Polymer coating had been done by reloaders of cast bullets for years, but it was not until several years ago that Federal Premium offered the option as factory ammunition. Available in 9mm Luger, 40 S&W, and 45 ACP, the Federal Syntech load uses a synthetic or polymer coating over a lead bullet to protect the round as it goes down the barrel. Polymer coating is a cost-effective substitute compared to the copper jacket on most rounds, and it is gentler on gun barrels by reducing friction and eliminating copper fouling.
In a previous review, we looked at the Syntech 9mm 115 grain flat-nosed training load and found it to have outstanding accuracy, reliability, and velocity compared with conventional ammunition. Although normally encountered as a solid bullet loading intended for range work, the Federal Syntech load is also available in a hollow point configuration for personal defense. In this review, we will evaluate the Syntech 138-grain subsonic hollow point for accuracy, reliability, and performance.
The Federal Syntech 138 Grain Subsonic
Subsonic 9mm ammunition has a mixed reputation. Most ammo manufacturers load subsonics with a 147-grain jacketed bullet traveling at about 1050 feet per second. It was originally developed for law enforcement to address stopping power complaints over conventional 115-grain 9mm ammunition. But in practice, the 9mm subsonic tended to underperform on the street. But the subsonic did have the benefit of less recoil and less noise, as the round is traveling below the speed of sound and does not give a sonic crack when fired. This makes it particularly appealing in suppressed handguns and new shooters.
Federal promises that their Syntech subsonic load can deliver. It uses a 138-grain soft lead bullet with a sedate hollow-point cavity that is coated with a blue polymer jacket. It is advertised as a frangible round with three separating petals and a solid base. The petals are intended to break off and deliver secondary wounds while the base penetrates deeply. Federal states that the base will penetrate between 12-18 inches in ballistics gelatin, while the petals will cut into six inches of the same medium.
Some will like the idea of a frangible load that will dump its energy quickly yet penetrate enough. Unfortunately, too many of these types of loads penetrate very little or penetrate adequately but without the desired fragmentation or expansion. I prefer a round that will stay together and not shed weight so that its damage is not whittled away at any point. But as a fan of non-jacketed lead hollow points like the Federal .38 Special +P 158 grain FBI load, I had some hope for the Syntech load. Without a copper jacket, there is no jacket to separate and fragment and a soft lead bullet will have an easier time deforming without hard copper in the way.
Velocity Test
I began my testing by shooting the Federal Syntech load over my Caldwell Chronograph to get an idea of how fast or slow these rounds are going. Federal advertises their load as traveling 1050 feet per second, par for the course for subsonic ammo. I shot a string of five shots from 10 feet away, first with my Walther PDP with a 3.5-inch barrel and then with my Beretta 92S with a 4.9-inch barrel.
The Walther achieved an average velocity of 1165 feet per second. The Beretta turned it up to 1248. Both pistols shot the ammunition far above the advertised velocity, well above subsonic territory. I was further surprised by how consistent the Syntech load was. With my Walther, the variation between the lowest velocity round to the highest velocity was only nine feet per second. The older Beretta shot the load consistently as well, with a spread of 28 feet per second in deviation. While going into velocity deviation is boring, it does show that the Federal Syntech has a good potential for accuracy and consistently shot for shot on the intended target.
Accuracy Test
The lack of round deviation inspired me to put a few rounds on paper. I shot several five-round groups using the PDP from a distance of fifteen yards offhand and was consistently rewarded. Each group came in at under two inches. I also took care to check how these subsonic loads recoiled. In the Walther and Beretta, both rounds shot and handled like standard pressure 115-grain high-velocity loads. Recoil was pleasant out of the Beretta, while the Walther proved to be a touch snappier but just as easy to push back onto target for the next shot.
Gelatin Test
Although the Federal Syntech 138 grain subsonic load is not so subsonic, the round’s accuracy and consistency is top notch. Its all-lead construction with a thin polymer coating is easier on gun barrels and might just do the trick on target without the hindrance of a hard copper jacket.
To get an idea of how the Syntech load would perform, I set up two blocks of 10% Clear Ballistics gelatin fronted by four layers of denim. The gelatin simulates muscle tissue, while the denim replicates having to shoot through multiple layers of clothing. I took two shots at the blocks from 10 feet away using the Walther PDP.
After traversing the denim barrier, the rounds created puckered entrance wounds roughly three inches deep before shedding parts of their nose. These fragments cut secondary wound tracts to a depth of eight inches. The remainder of the two projectiles traversed both blocks of gelatin and kept going.
Although I found it annoying, I had more blocks ready to shoot. So, I set up three blocks and took three more shots. The same half-inch puckered entrance wound was observed. Two projectiles started to splinter at five inches, sending fragments through the first block. Some fragments escaped, while a few penetrated up to 10 inches.
The recovered projectiles show how the Syntech 138 grain is supposed to work. The soft lead bullet is segmented at the nose to break four fragment-sized petals, while the base carries on. In this final test, two out of three projectiles lost one petal, the soft lead bases deforming as they traveled to their end point. One projectile was clogged with denim and didn’t get the chance to open up. Fortunately, the bases did not lose too much weight and were able to penetrate deeply. The final retained weight of the two fragmented bases was 108 and 101 grains, respectively.
Federal Syntech — The End Result
Subsonic 9mm loads are a mixed bag when it comes to effectiveness. The 9mm shines with higher velocity and Federal is perhaps unwittingly loading their Syntech 138 grain subsonic load a bit warmer than we would expect. The end result is a heavy-for-caliber load running at a fair speed that causes a fair amount of damage and excellent penetration. Some may not cotton to the fact that the fragmentation reduces the weight of the base of the projectile and prevents further damage, but others might find favor in fragmentation to create more up-front wounding without the dangers of penetrating too much. No matter what side of the argument you fall on, the Federal Syntech 138-grain subsonic load is worth a look despite its funny appearance.
