At 980 fps and 203 ft-lbs, Federal's American Eagle 95-grain FMJ is the fastest and hardest-hitting ball load among the six in its comparison set. Power factor is 93, short of the 125 USPSA minor floor. Downrange it holds 898 fps and 170 ft-lbs at 50 yards, 834 fps and 147 ft-lbs at 100. Drop from a 25-yard zero is 2.0 inches at 50 yards and 14.2 at 100. In practice this is a 7 to 15 yard cartridge and drop never enters into it.

The set spans 90 fps. Ammo Inc Signature 100-grain TMC is at the bottom, 890 fps with a 5-grain heavier bullet and 27 ft-lbs less at the muzzle, yet only about 6 percent less recoil energy in the same pistol because the extra weight offsets the lower speed. CCI Blazer Brass 95-grain at 945 fps is also about 6 percent softer, PPU 94-grain at 951 fps about 7 percent softer, and Winchester USA 95-grain at 955 fps about 4 percent softer. PMC Bronze 90-grain runs 961 fps, second only to the American Eagle on speed, and its 90-grain bullet gives it the lowest recoil in the set, about 15 percent under the Federal.

Buy it when you want practice ammo that feels as close as ball gets to a defensive hollow point. Winchester PDX1 Defender 95-grain JHP is 20 fps faster at 1,000 fps with about 3 percent more recoil energy. If recoil in a pocket .380 is what ends your session, PMC Bronze 90-grain keeps most of the velocity at 961 fps and cuts recoil energy by about 15 percent; Blazer Brass 95-grain at 945 fps is the softer choice if you want to stay at 95 grains.