All that fuss over +P+

About a year and a half ago I decided to chronograph a bunch of 9mm +P+ loads. Seven +P+ loads with one +p and one standard for comparison. The guns use were a Glock 34 with a 5.31 inch barrel, Beretta M9 with a 4.9 inch barrel, Sig P226 with a 4.4 inch, Glock 19 with a 4 inch barrel, S&W M&P 9c with a 3.5 inch barrel, and a Kahr MK9 with a 3 inch barrel. I then I finished it off with a Colt carbine with a 10 barrel.
Some things of interest. The Magtech was probably the brightest muzzle flash I have ever seen for a pistol in any caliber. The Federal Hydra-Shok had the lowest velocity of all he +P+ loads in all the guns tested. It was even lower than the Speer 124gr +P Gold Dot that I included for comparison. I’m not sure why the velocity so low for a +P+ loading but I find it very odd.

Glock 34 5.3in barrel
Highest overall average velocity was with Underwood 115gr JHP at 1446fps
Lowest overall average velocity was with Federal 124gr Hydra-shok at 1189fps

Magtech 115 JHP
Average 1410
High 1444
Low 1381
Energy 508

Underwood 115 JHP
Average 1446
High 1495
Low 1422
Energy 534

Underwood 124 GDHP
Average 1332
High 1350
Low 1313
Energy 489

Winchester 127gr Ranger-T
Average 1285
High 1307
Low 1272
Energy 466

Federal Hydra-shok 124gr
Average 1189
High 1198
Low 1185
Energy 389

Speer GDHP 115gr
Average 1376
High 1398
Low 1343
Energy 483

Federal JHP 115gr
Average 1328
High 1344
Low 1309
Energy 450

Speer GDHP 124gr +P
Average 1226
High 1247
Low 1211
Energy 414

Winchester 124 FMJ
Average 1105
High 1123
Low 1071
Energy 336

Beretta 92A1 4.9in Barrel.
Highest overall average velocity was with Underwood 115gr JHP at 1380fps
Lowest overall average velocity was with Federal 124gr Hydra-shok at 1149fps

Magtech 115 JHP
Average 1370
High 1386
Low 1327
Energy 479

Underwood 115 JHP
Average 1380
High 1422
Low 1342
Energy 487

Underwood 124 GDHP
Average 1306
High 1310
Low 1300
Energy 470

Winchester 127gr Ranger-T
Average 1240
High 1258
Low 1217
Energy 434

Federal Hydra-shok 124gr
Average 1149
High 1160
Low 1142
Energy 363

Speer GDHP 115gr
Average 1328
High 1349
Low 1314
Energy 450

Federal JHP115gr
Average 1303
High 1324
Low 1282
Energy 450

Speer GDHP 124gr +P
Average 1203
High 1224
Low 1190
Energy 398

Winchester 124 FMJ
Average 1084
High 1099
Low 1074
Energy 324

Sig P226 4.4in barrel
Highest overall average velocity was with Underwood 115gr JHP at 1396fps
Lowest overall average velocity was with Federal 124gr Hydra-shok at 1138fps

Magtech 115 JHP
Average 1351
High 1355
Low 1343
Energy 466

Underwood 115 JHP
Average 1396
High 1411
Low 1372
Energy 498

Underwood 124 GDHP
Average 1287
High 1315
Low 1242
Energy 456

Winchester 127gr Ranger-T
Average 1238
High 1253
Low 1220
Energy 432

Federal Hydra-shok 124gr
Average 1138
High 1149
Low 1126
Energy 357

Speer GDHP 115gr
Average 1297
High 1317
Low 1282
Energy 430

Federal JHP115gr
Average 1282
High 1293
Low 1272
Energy 420

Speer GDHP 124gr +P
Average 1193
High 1204
Low 1182
Energy 392

Winchester 124 FMJ
Average 1076
High 1092
Low 1065
Energy 319

Glock 19 4in barrel
Highest overall average velocity was with Underwood 115gr JHP at 1393fps
Lowest overall average velocity was with Federal 124gr Hydra-shok at 1129fps

Magtech 115 JHP
Average 1372
High 1391
Low 1355
Energy 481

Underwood 115 JHP
Average 1393
High 1419
Low 1341
Energy 496

Underwood 124 GDHP
Average 1257
High 1283
Low 1197
Energy 435

Winchester 127gr Ranger-T
Average 1237
High 1249
Low 1232
Energy 431

Federal Hydra-shok 124gr
Average 1129
High 1136
Low 1120
Energy 351

Speer GDHP 115gr
Average 1269
High 1314
Low 1273
Energy 429

Federal JHP 115gr
Average 1258
High 1278
Low 1241
Energy 404

Speer GDHP 124gr +P
Average 1182
High 1199
Low 1161
Energy 385

Winchester 124 FMJ
Average 1043
High 1062
Low 1065
Energy 299

M&P 9c 3.5in barrel
Highest overall average velocity was with Underwood 115gr JHP at 1362fps
Lowest overall average velocity was with Federal 124gr Hydra-shok at 1098fps

Magtech 115 JHP
Average 1290
High 1316
Low 1266
Energy 425

Underwood 115 JHP
Average 1362
High 1390
Low 1346
Energy 474

Underwood 124 GDHP
Average 1236
High 1251
Low 1224
Energy 421

Winchester 127gr Ranger-T
Average 1204
High 1223
Low 1174
Energy 431

Federal Hydra-shok 124gr
Average 1098
High 1113
Low 1084
Energy 332

Speer GDHP 115gr
Average 1232
High 1260
Low 1198
Energy 431

Federal JHP 115gr
Average 1225
High 1242
Low 1196
Energy 383

Speer GDHP 124gr +P
Average 1145
High 1161
Low 1120
Energy 361

Winchester 124 FMJ
Average 1033
High 1062
Low 1011
Energy 294

Kahr MK9 3in barrel
Highest overall average velocity was with Underwood 115gr JHP at 1281fps
Lowest overall average velocity was with Federal 124gr Hydra-shok at 1036fps

Magtech 115 JHP
Average 1221
High 1246
Low 1207
Energy 381

Underwood 115 JHP
Average 1281
High 1325
Low 1261
Energy 419

Underwood 124 GDHP
Average 1182
High 1188
Low 1177
Energy 384

Winchester 127gr Ranger-T
Average 1139
High 1145
Low 1128
Energy 366

Federal Hydra-shok 124gr
Average 1036
High 1044
Low 1023
Energy 295

Speer GDHP 115gr
Average 1168
High 1192
Low 1152
Energy 348

Federal JHP 115gr
Average 1150
High 1157
Low 1138
Energy 338

Speer GDHP 124gr +P
Average 1061
High 1076
Low 1041
Energy 310

Winchester 124 FMJ
Average 954
High 973.9
Low 929.8
Energy 251

Colt carbine 10in barrel
Highest overall average velocity was with Underwood 115gr JHP at 1552fps
Lowest overall average velocity was with Federal 124gr Hydra-shok at 1228fps

Magtech 115 JHP +P+
Average 1506
High 1524
Low 1481
Energy 579

Underwood 115 JHP +P+
Average 1552
High 1588
Low 1477
Energy 615

Underwood 124 GDHP +P+
Average 1381
High 1396
Low 1365
Energy 525

Winchester 127gr Ranger-T +P+
Average 1311
High 1355
Low 1283
Energy 484

Federal Hydra-shok 124gr +P+
Average 1228
High 1240
Low 1214
Energy 389

Speer GDHP 115gr +P+
Average
High
Low
Energy

Federal JHP 115gr +P+
Average 1416
High 1431
Low 1396
Energy 512

Speer GDHP 124gr +P
Average
High
Low
Energy

Winchester 124 FMJ
Average 1150
High 1171
Low 1129
Energy 364