Federal’s Personal Defense Hydra-Shok Deep

As a .32 fan, one of my favorite little guns is the S&W 432 UC. I typically carry hard wadcutters for self-defense. When we get into smaller, less-powered cartridges, you often have to pick between penetration and expansion. The .32 H&R Magnum is not different, so we have to be exceptionally ammunition picky when we get to short barrels. Federal’s Personal Defense Hydra-Shok Deep has hit the .32 H&R Magnum market. 

The Hydra-Shok Deep promises an 85-grain round moving at 1,025 feet per second. Their test protocol is a 4-inch barrel, which, to me, is silly. I don’t think many people are carrying .32 H&R Magnums with 4-inch barrels for self-defense. They are more likely carrying J-frame revolvers with short barrels, which will change the velocity. 

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The Deep lineup of this ammo also changed the core design. They reinforced the center post to be more robust, heftier, and to help penetrate through optimal depths. They also brag that it will penetrate through the barriers most commonly encountered in self-defense situations. Keep in mind the Deep lineup also includes 9mm, .380, .45 Colt, and several more cartridges. 

I think some of the more powerful calibers will penetrate through barriers well and keep penetrating, but I’m not so sure the meek .32 H&R Magnum will not only penetrate through a barrier but continue with enough force to reach proper depth in the target. 

Shooting the .32 H&R Magnum Federal Deep 

There are lots of gel tests on this round from short barrels, and they tend to show that the round meets the right depth but has minimal to no expansion. Instead of replicating these gel tests, I wanted to try something a little different. I wanted to test the round through Intruder In a Box. 

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Intruder In a Box is not a standard test, but it aims to provide a realistic and repeatable test. I’m not the guy to advocate for replacing the ballistic gel test for penetration; I’m simply not that smart. I think it’s just another interesting metric we can use to test ammo. 

The Intruder In a Box uses a multilayer system that uses a cardboard layer, a soft rubber layer to replicate skin, a hard layer to replicate bone, a water sac layer, an air pocket layer, and then another layer of bone, soft rubber, and cardboard. The idea is to better replicate the human body in ballistic testing. 

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Each Intruder In a Box is made up of 9 different testing zones, so it can be reused. I fired three rounds of Federal Hydra-Shok Deep into three of the designated targets. The rounds chewed through the first soft and hard layer, sailed through the air pocket and water sack, and impacted, but did not penetrate through the second bone layer. 

This is desirable. We don’t want to penetrate the entire box, which would signify overpenetration. Impacting into that second bone layer and stopping is just right. I was able to recover two of the projectiles, but somehow lost the third. The two projectiles expanded to .39 and .40.

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At The Range 

Recoil is quite light, as one would expect from a .32 H&R Magnum. There are some hotter .32 H&R loads, like the Buffalo Bore, but the Federal Hydra Shok Deep falls in line with most standard velocity and energy levels for .32 H&R Magnum. 

I borrowed a chronograph and fired six rounds of the .32 H&R Magnum through my 432 UC. My average velocity was 960. I’m not surprised; that seems to be about the standard through short-barreled guns. 

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The round uses a special powder to help with flash. In low light, but not total darkness, I did not see any significant flash. Although my camera certainly picked up some. This level of flash wasn’t nearly as perceivable to me as the shooter. 

At 25 yards, offhand, I could hit a man-sized IPSC steel target with ease. I swapped to a 10-inch gong, and while I had to slow down, I could make my hits. At 15 yards, my best group was about two inches wide. 

Worth The Squeeze 

Overall, the .32 H&R Magnum Federal Hydra Shok Deep works well. It does the thing, but isn’t seemingly doing it any better than other rounds. The expansion through the Intruder In a Box is interesting and is a bit different than what we see in gel tests. It will, at the very least, meet the minimum depth through ballistic gel. 

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While it works, it is a bit pricey, at about $33 per box of 20. My High Desert H&R Wadcutters are a bit cheaper at $43 for a box of 50 and also meet the penetration standard quite well. I think it might be a tough sale, but if you like Hydra Shok, the Federal Deep gives you that option in .32 H&R Magnum.