Buffalo Bore .32 ACP 75 Grain HCFN Extreme Denim and Gel Test

Today was Father's Day so I spent the morning with the family with the intention of spending the afternoon out on the range.  Things worked out and one of the things I was able to do was a test by request from someone that has followed the blog and is also a member over at the KTOG forum.  Jason sent me some of the Buffalo Bore .32 ACP +P 75 Grain HCFN rounds to test.  As we swapped messages back and forth he told me that in his area people really have to dress warm in the Winter months so he wanted to know I would do a heavy clothing test on the Buffalo Bore ammo.  We decided that "heavy clothing" would equal 15 layers of medium weight denim.  As I was putting the swatches together I ended up with 16 layers that stack to about an inch thick when not compressed.

The video below documents the test and results.

At the range, I really thought the round had stayed in the block.  After running another test that I will publish at some future date, I had to search the berm for a lost round.  While looking for that one, I landed on a treasure trove of fired rounds in a small area of the berm.  I finally figured out those rounds were the velocity test rounds I had run across the chronograph earlier in the day.  I picked up one of the Buffalo Bore 32's because it was simply pristine, ok it was a little dirty, but it's shape was almost as new even after plowing into the dirt berm at full speed.  That recovered round is shown on the data sheet below.  I don't think it's the "lost" bullet from the denim and gel test, but it could be.

 

My Thoughts:

If you are looking for penetration from the .32 ACP, this round has it in spades.  Seriously, a full inch of denim and it still had enough uumph to plow though the SIM-TEST block 14.5" before escaping out the side of the block.  I've never been a big fan of FMJ or cast lead solids, but this test was a real eye opener on the penetration capabilities of a skinny .309" bullet running a shade over 900 fps.

Jason, I hope you enjoyed the test and got the information you were looking for.  Thanks for the opportunity to give this ammo a try.


Disclaimer....This test should not be considered an endorsement or recommendation for the product(s) tested.  It is up to each individual to make their own personal decision on which specific ammunition to use for their needs.  It's also critically important to test any ammo in YOUR SPECIFIC FIREARM before relying on it for any purpose.  +P ammo should never be used an any firearm unless the firearm manufacturer specifically states that is is safe to do so.