380 ACP Federal Hydra-Shok Deep is designed to offer an optimal mix of penetration and expansion from the compact guns that fire this cartridge. The company also states that in FBI-standard Heavy Clothing, the same bullet penetrates to 13.5 inches, while expanding to 0.514 inches (about 1.45 times the original diameter). 380 ACP Hydra-Shok Deep bullet, weighing 99 grains, penetrates to 13 inches and expands to 0.496 inches (about 1.4 times the original diameter). 380 Auto’s available energy, and delivered good expansion while still exceeding the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s desired minimum penetration depth of 12 inches, in both bare ballistic gelatin, and ballistic gelatin covered in FBI-standard Heavy Clothing.įederal advises that in bare gelatin, the new. The result of this effort was a bullet that maximized the use of the. 380 ACP was to be their first application of the “Deep” concept to a non-service caliber cartridge. The Hydra-Shok Deep will not replace the classic Hydra-Shok, which continues to be offered by Federal, but instead is offered as an alternative for shooters who desire deeper penetration from the bullet.įederal had previously updated the Hydra-Shok bullet used in service calibers like 9mm. The result was a brand-new product line called Hydra-Shok Deep. 380 ACP Personal Defense Hydra-Shok bullet to incorporate the latest advancements in design, materials, technology, and production. 380 ACP had always suffered from an energy deficit that prevented the cartridge from obtaining both reliable expansion and sufficient penetration with the technology in use, so Federal’s team of engineers applied the lessons learned from several decades’ worth of experience, and redesigned the classic.

(Image courtesy of Federal Cartridge Corporation) The Hydra-Shok Deep bullet is a complete redesign of the old Hydra-Shok that has been so popular with police.

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