At 1,060 fps and 412 ft-lbs, Winchester's white box 165-grain full metal jacket is the middle load of the three 165-grain ball rounds it is compared with. Power factor is 175, 10 points over the 165 USPSA major floor. From a 25-yard zero the bullet sits 1.6 inches low at 50 yards and 11.5 inches low at 100.

American Eagle and Remington UMC both run hotter. The Federal leaves 70 fps faster with 56 ft-lbs more energy, the UMC 90 fps faster with 73 ft-lbs more, and in the same pistol that shows up as about 12 percent more recoil energy from the Federal and about 15 percent more from the UMC. PMC Bronze goes the other way at 989 fps and 358 ft-lbs, 71 fps and 54 ft-lbs under the Winchester, with about 11 percent less recoil energy. It is also the one load in the group that misses major, with a power factor of 163 against the Winchester's 175.

This is the practice load for a shooter whose carry round is a standard-pressure 165-grain hollow point. PMC Bronze 165 JHP leaves at 1,040 fps, 20 fps slower than this Winchester, and the two sit within about 3 percent of each other in recoil energy in the same pistol. A USPSA shooter who wants more margin over major from a short barrel gets it from Remington UMC 165, at a power factor of 190. A new shooter, or anyone who wants the softest 165 for a long session, should pick PMC Bronze 165 FMJ at 989 fps.