Nothing in the 165-grain ball set leaves the muzzle faster than Remington UMC's 165-grain FMJ: 1,150 fps and 485 ft-lbs, for a power factor of 190 that clears the 165 USPSA major floor by 25 points. From a 25-yard zero the bullet sits 1.3 inches low at 50 yards and 9.9 inches low at 100. It is also the hardest-recoiling load in its set.

American Eagle 155 is the only comparison that leaves faster, by 10 fps, and its lighter bullet carries 22 ft-lbs less energy and produces about 10 percent less recoil energy in the same pistol. Blazer's TMJ trails by 50 fps and 42 ft-lbs with about 7 percent less recoil. Winchester's white box gives up 90 fps and 73 ft-lbs and kicks about 13 percent less. PMC Bronze is the far end of the set at 989 fps and 358 ft-lbs, 161 fps and 127 ft-lbs behind the Remington, with about 22 percent less recoil energy; it is also the only load in the group that misses major, at a power factor of 163.

Buy it if you want the most energy a 165-grain ball load delivers in this set, or the most margin over major from a short barrel. It is not a match for a standard 165-grain carry load: PMC Bronze 165 JHP leaves 110 fps slower and produces about 16 percent less recoil energy in the same pistol, so a shooter training for that round gets a closer feel from Winchester 165 at 1,060 fps. A new shooter, or anyone running a long session, should start with PMC Bronze 165 FMJ, the softest load here.