New Federal ammo - split shot 00 buck ammo, hard cast polymer coated bullet ammo, new HP ammo

[The Heretic]

Federal FORCE X2 Shotgun Ammo - 00 Buckshot That Splits In Half -

Federal Premium Force X2 ammunition is loaded with nine copper-plated double ought buckshot pellets that are cut halfway and hinge open and split in half upon impact!

www.thefirearmblog.com

Federal SOLID CORE Handgun Ammo with Polymer-Coated Hard Cast Lead Bullets -

To defend yourself against large predators like bears that are really tough animals with a strong bone structure and that's why you need some powerful hard bullets to punch through that skull or ribcage and reach the vitals. And that is exactly the use the new Federal Solid Core handgun...

www.thefirearmblog.com

NEW Federal Premium PUNCH Defensive Handgun Ammunition Line -

Vista Outdoor has announced a huge amount of new products for 2020. In this article, we'll tell about the new Federal Premium defensive handgun ammunition line called Punch.

www.thefirearmblog.com

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[Andy54Hawken]

I wonder if any of that sold core ammo will be made in rifle calibers...?
Also I am going to have to try some of that "punch" ammo...like the price.
Thanks for posting.
Andy

 

[The Heretic]

I will probably get some solid core ammo - just in case. I already have some Barnes ammo from when I worked in Alaska - the jacket is double thick and it is JSP not JHP with harder lead core IIRC (late 80s when I bought it), but it is only for rifle and .44 mag - I could now use some for other pistol cartridges.

The split shot sounds interesting, but I would want it in 3" magnum as it is a much heavier load. I might like the split core as there is theoretically less chance of over penetration. My neighbors are about 100 yards away, but still, there is that chance.

I can get Federal HST for about the same cost as their "punch" ammo, but as the latter becomes more common it will come down in price and it might be good to stock up on.

 

[RMc]

Re: Force X2 00B
Since this is apparently copper coated lead split shot with a belt, the equipment used to swage/form this shot must be quite interesting.

Most commercial buckshot is swaged from soft low (<1%) antimony lead lead alloy. The result is often deformed pellets in acceleration and at impact. Buckshot loaded for LE contract usually loaded with higher antimony content.*

See an example of shot deformation starting at frame 4:30 in this gel test of #4B:

I will reserve further comment on Federal Premium Force X2 00B until I see more information on load construction & patterning.
----------------------------------------------------
* As much as "...hardened 3% antimony lead pellets."

https://www.remingtondefense.com/assets/pdfs/shotshell/RemingtonDefense-Tactical-Buckshot.pdf

 

[TTSX]

Punch just looks like a less effective HST. Externally they look the same but the expansion looks squishier. Like they had a warehouse full of HST miscasts they needed to offload so.... New ammo? Nevertheless, I'll probably buy them because they're gonna be the hot new thing available everywhere and I carry what I can find.

I'll also definitely be buying the sold core as I accidentally shot all my animal ammo last time the Glock 20 came out to play. That was an oopsie.

 

[The Heretic]

The bullet isn't cast, it is swaged and skived, so I doubt these are blemishes or seconds.

It is marketing. I really doubt these are much (if any) less expensive to make, but there are always niches in the market that can be filled.

I buy HST discounted (unopened LE tradein) and HST is designed for better barrier penetration. It would be interesting to test the 'Punch' compared to the HST.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Ive been loading heavy for caliber hard semi-wadcutters in 9mm for about 40 years, +p, +p+, whatever for pretty much the cost of a primer.