Can a VP9SK handle 150 grain Federal HST 9mm?

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Can a VP9SK handle 150 grain Federal HST 9mm?

Postby pr0tect0r on Tue Jan 02, 2018 9:29 pm

I picked up some of these for my home defense load out. I’m a little concerned that they don’t seem to fit quite the same as the other FMJ ammo I’ve been using. Is this round too big for the gun? I really don’t want the gun blowing up in my face.
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Re: Can a VP9SK handle 150 grain Federal HST 9mm?

Postby mmcnx2 on Wed Jan 03, 2018 12:38 pm

What do you mean 'don't seem to fit' all 9mm should fall within the defined spec's for length and diameter - so it all should fit. If it is not chamber fully, don't shoot it. A picture would go a long way in helping.
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Re: Can a VP9SK handle 150 grain Federal HST 9mm?

Postby Sigfan220 on Wed Jan 03, 2018 2:54 pm

As pointed out above ammunition is made to strict specifications. I'm not into the ammo business but I believe they follow SAAMI specs. If your gun is in good condition it can safely shoot all standard 9mm ammo. Re-manufactured ammo is a whole different story. If you want to blow up your gun buy reman ammo, or reloads at a gun show. I tried the whole reman ammo thing when things were bad. It wasn't worth using back then and it isn't worth using now. Stick with factory new ammo.
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Re: Can a VP9SK handle 150 grain Federal HST 9mm?

Postby Randygmn on Wed Jan 03, 2018 3:54 pm

Sigfan220 wrote:As pointed out above ammunition is made to strict specifications. I'm not into the ammo business but I believe they follow SAAMI specs. If your gun is in good condition it can safely shoot all standard 9mm ammo. Re-manufactured ammo is a whole different story. If you want to blow up your gun buy reman ammo, or reloads at a gun show. I tried the whole reman ammo thing when things were bad. It wasn't worth using back then and it isn't worth using now. Stick with factory new ammo.


He’s asking about federal’s top of the line HSTs, although in a strange grain weight.
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Re: Can a VP9SK handle 150 grain Federal HST 9mm?

Postby BigDog58 on Wed Jan 03, 2018 4:45 pm

According to Federal's information, they should be able to be shot in any 9mm, including "Micro" guns. I'm guessing they are referring to the Glock-43 and similar. They also claim less felt recoil and superior penetration. They even use a "reliable primer", whatever the hell that is :shock:
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Re: Can a VP9SK handle 150 grain Federal HST 9mm?

Postby Seismic Sam on Thu Jan 04, 2018 10:24 am

Well, I might as well wander around in here in my old red long johns that I sleep in, and since I feel a draft back there, I think the back flap is open!! This one's for you, Scratch!!

While I'm sure Federal wouldn't try and cut corners on their designs, the 9mm, which originated in 1902, was designed for bullets around 125 grains more or less. Going to a 150 grain bullet means you're increasing the weight/mass, and so the recoil of the gun backwards will be proportional to the amount of lead coming out the front. So: Combining the heaviest 9mm bullet ever offered in a factory loading with a mini, or worse yet, micro design pistol sounds like pain to me. And that is really self defeating, because the last thing you want to set yourself up for not liking how your EDC gun feels when you shoot it with your carry ammo. That is one gremlin you don't want stuck inside your head if TSHTF.
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Re: Can a VP9SK handle 150 grain Federal HST 9mm?

Postby BigBlue on Thu Jan 04, 2018 10:52 am

So where is the original poster at? Would be nice to provide some additional information as asked above. Really hate drive-by posts...
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Re: Can a VP9SK handle 150 grain Federal HST 9mm?

Postby Holland&Holland on Thu Jan 04, 2018 11:51 am

Seismic Sam wrote:Well, I might as well wander around in here in my old red long johns that I sleep in, and since I feel a draft back there, I think the back flap is open!! This one's for you, Scratch!!

While I'm sure Federal wouldn't try and cut corners on their designs, the 9mm, which originated in 1902, was designed for bullets around 125 grains more or less. Going to a 150 grain bullet means you're increasing the weight/mass, and so the recoil of the gun backwards will be proportional to the amount of lead coming out the front. So: Combining the heaviest 9mm bullet ever offered in a factory loading with a mini, or worse yet, micro design pistol sounds like pain to me. And that is really self defeating, because the last thing you want to set yourself up for not liking how your EDC gun feels when you shoot it with your carry ammo. That is one gremlin you don't want stuck inside your head if TSHTF.


This loading is specifically marketed by Federal for "micro" 9mm pistols.
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Can a VP9SK handle 150 grain Federal HST 9mm?

Postby gun_fan111v2 on Thu Jan 04, 2018 1:53 pm

Sam has finally given us something to discuss.

Isn't the recoil a factor of two things - mass and speed?

Looks like 150gr is 250 ft/s slower than their 124gr offering (900 vs 1150, at the muzzle, with who knows what kind of barrels...).
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Re: Can a VP9SK handle 150 grain Federal HST 9mm?

Postby crbutler on Thu Jan 04, 2018 3:29 pm

Recoil energy is a factor of those two items.

Felt recoil is a bit more nebulous.

Fit of the gun is a big item. That is very individual. Some design characteristics also play a role. For example, the lower the axis of the bore compared to where you hold the piece makes a big difference as well.

Try shooting a Ruger #1 in some bigger caliber chambering and compare it to a well designed and stocked rifle. I have a #1 in .416 Rigby, and a Dakota 76. They weigh about the same, the Dakota might actually be a few ounces lighter. The Ruger is unpleasant to shoot. The most I could do was 5 rounds in a day. The Dakota I can shoot quite a bit more, I have put 30 rounds in a day through that.

Handguns, the 1911 is probably the lowest bore axis to grip, and when you put a double stack frame on it, it seems that it recoils even less. SIG and the XD series seem to recoil more than a Beretta 92, which is more than a glock, which is still more than a 1911; at least to me. A Coonan recoils notably less offensively than a big revolver.

Then gun weight plays in. Heavier slows the recoil impulse down and makes it feel less. A 36 pound Barrett recoils less than most 3.5” magnum loads out of a shotgun despite having substantially higher recoil energy.

To the OP’s comment/question, the 150 grain 9mm round is safe in his gun. Whether the recoil impulse combined with how he holds the piece is reliable functioning is something he needs to see for himself.

Whether he can tolerate the recoil and maintain needed accuracy is a third question.

The so called bunny fart gamer loads do make power factor in the gun games and basically do the same thing as this round... match recoil energy to a slower impulse to make them feel softer, by taking a bigger bullet and shooting it slower. Same recoil momentum, dramatically less perceived recoil.
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Re: Can a VP9SK handle 150 grain Federal HST 9mm?

Postby UnaStamus on Fri Jan 05, 2018 1:19 am

I’m gonna blow everybody’s mind here...
The 150gr HST is actually the same as the 147gr HST. When I say “the same”, I mean that it’s the same bullet and it’s actually 147gr. Federal only sells 150gr commercially (and not to LE), because it’s a marketing ploy. It gets people interested in a “new” round that isn’t new. This comes straight from a top level person with Federal.

The 147gr HST has been designed to work in all pistols that meet SAAMI specs, and it has a pretty well-established track record of feeding reliability. HK makes their guns to a very high threshold of quality control, and you should have zero issues running this ammunition. It’s always a good idea to test fire any ammo out of your carry gun regardless, but modern technology has made the top level loads like the HST, Gold Dot G2, Critical Defense/Duty, reliable in all major pistols. If you were running it in a junk pistol, I would recommend extensive testing, but you’re running an HK so you really won’t need to. Even though HK hates you as a person and thinks you suck, they do make very reliable guns.
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Re: Can a VP9SK handle 150 grain Federal HST 9mm?

Postby Squib Joe on Fri Jan 05, 2018 6:25 am

They will work great as long as you don't load them by the H&K method

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Re: Can a VP9SK handle 150 grain Federal HST 9mm?

Postby Holland&Holland on Fri Jan 05, 2018 8:18 am

Squib Joe wrote:They will work great as long as you don't load them by the H&K method

Image


That would explain why it does not "fit the same" for the OP.
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Re: Can a VP9SK handle 150 grain Federal HST 9mm?

Postby Randygmn on Fri Jan 05, 2018 8:59 am

Seismic Sam wrote:Well, I might as well wander around in here in my old red long johns that I sleep in, and since I feel a draft back there, I think the back flap is open!! This one's for you, Scratch!!

While I'm sure Federal wouldn't try and cut corners on their designs, the 9mm, which originated in 1902, was designed for bullets around 125 grains more or less. Going to a 150 grain bullet means you're increasing the weight/mass, and so the recoil of the gun backwards will be proportional to the amount of lead coming out the front. So: Combining the heaviest 9mm bullet ever offered in a factory loading with a mini, or worse yet, micro design pistol sounds like pain to me. And that is really self defeating, because the last thing you want to set yourself up for not liking how your EDC gun feels when you shoot it with your carry ammo. That is one gremlin you don't want stuck inside your head if TSHTF.


Actually, it’s not the heaviest factory load. With the recent surge in the suppressor market, quite a few manufacturers are producing dedicated subsonic 9mm loads in heavier grain weights. Freedom munitions for example has their newly manufactured (not remanufactured) line called HUSH, and produce a 165gr subsonic 9mm round. Fwiw.
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Re: Can a VP9SK handle 150 grain Federal HST 9mm?

Postby JJ on Fri Jan 05, 2018 12:44 pm

UnaStamus wrote:I’m gonna blow everybody’s mind here...
The 150gr HST is actually the same as the 147gr HST. When I say “the same”, I mean that it’s the same bullet and it’s actually 147gr. Federal only sells 150gr commercially (and not to LE), because it’s a marketing ploy. It gets people interested in a “new” round that isn’t new. This comes straight from a top level person with Federal.


Derp.

Image

https://youtu.be/zYTd1lNx_TQ

Based on the 147? Sure, but not the same bullet. Skiving changes, cannelure location changes, etc.
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