Strange question for all of you - I tried looking this up myself on these rounds and what I found seem to have a lot of specs except for the one piece of information I need.
So I went through my cabinet yesterday and found some Federal HST +P 9mm, that were loose / unused (I sold the rest). I wanted to test this out of my FX-9 yesterday afternoon while at the range (because I haven't shot hollow points out of the FX9 yet and some have told me it is hit and miss). The rounds all shot fine with no failure to feed or eject. I picked up my rounds to take home where I was about to throw it in my spent 9mm brass container (I am thinking of picking up reloading). However, I noticed that these rounds were more silver in nature and not like the typical brass.
I have not owned anything else other than standard brass cartridges - I haven't bought steel or aluminum rounds before. I tried a magnet on the casing and it's not metal/steel. I am not sure if it is aluminum and can't really tell due to lack of experience.
The reason why I ask about all this is because my FX9 manual and Freedom Ordnance strongly discourages the use of aluminum cased cartridges. I would be surprised if these cartridges were aluminum because it seems as if aluminum rounds do not have a great reputation and should only be used for plinking/range use. I would be surprised if Federal made defensive loads had aluminum casing. I am wondering if these could actually be brass but are coated with something.
Anyways, feedback is welcome. I have included a photo of the "silver" round side by side with a typical brass round. I shot both of these yesterday. On the left is a Federal Premium HST 9mm 135gr + P, I believe while the second one on the right is a typical CCI Blazer 9mm 124gr.
So I went through my cabinet yesterday and found some Federal HST +P 9mm, that were loose / unused (I sold the rest). I wanted to test this out of my FX-9 yesterday afternoon while at the range (because I haven't shot hollow points out of the FX9 yet and some have told me it is hit and miss). The rounds all shot fine with no failure to feed or eject. I picked up my rounds to take home where I was about to throw it in my spent 9mm brass container (I am thinking of picking up reloading). However, I noticed that these rounds were more silver in nature and not like the typical brass.
I have not owned anything else other than standard brass cartridges - I haven't bought steel or aluminum rounds before. I tried a magnet on the casing and it's not metal/steel. I am not sure if it is aluminum and can't really tell due to lack of experience.
The reason why I ask about all this is because my FX9 manual and Freedom Ordnance strongly discourages the use of aluminum cased cartridges. I would be surprised if these cartridges were aluminum because it seems as if aluminum rounds do not have a great reputation and should only be used for plinking/range use. I would be surprised if Federal made defensive loads had aluminum casing. I am wondering if these could actually be brass but are coated with something.
Anyways, feedback is welcome. I have included a photo of the "silver" round side by side with a typical brass round. I shot both of these yesterday. On the left is a Federal Premium HST 9mm 135gr + P, I believe while the second one on the right is a typical CCI Blazer 9mm 124gr.
