gold dots their jackets although bonded are thinner thus either larger cavities or shorter lengths.  The XTP's control expansion by jacket design and thickness and the segmented cuts, whereas the GD's control via the bonding and depth of the cavities and the segmented cuts.  Driving them harder than their design parameters can over ride the expansion properties.

Berry's is soon to release their line of plated and  bonded HP's and that should be interesting...if they are reasonably plated to a thickness to allow good working velocity ranges, they will be a viable choice for applications like hunting or SD. 

[pacapcop]

So the XTP's in question will not open up unless high velocity?

[Raggedyman]

We don't really know yet. Sorry, but I left two variables open because I really didn't expect it not to expand. I forgot the denim in the earlier test but I lowered the velocity to see if I could get more penetration. I will repeat the test with denim and at the higher velocity to determine if the 200 gr XTP can expand through denim if it's going fast enough.

[siberian505]

How about the 155 grain XTP at 1450 fps or so?

[REDLINE]

I agree with the 155gr XTP at ~1450fps.  I would add the same for a 155gr Gold Dot around the same velocity tested right along side it, but in a separate gel block.

[Raggedyman]

I'm sure I'll probably do that eventually but based on my 165 gr Gold Dot at 1,310 fps test, I don't believe a lighter bullet will make minimum penetration standards.

[REDLINE]

Yes and no about the minimum penetration standards.  So far as what the FBI deem necessary for themeselves and that others choose to need for similar possible scenarios, yes.  For numerous other uses in self defense and hunting, no.

If 155gr bullets are deemed useless because they can't reach a certain penetration depth in gel or further, then 135gr Nosler bullets at 10mm velocity that penetrate even less in gel would certainly be deemed useless for the harvest of Whitetail Deer, which we know is NOT the case.

Gel is of little connotation to the distance bullets actually penetrate in people or animals.  Gel is a constant medium throughout.  Human and animal bodies are not, even to include air space.  About the only thing gel is good for is being an exact same medium for which to compare all cartridges and loads against, in gel.  Not all countries of the World even agree on using the same density of gel, let alone people not agreeing within a country.

Some rounds that perform exceptional in gel don't in the real world, and some rounds that perform poorly in gel excell in the real world.  "Standards", in some cases can be left for an individual to decide for themselves based on real world out-in-field knowledge where gel doesn't always tell a whole truth.