PMC's Bronze line loads a 180-grain jacketed hollow point, a standard defensive bullet, to 980 fps and 384 ft-lbs. Power factor is 176, which clears the 165 major floor by 11. From a 25-yard zero the bullet is 2.0 inches low at 50 yards and 14.1 inches low at 100, and it still carries 325 ft-lbs at the 50-yard mark.

The useful comparison is Federal Champion 200 LSWCHP. The PMC is 110 fps faster with 48 ft-lbs more energy, yet it produces about 1 percent less recoil energy in the same revolver, because its bullet is 20 grains lighter. It also holds its path better: 0.5 inch less drop at 50 yards and 3.2 inches less at 100. Against Hornady Critical Defense 165 the gap is wider, 87 ft-lbs more at the muzzle and 62 more at 50 yards, but with about 37 percent more recoil. Federal Personal Defense 180-grain, at the same weight, trails by 165 fps. CCI Blazer 200 gives up 60 fps to the PMC and kicks about 11 percent harder, while DoubleTap 200 TAC-XP is 20 fps faster with about 28 percent more recoil.

This is a defensive load for shooters who want major power factor and more energy than the Champion without more recoil. Apart from Hornady Critical Defense 165, it gives the most muzzle energy for its recoil of any load in the group. Recoil-sensitive shooters carrying a light revolver should look at Black Hills HoneyBadger 125, which produces about 30 percent less recoil energy in the same revolver while starting 245 fps faster.