Using lighter-than-typical bullets, the new HPR Black Ops ammunition promises to deliver superior accuracy and “unparalleled takedown force.” Initially, the Black Ops ammo will be offered in 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP. Another load in .223 Rem is said to be available soon.
According to HPR, the bullets used in the new ammo are Open Tipped Frangible (OTF) projectiles. The OTF bullet has a powdered metal core with a jacket. The jacket and core are designed to separate when striking soft tissue, yet hold together and track straight when encountering an intermediate barrier such as auto glass, sheet rock, and car doors.
As mentioned above, these loads use lighter-than-typical bullets. Â The 9mm load uses an 85 grain bullet, for example. Â Normally, manufacturers will load a 115 grain, 124 grain or 147 grain bullet for 9mm. Â There are exceptions to this, but those are the common bullet weights.
All other things being equal, it is easier to drive lighter bullets to higher velocities than it is to increase the speed of heavier bullets.  By dropping the bullet weight to 85 grains, HPR is able to get 1259 fps from a 4″ barrel.  Granted, there are existing loads with 115 grain bullets that can achieve those speeds, however, they do it by increasing pressure substantially.
The HPR loads are not listed as +P or +P+ loads, so the 1250+ fps is coming from a standard pressure round. Standard pressure loads result in lower felt recoil and less wear on the pistol when compared to the +P loadings. Â Lighter bullets also result in lower felt recoil, so these rounds are likely to be very easy to shoot.
HPR Black Ops Ammunition Specifications
| bullet weight | muzzle velocity | muzzle energy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9mm | 85 gr | 1259 fps | 299 ft-lbs |
| .40 S&W | 105 gr | 1323 fps | 408 ft-lbs |
| .45 ACP | 150 gr | 1095 fps | 399 ft-lbs |
| .223 Rem | 62 gr | coming soon | coming soon |
I have shot the existing HPR ammunition in 9mm and found it to be a very reliable performer. Â The ammunition worked flawlessly in a variety of handguns. Â Running it across a chronograph, I found the ammo was very consistent with five-shot extreme spreads being less than 20 fps. Considering I have seen ES of 50 and more from some of the large companies, it would appear that HPR has a pretty good grasp on their quality control.
Those loads used a Hornady XTP bullet, which I believe is a good choice for hunting, but not as good for self-defense as some of the other designs on the market.  I look forward to seeing what the Black Ops ammo can do.
All of the handgun loads will sell in 20-round boxes. Â MSRP for each will be:
- 9mm – $28.19
- .40 S&W – $30.99
- .45 ACP – $34.99
Interesting. Are these bullets like the MPG made by Barnes? I think Corbon loads some .223 with those.