Tried some .45 cal. 165 gr. Hydra-Shoks...

3

.357SIG

New member
Those things kick like a mule and the muzzle blast was LOUD (like hot .357 Mag loads). The people on both sides of me had to stop shooting until I finished unloading my 2 mags. Are they supposed to be like this?


They were almost as fun as the comments I got from the other shooters... :D
 
I bought some for my short-barreled Kimber. I switched to 185 gr +P Hydrashoks after Alex Hamilton at Ten-Ring Precision said the 165s often have feeding problems.

As far as noise, they really aren't that bad compared to Aguila 117 gr hollowpoint ammo. Not only are the Aguila very loud, you actually feel the heat from the blast reflected back on you. In the dark, this blast looks like a 2-3 foot long by 1-2 ft across vapor flash and is quite bright. Try a box of Aguila if you really want to disturb the shooters near you. Not to worry, the Aguila are supposedly within SAAMI standards for .45.
 
I was just about to post something about the 165gr Hydra-Shoks. I just bought a box yesterday and haven't tried them yet. I hope I don't have any feeding problems with my 1991A1. I am a bit concerned about it because I have had trouble with a few 185gr bullets that weren't round nosed. I have fired 185gr Hollow Points without problems. But I assume if I'm going to have feeding problems with the 165gr Hydra's its going to happen with this box.
 
I tried 20 rounds in my LWCDR and thought they were fine. My only concern was with the lighter weight; i prefer at least 185's, with the 230 HydraShok's my favorite.
 
.357Sig,

I just bought a box thinking that it would be a reduced recoil load (since that is what the box says) I could use in my Ruger P97. Now I am nervous (since you said they "kick like a mule"). I find the 230 grain Hydra-Shoks have very little recoil, so in comparison to the 230 grain bullets, how much more does the 165 grains kick in your opinion?
 
Are we talking about the same Hydrashoks that come in the clear plastic case and say personal defense, reduced recoil? If so I have to disagree. The 165 grainers didn't kick much at all from a full sized 1911. Get some 200 grain + p Gold dots and shoot those. They have a lot more recoil (perceived) and blast than the Hydrashoks IMHO.
 
I've shot 230 gr. Hyda-Shoks and 165 gr. PDA Hydra-Shoks back-to-back from my gun (Colt 1991A1,) and the 165's are definitely less recoil. However, they do have a bit more muzzle blast. Remember, they're pushing that 165 at over 1100fps, but the 230 is only coming out at about 850fps.

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Shoot straight & make big holes, regards, Richard at The Shottist's Center
 
Nope. Not the ones in the clear plastic box. I'm talking about the ones in the gold/blue cardboard box.

Also, I was shooting 230s in the same range session and recoil was not much more than the 9mm Glock with 115s, IMO. I should add that the 165s "stung" my trigger finger a little after each shot (for lack of a better description). That has never happened to me with any gun of any caliber I've used. :eek:

Maybe they're just a hot batch? I'm going to get more for testing.

[This message has been edited by .357SIG (edited October 01, 2000).]
 
I'm glad to hear .357Sig wasn't talking about the 165 grain Personal Defense load kicking hard. I never even knew they made another 165 grain load so it took me by surprise at first.
 
I use them in my springfield compact and I feel that they are louder and kick a little more,but they are coming out a lot faster and I am not going to be firing that many of them. They function perfectly in my pistol and if I ever have to use them in a serious situation I don't think I will even notice the extra kick and noise,my mind will be on other things,like trying to survive. sj
 
There is a 230 HS, a 185 +P HS, and a 165 HS (PDA) in 45 ACP. There is a 230 and 185 in the Classic JHP.

In my guns (P97, 1911s, G21, USPc) The 185 +P kicks the most, then the 230s, then the 185, then the 165. The 165 has the most flash.

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>>>>---->
 
I had occasion to cap a rottweiler a couple of years ago using my Officers Model,with 165 gr Hydra-shoks. The bullet made a nice neat .452 hole all the way through. NO EXPANSION! Suprised me & the cops who investigated.

I switched to Cor-bons. A heavier bullet would have only gone through--FARTHER!

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Fred J. Drumheller
NRA Life
NRA Golden Eagle
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by .357SIG:
Not the ones in the clear plastic box. I'm talking about the ones in the gold/blue cardboard box.
[/quote]

I bought a couple of boxes of those, I still have part of a box here. It's the gold/blue box and they are marked:

165gr Hydra-Shok JHP
Personal Defense
High energy/low recoil

These are pretty wimpy loads to me, not even close to the 185gr HydraShok or standard 230gr ball ammo. I tried them in my Glock 30 for 20 rounds, and then about 10 in my Kimber 1911. No problems shooting them, but they didn't have anough kick for me to think they'd be effective. :)

I went to Federal's web site, and I see no other 165gr HydraShok for .45ACP, so I have to believe these are the ones you have...
 
Again, I'd imagine it's a hot batch. They definately had some power behind 'em. I'm not the only one who noticed it either. :eek:

After a few rounds, an older man, who was shooting his Colt gummint model, turned to me and said (in his best southern accent) "Jeezus! What the hell are you shooting?!?"

Another guy asked if I made very hot handloads.

The lady shooting her scoped Ruger MkII in the lane next to me jumped on the first shot and quickly left the line until I was done.

And last, but not least, the range officer walked away shaking his head saying something along the lines of "Man, some people bring loud guns."
 
I've noticed that folks tend to perceive recoil differently based on a number of separate factors such as 1) type of recoil (a short snap, i.e. low momentum/high energy OR long push, i.e. high momentum/low energy), 2) muzzle blast (I mean the noise) and 3) muzzle flash.

For example, I find that, in similar guns, .45ACP recoils more than .40S&W, because I tolerate short snaps better than long pushes.

Others, however, seem to be more affected by the reverse and/or by the shorter, but higher peak muzzle blast of the .40S&W.

So, for me, the 165 grain PD was much more tame than 230 grain H-S. Others may perceive it differently.

In actuality, the 165 grain recoils less than 230 grain in terms of momentum of the gun "hitting" one's hand. Yet, because the former has a much greater muzzle blast (sonic boom, maybe) and a more pronounced muzzle flash, some folks may perceive it to "kick like a mule."

BTW, why is it that otherwise excellent Federal ammo tends to have more muzzle flash than, say, Winchester? I noticed that Federal ammo generally has more consistent velocity as well as superior quality control, yet Winchester consistenly has smaller muzzle flash. It buggs me to no end, because I really would like to buy Federal exclusively, but can't help notice its more pronounced muzzle flash when shooting in a dark indoor range (which would better approximate a home defense scenario than an outdoor range).

Skorzeny

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For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence. Sun Tzu
 
I've gone through around 200 rounds of the 165 grain PD ammo and I agree that they do recoil less than the 230 grain HS, but the muzzle blast and report are something else. I bought the 165PDHS thinking it would be a good load to use in my Officer's ACP. After shooting a few boxes I've changed my mind and the excessive muzzle flash is why. When I used this round in a darkened range it was akin to having someone take your photo in a dark room. Couldn't see anything for a few seconds. I finally settled on the 185 grain Gold Dot for the Officer, almost no muzzle flash, and easy to control follow up shots and probably enough velocity to get a bit of expansion. I continue to load the full size 45s with the 230 grain HS. Mark / Fl
 
I didn't notice much reduction in recoil with the 165's, but will ditto experiencing a huge fireball with each shot from a 3.5" barrel. I went back to 230's.
 
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