Norma Hexagon Match Ammo - Aerodynamically Sound
If it looks like a hollow-point, is shaped like a hollow-point, and has a hole in the front end, is it always a hollow-point? Not necessarily.
You might know Norma from their long-standing reputation in the rifle and rimfire categories. They have a hard-earned reputation for precision and fail-safe performance. Recently, I’ve started to test out their centerfire handgun line. First up is the Hexagon load. At first glance, you’d think it’s self-defense ammo given the traditional jacketed design, cavity in the pointy end (although small), and scoring along the bullet jacket’s exterior.
As it turns out, the Norma Hexagon offering is a match load designed for accuracy, not expansion. Those grooves in the bullet aren’t there to facilitate jacket and core expansion but rather to create a more aerodynamically stable flight path. It’s science.
The 9mm is topped with a 124-grain bullet, friendly to most pistols for repeatable accuracy. The 9mm Hexagon is rated at 1,181 feet per second and 382 foot-pounds of kinetic energy. Using a Competition Electronics ProChrono DLX, I clocked it at an average of 1,041.8 fps which translates to 298.9 foot-pounds exiting a Taurus G3 semi-automatic pistol. While tinkering at the range, I also popped off a 25-yard, five-shot group with a stock Springfield Armory XD(M) Elite and measured a 1.9″ group. I’ll take that.
For more info: Norma Ammunition, Competition Electronics.
