The hollow bases of the FTX slugs from this batch of shells did not expand enough to engage the rifling of the handgun barrels, which is the purpose of the slug’s design. In fact, the slugs displayed no rifling marks at all. Checking the base expansion with digital calipers confirmed what the visual inspection implied. No slug base expanded more than .444 inches when fired from a handgun, which means they were unlikely to engage the lands and grooves of a barrel designed for .454-inch .45 Colt bullets.

The polymer-tipped hollow points of the slugs showed very little to no expansion in five of the seven guns tested. In a few cases the unexpanded slug stopped in the gel facing backwards (tip toward the shooter). Was this dual failure to expand a fluke or a flaw? I've seen the same photos and gel tests, with fully expanded FTX Slugs, as everyone else. So what was the problem in this case? I can't say for sure. The rounds used for these tests were some of the very first Triple Threat loads off of the production line. Were the slugs in this batch made of a harder lead alloy? Were the powder charges off a bit? Or does Hornady have to go back and take another look at the design? Only time will tell for sure.

So, is the performance of the new Hornady Triple Threat .410 shotshell up to snuff? Based on these tests, it seems likely that the Triple Threat shell has been optimized for use in the Taurus Judge 2½-inch chamber, 3-inch barrel revolver. It also performs well when fired from a defensive shotgun. However, other short-barrel handguns may or may not produce sufficient levels of performance for self-defense. If Hornady can adjust the FTX slugs to expand fully at the base of the slug, then this round has the potential to become a top contender in this handgun ammunition class. For a complete set of test results, see the following table. For more information on .410 handgun and shotshell performance, visit 410Handguns.com.