.357 Mag. Federal Low Recoil Personal Defense 130-grain Hydra-Shok

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posted on October 26, 2010
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The Hydra-Shok bullet has an outstanding reputation in self-defense shootings, regardless of the cartridge it's fired from. This 130-grain load from Federal is rated as "low recoil," but the kick is still a bit stiff. Even though this bullet looses about 50 percent of its weight, it still penetrates to about 10 inches in 10-percent ordnance gelatin. This is arguably, optimal penetration, especially if you have over-penetration concerns. This load also creates a wicked wound cavity because of the high velocity.

Shooting Results
Load IV (fps) PEN (inches) ED (inch) RW (grains)
.357 Mag. PD LR 130-grain Hydra-Shok 1,482 9 1/4 .45 68

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