Is Hydrashock's Day In The Sun Over?
For the LE/Gov market, according to what Federal promotes to that user market demographic? Pretty much, yes, it seems as though the Hydra-Shok's day is past.
For the private citizen market and the offerings available commercially? Then, no, it doesn't seem to be so.
Seems as though Federal has revised and refined the Hydra-Shok bullets and loadings over the years.
I remember when the 230gr .45 ACP Hydra-Shok was reportedly revised to make it feed better in the 45's commonly seen many years ago.
Nowadays, though, some of the different ballistic testing being used, especially the difficult IWBA 4-layer denim/gel test, has driven the major ammo companies who want a piece of the LE/Gov sales to offer some newer designs that are intended to provide more resistance to plugging, and potential for robust & consistent expansion, than the older Hydra-Shok design.
I think I came across a couple containers of at least 3-4 hundred (or more) rounds of 230gr .45 ACP Hydra-Shok when I was rummaging around in my ammo cabinets. I dimly remember putting them back sometime in maybe the early 90's.
I won't be moving them up to replace the Rem 230gr HPJ/BJHP Golden Sabres or Win 230gr T-Series (of which I have both RA45T & RA45TP versions), nor the small supply of Speer 230gr GDHP I have left over ... nor the Federal HST that's next up in the training/duty inventory where I work ... but I'd not lose sleep if I used them in any of my .45's at one time or another, either.
I'd be surprised if Federal discontinued the Hydra-Shok line in the immediate future. They've probably long since written off the cost of the equipment to make the bullets, and the bullet design probably still has a lot of name-recognition among older shooters who have used them over the years.