The 135gr Hydrashok is marketed as a low recoil, personal defense loading.
It does indeed have mild recoil, and I used it, along with the c9bp (115gr 9mm JHP Classic) as my first carry loads.
My first ammunition test was of a 9mm 147gr Golden Saber, 1st generation, in standard pressure. The gun used was the same one as is on my side now, my Taurus PT92AF. Though I do not have the facts and figures written down (test was conducted about 10 years ago when I first started carrying) I do remember that the Golden Saber penetrated one water filled milk jug, blew it to bits, and did a nosedive into the ground, penetrating maybe 2" into the earth.
A bit later I tested the c9bp and the 135gr Hydra-Shok. The c9bp exibited the most dynamic expansion in five gallon water jugs, and the 135gr penetrated further, usually exiting, but with less dynamic expansion.
I believe what happened was that they simply took a 115gr loading's powder charge and topped it with a bullet weighing 20 grains more, thereby dampening the recoil somewhat - the recoil feels slower but it's definitely there.
I can no longer find this stuff around here; even the c9bp has dried up and I don't like ordering off the web as my parents just had their credit card number stolen and I'm running a similar IP#. However, I would suggest that, before carrying the stuff, you line up a bunch of one gallon milk jugs filled with water and shoot it to see how you like its performance.
It has had good terminal effects on critters I've shot, coyote sized and down.
Josh <><
