20rds – 9mm Federal Syntech Defense 138gr. SHP Ammo

Name: 20rds – 9mm Federal Syntech Defense 138gr. SHP Ammo
Brand: Federal Ammunition
Price: 19.95 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 5 (1 reviews)

$19.95

$1/ppr

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1 Review

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74 In stock

20rds – 9mm Federal Syntech Defense 138gr. SHP Ammo Details

This 9mm Syntech Defense cartridge by Federal sports a 138 grain segmented hollow point projectile. An exceptionally devastating bullet, the SHP creates four separate wound channels as it penetrates its target. The primary one, which will go as deep as 18” in ballistic gel, is provided by the core. The three secondary wound channels are each 6” deep, and are inflicted by the bullet’s external segments as they flake off. Such potency can bring about multiple organ failures, just the thing for when you want a fight to end as soon as it has broken out.

This round’s bullet is jacketed in a layer of blue polymer. It does a far better job of reducing friction than copper could, and as the result won’t wear down your barrel’s riflings as quickly. The jacket is also lead free, as is the bullet’s dependable Catalyst primer, so your pistol’s accuracy won’t decline as rapidly in response to residue buildup.

Product Type

Ammo
Manufacturer

Federal Ammunition
Brand

Syntech
Condition

New
Bullet Weight

138 Grain
Bullet Type

Segmented Hollow Point (SHP)
Use Type

Self Defense, Subsonic
Casing Type

Brass
Quantity

20
Ammo Caliber

9mm Luger (9x19)
Manufacturer SKU

S9SJT1
Primer Type

Boxer
Muzzle Velocity

1050
Muzzle Energy

338
UPC Barcode

604544651072
Cost Per Round

$1/ppr

Gel test Results

We tested this Federal Ammunition 9mm Luger (9x19) ammo by firing five rounds with a S&W M&P Shield with a 3.1-inch barrel into calibrated Clear Ballistics gelatin. Of those five rounds, we discovered the ammo penetrated an average of 20.24-inches into the gelatin. Our test rounds ended the test with an average expanded diameter of 0.35-inches, retaining 56% of the projectile's original weight.

On this page, you'll see video of our tests including photographs that detail the ammunition before/after firing it through a four-layer barrier into gelatin. Also, you'll see how this Federal Ammunition 9mm Luger (9x19) ammunition stacks up compared to other self-defense rounds in 9mm Luger (9x19).

To read more about our testing procedures and processes, please head here.

20rds – 9mm Federal Syntech Defense 138gr. SHP Ammo fired into ballistic gelatin

Unfired versus Fired Round Comparison

Image detailing before and after firing 20rds – 9mm Federal Syntech Defense 138gr. SHP Ammo

How do the results for this Federal Ammunition 9mm Luger (9x19) compare to other Federal Syntech 9mm Ammo?

20rds – 9mm Federal Syntech Defense 138gr. SHP Ammo Gel Test Results

Expanded Federal Ammunition 138 Grain Segmented Hollow Point (SHP) 9mm Luger (9x19) Ammo.

Birds-eye view of Federal Ammunition 9mm Luger (9x19) Ammo after firing into ballistic gelatin

			Median
Bullet Depth (in.)	19	20	20.5	20.7	21
Expanded Diameter (in.)	0.35	0.35	0.35	0.35	0.35
Bullet Weight after shot (gr.)	76	77	77	77	78
Bullet Velocity (fps)	1017	1022	1022	1029	1033

Federal Ammunition 9mm Luger (9x19) Ballistic Data

Federal Ammunition 9mm Luger (9x19) Ammo Details

Barrel Length inches: 4

Ballistics Coefficient (G1): 0.175

Ballistics Coefficient (G7): 0.000

Sectional Density: 0.156

	Muzzle	25 yds.	50 yds.	75 yds.	100 yds.
Velocity fps	1050	1016	985	959	934
Energy ft lbs	338	316	298	282	267
Bullet drop inch	n/a	0	-1.2	-4.6	-10.5

Trajectory Line Graph Federal Ammunition 9mm Luger (9x19)

Velocity / Energy Comparisons

Ammo	Muzzle Velocity	Muzzle Energy
115 Grain Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) Blazer Brass	#27 1145 fps	#31 335 ft lbs
115 Grain Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) Sellier & Bellot Ammunition	#2 1280 fps	#2 421 ft lbs
124 Grain Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) Blazer Brass	#37 1090 fps	#36 327 ft lbs
115 Grain Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) Fiocchi Ammunition	#9 1200 fps	#11 368 ft lbs
115 Grain Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) Tula Ammo	#20 1150 fps	#27 338 ft lbs
124 Grain Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) Federal Ammunition	#21 1150 fps	#13 364 ft lbs
115 Grain Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) Federal Ammunition	#15 1180 fps	#18 356 ft lbs
124 Grain Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) Winchester Ammunition	#10 1200 fps	#5 397 ft lbs
124 Grain Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) Magtech	#35 1109 fps	#24 339 ft lbs
147 Grain Full Metal Jacket Flat Nose (FMJFN) Federal Ammunition	#42 1000 fps	#38 326 ft lbs
124 Grain Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Federal Ammunition	#32 1120 fps	#21 345 ft lbs
147 Grain Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Federal Ammunition	#43 1000 fps	#39 326 ft lbs
115 Grain Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) PMC Ammunition	#22 1150 fps	#28 338 ft lbs
124 Grain Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) Sellier & Bellot Ammunition	#14 1181 fps	#9 382 ft lbs
124 Grain Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) Fiocchi Ammunition	#23 1150 fps	#14 364 ft lbs
115 Grain Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) Magtech	#29 1135 fps	#35 329 ft lbs
115 Grain Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) Winchester Ammunition	#13 1190 fps	#17 362 ft lbs
115 Grain Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Federal Ammunition	#16 1180 fps	#19 356 ft lbs
147 Grain Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) Blazer Brass	#49 950 fps	#48 295 ft lbs
115 Grain Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) Wolf Ammunition	#24 1150 fps	#29 338 ft lbs
147 Grain Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Federal Ammunition	#44 1000 fps	#40 326 ft lbs
115 Grain Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Federal Ammunition	#7 1225 fps	#7 383 ft lbs
115 Grain Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Hornady Ammunition	#28 1140 fps	#34 332 ft lbs
115 Grain Total Metal Jacket (TMJ) Speer	#11 1200 fps	#12 368 ft lbs
147 Grain Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Speer	#48 970 fps	#45 307 ft lbs
150 Grain Flat Point Round Nose (FPRN) Federal Ammunition	#50 890 fps	#50 264 ft lbs
115 Grain Solid Copper Hollow Point (SCHP) Black Hills Ammunition	#18 1175 fps	#20 352 ft lbs
135 Grain Flex Tip (FTX) Hornady Ammunition	#40 1010 fps	#46 306 ft lbs
147 Grain Total Metal Jacket (TMJ) Speer	#46 985 fps	#43 317 ft lbs
124 Grain Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) PMC Ammunition	#33 1110 fps	#25 339 ft lbs
124 Grain Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Fiocchi Ammunition	#36 1100 fps	#32 333 ft lbs
100 Grain Frangible Federal Ammunition	#6 1240 fps	#22 341 ft lbs
124 Grain Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Remington Ammunition	#17 1180 fps	#8 383 ft lbs
124 Grain Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Speer	#8 1220 fps	#3 410 ft lbs
147 Grain Hollow Point Speer	#45 990 fps	#42 320 ft lbs
124 Grain Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Speer	#25 1150 fps	#15 364 ft lbs
124 Grain Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Winchester Ammunition	#12 1200 fps	#6 396 ft lbs
147 Grain Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Sig Sauer	#47 985 fps	#44 317 ft lbs
115 Grain Solid Copper Hollow Point (SCHP) Barnes Bullets	#30 1125 fps	#41 323 ft lbs
124 Grain XTP Hornady Ammunition	#34 1110 fps	#26 339 ft lbs
158 Grain Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) Fiocchi Ammunition	#51 850 fps	#51 253 ft lbs
150 Grain Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) Sellier & Bellot Ammunition	#41 1001 fps	#33 333 ft lbs
124 Grain Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Black Hills Ammunition	#26 1150 fps	#16 364 ft lbs
100 Grain HoneyBadger Black Hills Ammunition	#1 1300 fps	#10 375 ft lbs
115 Grain Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Corbon	#4 1250 fps	#4 399 ft lbs
115 Grain Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Hornady Ammunition	#19 1155 fps	#23 341 ft lbs
92 Grain Pre-Fragmented G2 Research	#3 1265 fps	#37 327 ft lbs
138 Grain Segmented Hollow Point (SHP) Federal Ammunition	#38 1050 fps	#30 338 ft lbs
125 Grain HoneyBadger Black Hills Ammunition	#39 1050 fps	#47 306 ft lbs
127 Grain Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Winchester Ammunition	#5 1250 fps	#1 441 ft lbs
100 Grain Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP) Hornady Ammunition	#31 1125 fps	#49 281 ft lbs

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The Reviews

Why Shooters and Hunters love or hate 20rds – 9mm Federal Syntech Defense 138gr. SHP Ammo

Leave a Review

☆☆☆☆☆

posted on 4/21/2026 by Todd B

Federal's 9mm Syntech Defense has solved what has plagued frangible ammo in the past...lack of reliable penetration.
Along with this testing, I've also personally tested it in calibrated, 10% gel (bare and clothed).
-I've yet to have a failure.
-The base always goes 18-20."
-The three pieces that separate always uniformly "starburst" and achieve approx 8-9."

Each round fired gives the shooter four separate wound tracks that achieve significant depth, with the base meeting any standard and a bit more.

How this wouldn't be considered at the very top of personal defense ammo performance (glass aside) is beyond me.

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