Ballistic Gel Guides

A plain guide to reading 6.5 Creedmoor gel tests: what penetration, expansion and weight retention mean, why setup matters, and how soft point, bonded, copper and match bullets differ.

10mm ammo runs from mild to full power, and gel results swing with it. Learn how to read 10mm gel tests and compare our 10mm defense and woods loads by design and velocity.

Learn what a 7.62×39 gel test measures, why results swing between FMJ, steel-case hollow points, soft points and copper bullets, and how our expanding loads compare on construction and listed velocity.

Shotgun gel tests are harder to read than rifle tests. Learn how buckshot, slugs and combo loads are judged, what changes results, and how our 12 gauge defense loads compare on build and listed velocity.

What a good 9mm gel result looks like, how to spot a weak test, 115 vs 124 vs 147 grain, and how our 9mm defense loads compare by bullet design and listed velocity.

A 20 gauge kicks less than a 12, but shell choice matters more. Learn how gel tests judge 20 gauge buckshot and slugs, what changes results, and how our defense and slug loads compare on build and listed velocity.

Rimfire gel tests show a hard trade-off between depth and expansion. Learn how to read 22 LR results, why barrel length matters so much, and how Stinger, Velocitor, Punch and other loads compare on paper.

Light 223 bullets rely on speed, so gel results change with barrel length and distance. Learn how varmint, defense, hunting and FMJ bullets behave, and how our 223 Remington loads compare on build and listed velocity.

Supersonic and subsonic 300 Blackout loads act very differently in gel. Learn what to look for in each, what changes results, and how our expanding loads compare on design and listed velocity.

Read 357 Magnum gel test results the right way. Learn why revolver barrel length matters, what the FBI window means, and how our 357 defense and woods loads compare.