Paul Harrell Tests Non-Expanding Bullets for CC

   07.24.20

Paul Harrell Tests Non-Expanding Bullets for CC

In this video, Paul Harrell tests three different types of non-hollowpoint ammo for the benefit of viewers who live in areas where hollowpoint ammunition is outlawed.

He tests the ammo in this order:

1) Magtech 9mm Luger with 124 grain jacketed soft round point bullet.

2) Winchester Super Clean 9mm Luger with 90 grain lead free flat point copper-jacketed zinc core bullet. (Winchester calls it a full metal jacket, but in truth the zinc core is exposed at the flat nose of the bullet, and the jacket is notched as you’d expect to see on a jacketed hollowpoint bullet.)

3) Underwood Superior Performance 9mm Luger +P 65 grain Xtreme Defender with solid copper non-expanding bullet. I couldn’t find this on Underwood’s website, but they do have a 68-grain version which seems similar.

For testing, he uses a Sig P365 since this is about concealed carry for self-defense.

Five rounds of each were fired from a distance of 7 yards, with the following results:

Magtech soft point — didn’t expand, pretty much just punched 9mm holes through the patented meat target and all were stopped by the high tech fleece bullet stop.

Winchester Super Clean zinc (tin?) core — didn’t expand but jacket did peel away a little, pretty much just punched 9mm holes through the patented meat target and two of five penetrated the fleece.

Underwood Superior Performance all-copper “cut-off Philips-head screwdriver” — produced a lot of impressive damage, penetrated less than the others, zero bullet deformation.

So… if you can’t use hollowpoint or expanding bullets, those Underwoods — priced at $1 per shot plus tax & shipping — might be a viable option. Providing your pistol is rated for +P ammo, of course. (They do offer a non-+P 9mm option, rated at 1700 FPS instead of 1800.)

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Editor & Contributing Writer Russ Chastain is a lifelong hunter and shooter who has spent his life learning about hunting, shooting, guns, ammunition, gunsmithing, reloading, and bullet casting. He started toting his own gun in the woods at age nine and he's pursued deer with rifles since 1982, so his hunting knowledge has been growing for more than three and a half decades. His desire and ability to share this knowledge with others has also grown, and Russ has been professionally writing and editing original hunting & shooting content since 1998. Russ Chastain has a passion for sharing accurate, honest, interesting hunting & shooting knowledge and stories with people of all skill levels.

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