There weren’t any lions, tigers, or bears where I grew up in Ohio. Well, there was one bear; a local farmer shot a bear that had wandered up on him. The ODNR claimed the bear was traveling and happened across the farmer. My sidearm of choice is the Glock Model 20 chambered in 10mm. However, I was a bit disappointed in bullet selection for it. Sure, there are hollow-point and ball ammo, but I was looking for an edge. I believe I have found it in the new Federal Solid Core ammo.
Why Carry Federal Solid Core in the Field?
While in North Carolina on maneuvers, a group of us treed a couple of black bear cubs. While everyone was checking out the cute little cubs, I was checking my six for the momma bear and wishing I was carrying something other than an M16 with several magazines of blanks.
In Missouri, where I now reside, there is a huntable bear population. Likewise, there are more than 120 confirmed Mountain Lion sightings over the past 30 years. That’s enough to warrant a sidearm to protect myself while in the woods, whether small game hunting or bowhunting deer.
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Bullet selection for tough game has always been a concern for me. I need a bullet that will penetrate rather than mushroom, like a hollow point. So, I began looking at hard cast offerings.
I have shot thousands of hard cast bullets with good results. One standout was a whitetail I harvested with a .44 Rem Mag, shooting a Keith 250-grain hard cast bullet backed with 21 grains of 2400. The load proved lethal and beyond. It knocked the deer off its feet, and the deer succumbed to the effects of the round within seconds.
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The effect of the hard cast bullet on living tissue never left me. Mainly because the entire front half of the deer, where the bullet struck, looked as though it had run in front of a truck. The shock of that hard cast bullet was perhaps a bit much for a whitetail. However, for game a bit tougher to take down, hard cast is just the ticket.
Running Federal Solid Core Ammo
The Federal Solid Core is a flat-nosed bullet made of high-antimony lead. However, unlike bullets that require wax rings or gas checks, the Solid Core is encased in a polymer jacket. This jacket, called SYNTECH, reduces friction and eliminates leading, a problem associated with shooting conventional hard-cast bullets.
I tested a magazine full of the Solid Core in my Model 20 and in a Springfield XD-M Elite with no malfunctions or hiccups.
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Next, I ran the loads over a Garmin Xero C1 Pro chronograph. The Glock with the 4.61-inch factory barrel averaged 1104 fps and 538 ft-lbs of energy. Similarly, the Springfield, with its 4.5-inch barrel, produced 1118 fps with 555 ft-lbs. Since I had a 6-inch KKM match barrel in the carrying case of the Glock, I switched barrels to see how velocities may vary.
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The KKM barrel spit out the 200 grain Solid Cores at 1197 fps for a 3-shot average of 638 ft lbs. of energy. While this is less than the .44 magnum I use, I’m not carrying the Glock as a hunting sidearm. It’s more of an insurance policy, and like any insurance policy, I hope I never have to use it.
While testing the Solid Core, I conducted some penetration tests. A conventional hollow point exited the test medium at 1.5 to 2 times its original diameter. In contrast, the Solid Core maintained its original diameter, ensuring deep penetration to reach the vitals of any critter planning to have you for lunch.
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A recovered Solid Core from the test medium looks as though it could be reloaded and shot again, except for the rifling on the projectile.
Federal Solid Core is available in 9mm Luger, 357 Magnum, 40 S&W, .45 Auto, .44 Rem Mag, and 10mm Auto.
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