I was recently sent an assortment of Federal Ammunition’s offering for evaluation, including several boxes of 135-grain Federal Premium Personal Defense Hydra-Shok Deep 9mm. I ran a box through the Springfield Armory Hellcat RDP Micro-Compact 9mm and was impressed with its mild manners, accuracy and unique, updated bullet design.
The Hydra-Shok brand has been a part of Federal Premium Ammunition’s lineup since 1989. However, its roots trace back to the early 1980s with the introduction of the original Hydra-Shok “Scorpion” load, initially available exclusively in .38 Special. This innovative design featured a lead post in the center of the 146-grain hollow-point, intended to maximize expansion by utilizing the incompressibility of fluids when striking soft tissue. Velocity was listed as 750 feet per second range from a 4-inch barrel. My initial experience with the Scorpion bullets was disappointing, with three of the six fired rounds tumbling in flight and striking the target sideways. While the Scorpion load had limited real-world use, its design laid the foundation for modern Hydra-Shok ammunition.
Over the years, Hydra-Shok evolved from its Scorpion origins into a highly regarded self-defense round, with Federal later acquiring the design. The updated Hydra-Shok rounds became easily recognizable by the iconic post at the center of the expanded bullet, a hallmark of their unique design. Federal has since introduced the Hydra-Shok Deep line, which further enhances the performance of this tried-and-true design. The Hydra-Shok Deep 9mm offers controlled expansion and reliable stopping power.
Shooting the Hydra-Shok Ammo
The Hydra-Shok Deep performed flawlessly during the target and functioning test of the Hellcat RDP. The ballistic specifications are unique to the Hydra-Shok Deep. The bullet weighs 135 grains, which isn’t common for 9mm ammo, and the muzzle velocity was slowed to a still-respectable 1,060 feet per second, reducing explosive expansion while allowing for deeper penetration.
Muzzle energy remains 337 foot-pounds of energy, outclassing the once-gold-standard 278 foot-pounds of energy of the older Federal 158-grain Lead SWC +P hollow-point. Federal is clearly trying to balance optimal penetration — now considered to be 15 inches in bare gelatin — with maximum expansion, which increases kinetic energy dispersion beyond the bullet’s path and causes maximum damage to surrounding tissues.
Most unique to Hydra-Shok Deep is its six-point “flower petal” hollow-point design not currently seen among other current hollow-point pistol projectiles on the market. The new center post, which is less prominent than in previous generations of the Hydra-Shok design, encourages the casual observer to view it as the stamen in the center of the petals. I have never compared any bullet or projectile to a flower, but in this case, the Hydra-Shok Deep is one wicked flower.
With my standard 25-pound 8×10 clay block, I headed to the range to compare how the Hydra-Shok Deep performed in a consistent test medium. I fired from a distance of 15 feet in a seated position, choosing to align the front and rear sights rather than use the red dot as the primary sight. Gentle, gradual trigger pressure resulted in a nearly dead-center hit, causing the left side of the block to expand slightly.
Is Federal Premium Hydra-Shok 9mm Right for Your Self-Defense Needs?
Checking the block afterward, I noticed the Hydra-Shok Deep round exited the rear of the 10-inch block and was not recovered, unlike the very high-velocity loads I’ve tested recently, which exploded in the block. When I sectioned the block, I found the entrance hole measured 3 inches in diameter, while the maximum width of the cavity measured 5 inches as the bullet traveled. The exit hole measured 1.5 inches. I would say the bullet performed exactly as the designers intended, establishing a new standard of performance for a time-tested ballistic concept.
In addition to the 9mm load, Hydra-Shok Deep is also available in 130-grain .38 Special +P, 99-grain .380, 210-grain .45 ACP, 68-grain .32 ACP and 165-grain .40 S&W. Low-recoil traditional Hydra-Shok loads are also available. If a blended level of expansion and penetration is what you are looking for in defensive ammunition, check out the Federal Ammunition lineup.
Federal Premium Ammunition: FederalPremium.com
