Federal's HST 124-grain jacketed hollow point leaves the muzzle at 1,150 fps with 364 ft-lbs of energy, a power factor of 143. The HST bullet has a pre-scored jacket designed to open on impact. From a 25-yard zero it sits 1.3 inches low at 50 yards and 10.0 inches low at 100, and it is still moving at 1,048 fps at 50. In a 1.9-pound compact pistol the estimated recoil energy is 4.7 ft-lbs.

Speer Gold Dot 124-grain matches it exactly at 1,150 fps and 364 ft-lbs, so the choice between the two comes down to bullet design, not numbers. The +P loads sit above it: Winchester Defender +P 124 is 50 fps faster with 32 ft-lbs more energy and about 7 percent more recoil, and Hornady Critical Duty +P 124 FlexLock is 25 fps faster with about 4 percent more recoil. Hornady Critical Defense 115 FTX goes the other way at 1,135 fps and 332 ft-lbs, with about 16 percent less recoil than the HST. Drop at 50 yards is within three tenths of an inch across every load here.

This is a primary carry and home defense load for shooters who want standard-pressure recoil in a compact pistol. For practice, Speer Lawman 124 TMJ is 60 fps slower and about 9 percent softer, close enough to build the same habits without the hollow point. If you carry a micro-compact and find 4.7 ft-lbs of recoil energy hard to control, Critical Defense 115 FTX is the softer option. If your pistol is rated for +P and you want the most muzzle energy of these loads, Winchester Defender +P 124 gives 396 ft-lbs against 364 here. Check the pistol's rating before running +P.