Hydra Shoks - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

craig_o · 08-10-2007, 03:35 PM

I've heard that these are great, that they aren't great/they frag, that they did frag but now they don't, that they punch through denim, that they don't punch through denim...

Anybody have anything to say about Federal Hydras?

TOJAZ · 08-10-2007, 03:45 PM

Opinions seem to very around here. I like them and have carried them for several years now. They seem to expand more reliably then others. I did some experimenting on my own shooting water jugs covered with denim and they never failed to expand and never fragged. While some of the others did. I"m not a LEO or anything, just got bored shooting paper one day. So I wouldn't take that to seriously.
TOJAZ

Myk9noseknows · 08-11-2007, 10:20 PM

I used to carry them in 9mm, but I believe there are a lot of better choices out there now.
I did a research paper on them when I was going through Forensics during my Bachelor Degree and we found that they are an effective JHP, but they are no more effective than most others. (mind you this was many years back when the Hydra "post" was thought to be mystical and magical....it aint). We removed the post from the Hydra and fired 4 calibers with and without the post through ballistic gelatin w & w/o clothing. Zero difference in ballistic expansion, penetration, mushroom diameter, etc...

Carries an XD9mm · 08-18-2007, 01:38 PM

Why would you want the bullet to frag(ment)?

slugger6 · 08-18-2007, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carries an XD9mm

Why would you want the bullet to frag(ment)?

To inflict maximum damage to the threat and not over penetrate, i.e. pass through and hit a nonthreat target.

pgreen · 08-18-2007, 01:48 PM

I carried them for a while in a few different calibers. They fired fine at the range and during informal testing tore the hell out of whatever I was shooting (i.e., water jugs, phone books, etc.). Fragmentation, expansion, or denim issues aside, I would hate to be on the recieving end of a Hydra-Shock.

slugger6 · 08-18-2007, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pgreen

I would hate to be on the recieving end of a Hydra-Shock.

Amen to that, brother!

hotpig · 08-18-2007, 01:56 PM

Hydra-Shok are known for plugging up and acting as ball ammo. I have never heard of them fragmenting.

HTOWN stunna · 08-18-2007, 02:04 PM

when i tested it on ammo jugs the core and jacket would seperate.

hotpig · 08-18-2007, 02:23 PM

Maybe that is what the mean by fragmenting. Some people consider that as a failure of the bullet. I think that it is only a failure if it did not stop an aggressor, assuming that it was a good hit.

08-10-2007, 03:35 PM	#1
craig_o XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 169	Hydra Shoks I've heard that these are great, that they aren't great/they frag, that they did frag but now they don't, that they punch through denim, that they don't punch through denim... Anybody have anything to say about Federal Hydras? __________________ Texas has the largest fleet of armed pickup trucks of any major power, and any invading guerrilla army would be shot and run over repeatedly before it got half a mile, especially if it invaded on a Saturday night.

08-11-2007, 10:20 PM	#3
Myk9noseknows XDTalk 2K Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 2,098	I used to carry them in 9mm, but I believe there are a lot of better choices out there now. I did a research paper on them when I was going through Forensics during my Bachelor Degree and we found that they are an effective JHP, but they are no more effective than most others. (mind you this was many years back when the Hydra "post" was thought to be mystical and magical....it aint). We removed the post from the Hydra and fired 4 calibers with and without the post through ballistic gelatin w & w/o clothing. Zero difference in ballistic expansion, penetration, mushroom diameter, etc... __________________ "When people need help, they call the Police. When Police need help, they call K-9"

08-18-2007, 01:48 PM	#6
pgreen XDTalk Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 67	I carried them for a while in a few different calibers. They fired fine at the range and during informal testing tore the hell out of whatever I was shooting (i.e., water jugs, phone books, etc.). Fragmentation, expansion, or denim issues aside, I would hate to be on the recieving end of a Hydra-Shock. __________________ ---------------------

08-18-2007, 02:04 PM	#9
HTOWN stunna XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alpine Texas Posts: 1,596	when i tested it on ammo jugs the core and jacket would seperate. __________________ The world is populated in the main by people who should not exist. - George Bernard Shaw

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08-10-2007, 03:45 PM	#2
TOJAZ XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 136	Opinions seem to very around here. I like them and have carried them for several years now. They seem to expand more reliably then others. I did some experimenting on my own shooting water jugs covered with denim and they never failed to expand and never fragged. While some of the others did. I"m not a LEO or anything, just got bored shooting paper one day. So I wouldn't take that to seriously. TOJAZ

08-18-2007, 01:38 PM	#4
Carries an XD9mm XDTalk Newbie Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: MN Posts: 10	Why would you want the bullet to frag(ment)?

08-18-2007, 01:56 PM	#8
hotpig XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: SW Illinois Posts: 287	Hydra-Shok are known for plugging up and acting as ball ammo. I have never heard of them fragmenting.

08-18-2007, 02:23 PM	#10
hotpig XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: SW Illinois Posts: 287	Maybe that is what the mean by fragmenting. Some people consider that as a failure of the bullet. I think that it is only a failure if it did not stop an aggressor, assuming that it was a good hit.