P-3AT Recommendations After JHP Testing

Until goldenloki or somebody does some serious gelatin tests with the P3AT, here's what I think...

A. For those that will not do the feed ramp modification.
First choice should be the Federal HydraShok 90gr "personal defense" round. Why?? This round has the shortest OAL of any tested at 0.940". It will be less affected by smileys.
Next best is the Speer GoldDot 90gr because it has more of a pointed nose that will be less affected, and it did OK in the tests.

B. For those that do the feed ramp modification.
I like the Winchester Silvertips 85gr. They seem to be more reliable for expansion.
Maybe the Speer GoldDots are better for penetration.
It's a toss-up. The Fed HydraShok OK too.

C. Not recommended.
First, I can't recommend the CorBon 90gr JHP at this time. Even though it claims to be +p and high velocity, the bullet design lacks reliable expansion. The bullet is patterned after a GoldDot but unstead of a smooth curvature, it has a straight bottom and truncated cone shaped top. Which would you rather have, a round designed to look good in gelatin, or a round that will expand in a more realistic media? Well, we can't do expansion tests on people, have to leave that to the LEO's.
Be careful, CorBon's hype might be a case of the "Emperor's New Clothes".

I can't really get excited about the Remington Golden Sabre 102gr either. The bullet is a "fat", wide type that will surely get messed up by smileys. Even though it had great expansion and fair penetration, this round had the highest recoil of the bunch, higher than CorBon. It was also the only round that gave me a 'head bonker' when I fired it. Maybe this is due to a change in inertia or momentum getting that heavier bullet out the barrel.

And, finally, speaking of smileys. After the JHP tests, I fired some more FMJ's to see what a dirty pistol would do. The rounds are being pushed forward in the magazine more by the sooty ramp in the slide top. And, this does still produce a very small smiley, shown in the picure below.

So my final recommendation is fire your JHP's from a clean pistol, even if you've done the feed ramp mod.

My P3AT is now cleaned and lubed and will stay in it's place as my pocket carry pistol. I'm going to load a mixture of Silvertips, GoldDots, and HydraShoks in it. Might even include a GoldenSabre. But, sorry Flyer, no CorBon's for me.

og.......done testing the P3AT, mine works!!

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