Federal HST Review (2026): 60 Shots in Five Calibers, Every HST Shot Charted

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This Federal HST review is about width. Through four layers of heavy clothing, HST opened wider than Speer Gold Dot in five of six same-gun pairings, and the .45 ACP and .38 Special Micro loads put all 20 of their shots in the FBI window. I shot 12 HST strings in five calibers, 60 shots in all, and charted every one.

One load failed us outright: the .380 HST Micro went past 20 inches on every shot and never opened. Three current loads ran deep, too. The 9mm 124 gr, the 9mm 124 gr +P and the .40 180 gr all averaged past 18 inches from our compact pistols.

Below you get Federal’s specs for every current load, Federal’s own FBI tables, HST against Gold Dot on the same test and live prices.

Last updated October 15, 2026

Table of Contents

Federal HST at a Glance

Federal HST is a jacketed hollow point self-defense and duty line. In our heavy clothing gel test four of 12 HST strings kept all five shots between 12 and 18 inches, and 41 of 60 shots landed in the window overall.

Part	Load	Federal velocity	Energy	Our gel result	Rounds per box
P9HST1S	9mm Luger 124 gr	1,150 fps, 4 in	364 ft-lb	18.28 in, 0.61 in wide, 2 of 5 in window, S&W M&P9c 3.5 in	20
P9HST3S	9mm Luger +P 124 gr	1,200 fps, 4 in	396 ft-lb	18.28 in, 0.66 in wide, 3 of 5 in window, S&W M&P9c 3.5 in	20
P9HST2S	9mm Luger 147 gr	1,000 fps, 4 in	326 ft-lb	15.24 in, 0.61 in wide, 4 of 5 in window, S&W M&P9c 3.5 in	20
P380HST1S	380 Auto 99 gr	935 fps, 3.75 in	192 ft-lb	22.48 in, 0.35 in wide, 0 of 5 in window, Glock 42 3.25 in	20
P40HST1S	40 S&W 180 gr	1,010 fps, 4 in	408 ft-lb	18.50 in, 0.72 in wide, 2 of 5 in window, Glock 27 3.42 in	20
P45HST2S	45 Auto 230 gr	890 fps, 5 in	404 ft-lb	14.02 in, 0.85 in wide, 5 of 5 in window, Kahr CW45 3.64 in	20
P45HST1S	45 Auto +P 230 gr	950 fps, 5 in	461 ft-lb	14.94 in, 0.79 in wide, 5 of 5 in window, Kahr CW45 3.64 in	20
P357HST1S	357 Magnum 154 gr	1,340 fps, 4 in	614 ft-lb	not tested	20
P357SHST1S	357 Sig 125 gr	1,360 fps, 4 in	513 ft-lb	not tested	20
P10HST1S	10mm Auto 200 gr	1,130 fps, 5 in	567 ft-lb	not tested	20
P30HST1S	30 Super Carry 100 gr	1,250 fps, 4 in	347 ft-lb	not tested	20
P327HST1S	327 Federal Magnum 104 gr	1,500 fps, 4 in vented	520 ft-lb	not tested	20
P44HST1S	44 Rem Magnum 230 gr	1,085 fps, 4 in vented	601 ft-lb	not tested	20

Federal’s numbers come from each Federal product page, with the test barrel it lists. Our gel column is penetration depth, average expansion and how many of five shots landed between 12 and 18 inches. The live card in each caliber section carries today’s price.

We also shot four HST loads Federal no longer lists on its own site: the 9mm 147 gr +P, the 9mm Micro 150 gr, the .40 155 gr and the .38 Special Micro 130 gr. Their results are in the caliber sections, marked as no longer listed.

Our Rating: 8.0/10

How Federal HST Works

Federal HST is a jacketed hollow point built so the cavity doesn’t plug through clothing and the jacket and core stay together. Federal promises nearly 100 percent weight retention, and its own FBI tables mostly back that up.

Federal’s product pages say the “specially designed hollow point won’t plug while passing through a variety of barriers” and that the “bullet jacket and core hold together to provide nearly 100 percent weight retention”. Federal doesn’t call HST a bonded bullet on those pages, so neither do we. Every Personal Defense HST load ships in a nickel-plated case, which Federal lists as a feature for function and reliability.

The 2026 Federal catalog makes the same promise: HST is “engineered to expand extremely reliably and retain nearly all of its weight through almost every barrier”. Weight retention is a claim we could only check in Federal’s own data, because we didn’t weigh our recovered bullets. Federal’s tables are further down this page.

Personal Defense HST vs Tactical HST vs LE: Same Load?

Yes, as far as Federal’s own pages show. The law enforcement load is called Tactical HST and carries the same part number without the S: P9HST1 against the Personal Defense P9HST1S. Federal lists both at 124 gr and 1,150 fps from a 4 in test barrel, with the same 364 ft-lb, and both use the HST bullet.

That holds for all seven Tactical HST loads with a Personal Defense twin: 9mm 124, 147 and 124 +P, .357 Sig, .40 S&W 180 and .45 Auto 230 and 230 +P. The one extra is the .40 S&W 165 gr, P40HST3, which Federal sells only to law enforcement. Retailers list the Tactical boxes in 50 rounds; Personal Defense boxes hold 20.

Federal also packs HST with practice ammo. Its Practice & Defend packs pair 50 HST rounds with 50 Syntech training rounds that Federal says shoot to the same velocity and point of impact. And Micro is a separate HST label on Federal’s site; today only the .380 carries it.

How We Tested for This Federal HST Review

We shot five rounds of each Federal HST load through four layers of heavy fabric into clear ballistic gelatin at 10 feet, recorded every penetration depth, and averaged expansion. Semi-autos came from compact pistols, the .38 Special from a 2 inch and a 4.2 inch revolver.

The fabric stack is the FBI heavy clothing barrier: denim, fleece and two layers of cotton. Each load got fresh 16 inch Clear Ballistics blocks end to end, so we could read anything that stopped inside 32 inches. The FBI wants 12 to 18 inches, and that green band is on every chart below.

These are our guns: a S&W M&P9c 3.5 in for 9mm, a Glock 42 3.25 in for .380, a Glock 27 3.42 in for .40 S&W, a Kahr CW45 3.64 in for .45 ACP, and a Kimber K6s 2 in plus a Ruger GP100 4.2 in for .38 Special. All carry-length barrels, which is the point of a carry load.

What we didn’t do: we didn’t gel test the .357 Magnum, .357 Sig, 10mm, 30 Super Carry, .327 or .44 HST loads, so those sections give Federal’s figures only. We also didn’t weigh recovered bullets, so this page makes no weight retention claim from our test.

Federal HST 9mm: 124, 124 +P, 147 and the Micro 150

Federal HST 9mm opens wide, and the 124 gr runs deep. From our 3.5 inch pistol the 124 gr averaged 18.28 inches and 0.61 inches wide, with only two of five shots under 18, while the 147 gr put four of five in the window at 15.24 inches.

Load	Gun	fps	Depth	Width	In 12 to 18 in	Every shot, in
HST 124 gr	S&W M&P9c 3.5 in	1,135	18.28 in	0.61 in	2 of 5	17.3, 17.8, 18.4, 18.8, 19.1
HST 124 gr +P	S&W M&P9c 3.5 in	1,168	18.28 in	0.66 in	3 of 5	16.2, 17.6, 17.9, 19.6, 20.1
HST 147 gr	S&W M&P9c 3.5 in	973	15.24 in	0.61 in	4 of 5	14.0, 14.1, 14.7, 14.9, 18.5
HST 147 gr +P	S&W M&P9c 3.5 in	1,008	19.16 in	0.60 in	3 of 5	17.2, 17.5, 18.0, 21.5, 21.6
HST Micro 150 gr	S&W M&P9c 3.5 in	888	17.26 in	0.71 in	3 of 5	15.5, 15.9, 16.0, 18.3, 20.6
Hornady Critical Defense 115 gr	S&W M&P9c 3.5 in	1,143	13.06 in	0.50 in	4 of 5	11.6, 12.9, 13.3, 13.7, 13.8
Winchester Ranger T 147 gr	S&W M&P9c 3.5 in	941	16.46 in	0.74 in	3 of 5	14.4, 14.9, 15.2, 18.3, 19.5
Sig V-Crown 124 gr	S&W M&P9c 3.5 in	1,072	17.34 in	0.52 in	3 of 5	15.1, 16.9, 17.8, 18.3, 18.6
Speer Gold Dot 124 gr	S&W M&P9c 3.5 in	1,067	18.14 in	0.54 in	2 of 5	15.1, 17.7, 18.6, 18.9, 20.4
Hornady Critical Duty 135 gr	S&W M&P9c 3.5 in	1,053	19.04 in	0.43 in	2 of 5	16.6, 17.6, 19.7, 20.5, 20.8
Winchester PDX1 124 gr +P	S&W M&P9c 3.5 in	1,142	19.60 in	0.52 in	1 of 5	17.4, 19.0, 19.6, 20.7, 21.3

That is five Federal HST 9mm loads and 25 shots, 15 of them in the window. No HST 9mm load kept all five in. The 147 gr came closest, with one shot at 18.5 inches. The 147 gr +P and the Micro 150 gr are no longer on Federal’s site.

Against the six rivals in our 9mm test, HST 124 gr opened to 0.61 inches, wider than Gold Dot 124 gr at 0.54, V-Crown 124 gr at 0.52 and Critical Defense 115 gr at 0.50. Winchester Ranger T 147 gr was the widest 9mm load we shot at 0.74 inches.

124 gr or 147 gr HST?

Pick the 147 gr if your 9mm is a compact. It went 15.24 inches from our 3.5 inch gun with four of five in the window, and it opened to 0.61 inches, the same width as the 124 gr. The 124 gr went 3.04 inches deeper on average, which is more than a short-barrel carry load needs.

Is 147 gr HST subsonic? Yes. Federal rates it at 1,000 fps from a 4 inch barrel and we read 973 fps from 3.5 inches, both under the speed of sound. That makes it the pick for a suppressed or indoor gun too.

Federal HST 9mm +P

The 124 gr +P is rated at 1,200 fps from 4 inches and read 1,168 fps from our gun. It averaged 18.28 inches, the same as the standard 124 gr, but opened wider at 0.66 inches with three of five in the window. +P is a SAAMI pressure level above standard, so check that your gun is rated for it.

The 147 gr +P we shot went 19.16 inches with three of five in the window and two shots past 21 inches. Federal no longer lists it.

Federal HST Micro 9mm 150 gr

The 9mm Micro 150 gr was the widest HST 9mm in our test at 0.71 inches, 17.26 inches deep with three of five in the window. Federal’s page for it now returns not found, and no seller we track has a new box. If you find one, it shot well.

Federal’s Own FBI Protocol Numbers for HST

Federal publishes FBI protocol results for its Tactical HST law enforcement loads. Across six barriers and eight loads, 34 of 48 results landed between 12 and 18 inches, and steel and auto glass were the outliers.

Federal’s heavy clothing number for the 9mm 124 gr is 12 inches at 0.59 inches wide, shot at 1,192 fps. Ours went 18.28 inches from a 3.5 inch gun in clear synthetic gel. Federal’s table doesn’t name its gun or gel, so read each set of numbers within its own table.

Weight retention is where Federal’s data earns the claim, with two exceptions. Most results kept 90 percent or more. The 9mm 124 gr +P kept 56 percent through auto glass, and the .40 180 gr kept 69 percent through steel. Both figures are Federal’s, on its Tactical HST pages.

The .45 Auto 230 gr had the best worst case in Federal’s set: it kept at least 97 percent of its weight through every barrier, the highest minimum of the eight loads, and went 10.5 to 17.5 inches through all six. That matches our own .45 result below.

Federal HST 380: the HST Micro 99 gr

Federal HST 380 Micro went deep and stayed closed. From our 3.25 inch Glock 42, all five shots went between 20.1 and 28.7 inches, past the FBI 18 inch limit, and opened to 0.35 inches, about the bullet’s unfired width.

Load	Gun	fps	Depth	Width	In 12 to 18 in	Every shot, in
HST Micro 99 gr	Glock 42 3.25 in	893	22.48 in	0.35 in	0 of 5	20.1, 20.2, 21.1, 22.3, 28.7
Hornady Critical Defense 90 gr	Glock 42 3.25 in	910	13.24 in	0.52 in	5 of 5	12.3, 12.8, 13.5, 13.6, 14.0
Speer Gold Dot 90 gr	Glock 42 3.25 in	937	11.00 in	0.49 in	0 of 5	10.8, 10.8, 11.0, 11.1, 11.3
Sig V-Crown 90 gr	Glock 42 3.25 in	861	12.84 in	0.51 in	3 of 5	11.6, 11.8, 12.4, 13.7, 14.7
Winchester PDX1 95 gr	Glock 42 3.25 in	870	9.50 in	0.63 in	0 of 5	7.4, 9.6, 9.8, 10.2, 10.5
Winchester Ranger T 95 gr	Glock 42 3.25 in	918	21.90 in	0.37 in	0 of 5	20.0, 20.5, 22.3, 22.8, 23.9

Federal rates the HST Micro 99 gr at 935 fps and 192 ft-lb from a 3.75 in barrel on its product page. Its 2026 catalog lists the same part at 1,030 fps and 233 ft-lb. We read 893 fps from 3.25 inches, 42 fps under the page figure.

In this table only Hornady Critical Defense 90 gr kept all five shots in the window, at 13.24 inches and 0.52 inches wide. Speer Gold Dot and Winchester PDX1 opened but stopped short, and Ranger T went nearly as deep as HST without opening.

If you carry a .380, our best .380 ammo guide and Hornady Critical Defense review go deeper on this caliber. On our numbers, HST is the wrong .380.

Federal HST 45 ACP: 230 gr and 230 gr +P

Federal HST 45 ACP put every shot in the FBI window. Both the 230 gr and the 230 gr +P kept all five shots in the window from our 3.64 inch Kahr and opened past 0.79 inches.

Load	Gun	fps	Depth	Width	In 12 to 18 in	Every shot, in
HST 230 gr	Kahr CW45 3.64 in	822	14.02 in	0.85 in	5 of 5	13.1, 13.3, 13.4, 13.6, 16.7
HST 230 gr +P	Kahr CW45 3.64 in	844	14.94 in	0.79 in	5 of 5	12.6, 14.2, 14.8, 15.3, 17.8
Speer Gold Dot 230 gr	Kahr CW45 3.64 in	752	12.86 in	0.71 in	4 of 5	11.5, 12.4, 12.9, 13.3, 14.2
Hornady Critical Defense 185 gr	Kahr CW45 3.64 in	941	17.62 in	0.59 in	2 of 5	11.2, 12.8, 13.9, 23.6, 26.6
Hornady Critical Duty 220 gr +P	Kahr CW45 3.64 in	934	21.32 in	0.58 in	1 of 5	18.0, 20.4, 22.1, 22.7, 23.4
Sig V-Crown 200 gr	Kahr CW45 3.64 in	871	31.16 in	0.45 in	0 of 5	29.1, 31.2, 31.5, 32.0, 32.0
Winchester Ranger T 230 gr	Kahr CW45 3.64 in	900	14.52 in	1.00 in	5 of 5	13.5, 13.6, 14.2, 14.5, 16.8

A 32.0 in this table means the shot reached the end of our 32 inches of gel. The standard 230 gr went 14.02 inches at 0.85 inches wide, the +P 14.94 inches at 0.79. Winchester Ranger T 230 gr was the only .45 load wider than HST, at 1.00 inches.

The 230 gr is rated at 890 fps from a 5 inch barrel and our gun read 822 fps, 68 fps slow. The +P is rated at 950 fps and read 844 fps, 106 fps slow, so from a short .45 the +P buys you 22 fps over the standard load.

For a carry .45 like a Commander, the standard Federal HST 45 ACP 230 gr is my pick. It went 14.02 inches with all five in the window, and it’s easier to shoot than the +P.

Federal HST 40 S&W: 180 gr and 155 gr

The .40 S&W HST opened wide and ran deep. The 180 gr averaged 18.50 inches with two of five shots in the window and opened to 0.72 inches, while Speer Gold Dot 180 gr kept all five in at 14.50 inches.

Load	Gun	fps	Depth	Width	In 12 to 18 in	Every shot, in
HST 180 gr	Glock 27 3.42 in	964	18.50 in	0.72 in	2 of 5	17.3, 17.7, 18.4, 19.4, 19.7
HST 155 gr	Glock 27 3.42 in	1,084	17.18 in	0.67 in	4 of 5	15.9, 16.5, 16.8, 17.9, 18.8
Speer Gold Dot 180 gr	Glock 27 3.42 in	955	14.50 in	0.65 in	5 of 5	13.4, 13.6, 14.3, 14.4, 16.8
Hornady Critical Defense 165 gr	Glock 27 3.42 in	1,075	16.60 in	0.60 in	5 of 5	14.3, 16.5, 16.5, 17.8, 17.9
Hornady Critical Duty 175 gr	Glock 27 3.42 in	970	19.40 in	0.42 in	1 of 5	16.0, 19.4, 19.9, 20.1, 21.6
Sig V-Crown 165 gr	Glock 27 3.42 in	1,014	20.18 in	0.57 in	1 of 5	17.4, 19.7, 20.4, 21.6, 21.8
Winchester Ranger T 180 gr	Glock 27 3.42 in	949	16.22 in	0.70 in	5 of 5	15.3, 15.5, 16.5, 16.7, 17.1

The 155 gr we shot went 17.18 inches with four of five in the window, but Federal no longer lists it. The .40 165 gr HST exists only as Tactical HST P40HST3 for law enforcement, so it has no Personal Defense box.

Federal HST Micro 38 Special: Snub vs 4 Inch

Federal HST Micro 38 Special was our best HST result. It put all ten shots in the window, five from a 2 inch Kimber K6s and five from a 4.2 inch Ruger GP100, and opened past 0.70 inches from both.

Load	Gun	fps	Depth	Width	In 12 to 18 in	Every shot, in
HST Micro 130 gr	Kimber K6s 2 in	824	13.02 in	0.73 in	5 of 5	12.0, 12.2, 12.6, 13.3, 15.0
HST Micro 130 gr	Ruger GP100 4.2 in	854	14.14 in	0.71 in	5 of 5	13.2, 13.6, 13.7, 14.2, 16.0
Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 135 gr +P	Kimber K6s 2 in	821	13.64 in	0.44 in	4 of 5	11.6, 12.0, 13.1, 15.5, 16.0
Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 135 gr +P	Ruger GP100 4.2 in	890	13.28 in	0.53 in	3 of 5	11.5, 11.6, 13.3, 13.5, 16.5
Hornady Critical Defense 110 gr	Kimber K6s 2 in	858	14.12 in	0.44 in	5 of 5	12.8, 13.3, 14.0, 14.6, 15.9
Hornady Critical Defense 110 gr	Ruger GP100 4.2 in	953	14.32 in	0.46 in	5 of 5	13.2, 13.9, 13.9, 14.7, 15.9

From the snub it went 13.02 inches at 824 fps; from the 4.2 inch gun 14.14 inches at 854 fps. Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel +P opened to 0.44 and 0.53 inches on the same guns. HST Micro was the wider load from both revolvers.

The bad news: Federal’s page for the .38 Micro now returns not found, the 2026 catalog doesn’t list it, and the only box we found at a seller we track was a used police trade-in. For a J-frame or a Ruger LCR, see our .38 Special ammo guide and snub nose revolver picks for what you can buy today.

Federal HST 357 Magnum, 10mm, 30 Super Carry and the Rest

Federal HST covers far more than the big four. Federal lists HST in .357 Magnum, .357 Sig, 10mm Auto, 30 Super Carry, .327 Federal Magnum and .44 Rem Magnum. We didn’t gel test these, so this section gives Federal’s figures only.

The .357 Magnum 154 gr is rated at 1,340 fps and 614 ft-lb from a 4 in barrel, and our .357 Magnum ammo guide has the field. The 10mm Auto 200 gr runs 1,130 fps and 567 ft-lb from 5 in. Our 10mm ammo guide keeps both figures.

The 30 Super Carry 100 gr runs 1,250 fps from 4 in, and our 30 Super Carry explainer explains the cartridge. The .357 Sig 125 gr is rated at 1,360 fps. Federal’s .327 page lists 1,500 fps and 520 ft-lb from 4 in vented; its catalog says 1,525 fps and 537 ft-lb from 4 in. The .44 Rem Magnum 230 gr runs 1,085 fps from 4 in vented.

Barrel Length vs Velocity: HST From Carry Guns

Every current Federal HST load we shot ran under its box muzzle velocity from our carry guns, from 15 to 106 fps slow and 48 fps on average. Federal rates its loads mostly from 4 and 5 inch barrels; ours ran from 3.25 to 3.64 inches.

The biggest loss was the .45 230 gr +P at 106 fps, from a gun 1.36 inches shorter than Federal’s test barrel. The 9mm loads lost the least. Speed is only half of it, though: the 9mm 124 gr lost just 15 fps and still ran past 18 inches.

Muzzle energy follows speed. The .45 Auto 230 gr is rated at 404 ft-lb from 5 inches, but at the 822 fps we read from 3.64 inches it makes about 346 ft-lb.

Federal HST vs Speer Gold Dot

On the same test, Federal HST opened wider than Speer Gold Dot in five of six same-gun pairings. In 9mm 124 gr the two went 18.28 and 18.14 inches deep, so depth was a wash and width went to HST.

Caliber	Federal HST: depth, width	Speer Gold Dot: depth, width
9mm	18.28 in, 0.61 in	18.14 in, 0.54 in
.380	22.48 in, 0.35 in	11.00 in, 0.49 in
.40 S&W	18.50 in, 0.72 in	14.50 in, 0.65 in
.45 ACP	14.02 in, 0.85 in	12.86 in, 0.71 in
.38 Spl, Kimber K6s	13.02 in, 0.73 in	13.64 in, 0.44 in
.38 Spl, Ruger GP100	14.14 in, 0.71 in	13.28 in, 0.53 in

The one pairing Gold Dot won on width was .380, 0.49 inches against 0.35, but Gold Dot stopped short at 11.00 inches and HST never opened, so neither is a good .380. In .45, HST went 1.16 inches deeper than Gold Dot 230 gr and opened 0.14 inches wider.

Gold Dot is the bonded bullet of the two; Federal makes no bonding claim for HST. If barrier performance through steel or glass is your worry, read Federal’s table above and our Speer Gold Dot review, which prints Speer’s FBI numbers.

Federal HST vs Critical Defense, Critical Duty, V-Crown, PDX1 and Ranger T

Against the other big defensive lines on the same test, HST is the wide, deep option. It opened wider than Critical Defense, Critical Duty and V-Crown in 9mm and .45 ACP, wider than PDX1 in 9mm, and went deeper than Critical Defense in 9mm.

Caliber	Load	Depth, in	Width, in	In 12 to 18 in
9mm	Federal HST 124 gr	18.28	0.61	2 of 5
9mm	Federal HST 147 gr	15.24	0.61	4 of 5
9mm	Hornady Critical Defense 115 gr	13.06	0.50	4 of 5
9mm	Hornady Critical Duty 135 gr	19.04	0.43	2 of 5
9mm	Sig V-Crown 124 gr	17.34	0.52	3 of 5
9mm	Winchester PDX1 124 gr +P	19.60	0.52	1 of 5
9mm	Winchester Ranger T 147 gr	16.46	0.74	3 of 5
.45 ACP	Federal HST 230 gr	14.02	0.85	5 of 5
.45 ACP	Hornady Critical Defense 185 gr	17.62	0.59	2 of 5
.45 ACP	Hornady Critical Duty 220 gr +P	21.32	0.58	1 of 5
.45 ACP	Sig V-Crown 200 gr	31.16	0.45	0 of 5
.45 ACP	Winchester Ranger T 230 gr	14.52	1.00	5 of 5

Federal HST vs Hornady Critical Defense is a depth question. Critical Defense 115 gr stopped at 13.06 inches and HST 124 gr at 18.28. For a very short barrel, read our Hornady Critical Defense review; for a full-size gun, HST. Our Hornady vs Federal page compares the brands.

Winchester Ranger T is HST’s closest match on width: 0.74 inches in 9mm 147 gr and 1.00 in .45 230 gr, both wider than HST. Our Federal vs Winchester page covers Federal against Winchester.

HST vs Hydra-Shok

Hydra-Shok is Federal’s older center-post hollow point, and it’s still in the Personal Defense line. Federal’s own discontinued list includes the Hydra-Shok 9mm 147 gr, part P9HS2, while the HST 147 gr stays. For a carry load, HST is the newer design and the one Federal sells as its duty load.

Which Federal HST Load for Which Carry Gun

Match the HST load to the barrel. Compact 9mm guns get the 147 gr, full-size guns can run the 124 gr, .45 carriers get the standard 230 gr, and .380 pocket guns should skip HST for now.

Gun	Barrel	HST load	Why
Sig P365	3.1 in	9mm 147 gr	Shorter than our test gun. See our P365 review.
Sig P365 XL	3.7 in	9mm 147 gr	About our test length. Our P365 XL review covers the gun.
Glock 43X	3.41 in	9mm 147 gr	Same class as the P365. See our Glock 43X review.
Glock 19 Gen 6	4.02 in	9mm 124 gr or 147 gr	Near Federal’s 4 in test barrel. Our Glock 19 Gen 6 review has the details.
Glock 27	3.42 in	.40 180 gr	Our .40 test gun. Our Glock 27 review.
Glock 42	3.25 in	Not HST .380	Our .380 test gun; HST never opened. See our Glock 42 review.
S&W Bodyguard 2.0	2.75 in	Not HST .380	Even shorter barrel. Our Bodyguard 2.0 review.
Ruger LCP Max	2.8 in	Not HST .380	Same story. Our LCP Max review.
S&W Shield EZ	3.675 in	9mm 147 gr	Easy slide, 9mm is the better choice. Our Shield EZ review.
Colt Commander 1911	4.25 in	.45 Auto 230 gr	Longer than our 3.64 in Kahr. Our Commander review.

Barrel lengths come from our own reviews of each gun. Whatever you pick, run at least 100 rounds of the exact load through your gun before you carry it.

Known Problems with Federal HST

The problems we found are load-specific. The .380 Micro failed, three current loads ran past 18 inches, and every load lost speed from short barrels. Retail listings add their own traps on top.

• The .380 Micro never opened. All five shots went 20.1 to 28.7 inches at 0.35 inches wide from a 3.25 inch gun.
• Deep 9mm and .40. The 9mm 124 gr and 124 gr +P averaged 18.28 inches and the .40 180 gr 18.50 inches from our compacts.
• Speed loss. Every current load we shot ran 15 to 106 fps under the box from our carry guns.
• Gone loads. The 9mm Micro 150 gr and .38 Special Micro 130 gr no longer have Federal product pages, and old listings linger.
• Mislabeled +P. We found a retailer listing the 9mm +P, part P9HST3S, under a title that reads plain 9mm 124 gr. Check the part number.
• LE boxes. Tactical HST comes in 50-round boxes at law enforcement sellers. Same load, but compare per round, not per box.

Federal HST Variants

The Federal HST loads most buyers choose between number ten, across seven calibers, each with Federal’s rated velocity and box count. Live prices sit in the cards above.

For practice, Federal American Eagle comes in the same 124 and 147 gr weights in a full metal jacket, so your range ammo can feel close to your carry load.

Who Should NOT Buy Federal HST

HST is a wide-opening duty line, and one of its loads failed our gel while three current ones ran deep. If one of these four buyers sounds like you, buy something else.

• A .380 carrier. HST Micro .380 went past 20 inches without opening. Hornady Critical Defense 90 gr kept all five shots in the window.
• A compact 9mm owner buying the 124 gr. It averaged 18.28 inches from 3.5 inches. Buy the HST 147 gr, or Hornady Critical Defense 115 gr for a very short barrel.
• A .40 S&W carrier who wants the window. HST 180 gr averaged 18.50 inches. Speer Gold Dot 180 gr kept all five in at 14.50 inches.
• A snub owner looking for HST Micro .38. It tested best of all, but Federal no longer lists it. Buy Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 135 gr +P or Hornady Critical Defense 110 gr.

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Price and Where to Buy Federal HST

Federal HST sells at premium-load prices in every caliber, and the live card in each section carries today’s price per round from the sellers we track. This list shows every card on the page with its box size.

Load with a live card on this page	Rounds per box
Federal HST 9mm 124 gr	20
Federal HST 9mm 147 gr	20
Federal HST 9mm 124 gr +P	20
Federal HST Micro .380 Auto 99 gr	20
Federal HST .40 S&W 180 gr	20
Federal HST .45 Auto 230 gr	20
Federal HST .45 Auto +P 230 gr	20
Federal HST .357 Magnum 154 gr	20
Federal HST 10mm Auto 200 gr	20
Federal HST 30 Super Carry 100 gr	20
Federal HST .357 Sig 125 gr	20
Federal HST .327 Federal Magnum 104 gr	20
Federal HST .44 Rem Magnum 230 gr	20
Speer Gold Dot 9mm 124 gr	20
Hornady Critical Defense 9mm 115 gr	25

Compare per round, not per box: Critical Defense comes in 25-round boxes and Tactical HST in 50s. Our defensive ammo guide lists more places to buy.

Federal HST Review: The Verdict

Federal HST earns its reputation in .45 ACP, the 9mm 147 gr and the .38 Micro, and it opened wider than Gold Dot almost everywhere. Skip the .380 Micro, which never opened in our gel, and expect the 9mm 124 gr and .40 180 gr to run deep.

For a full-size 9mm the 124 gr is a proven duty load that runs a little deep. For a compact, I’d carry the 147 gr. For self-defense and home defense from a .45, the standard 230 gr is hard to beat. For a .380, buy something else.

Our best 9mm ammo guide and best .45 ACP ammo guide rank HST against the rest of the field by caliber, and our Federal brand page profiles the company.

FAQ: Federal HST

Short answers to what buyers ask most about HST.

More picks: concealed carry ammo, home defense ammo and 9mm vs .45 ACP.