A Review of Federal Syntech 150gr. 9mm Action Pistol Ammunition

Many, if not most competitive pistol shooters “reload” – the process of producing ammunition in the comfort of your own home from components using a special press.  Conventional wisdom states that once you reach the point where you’re shooting ~1000 rounds a month, you’ll save money by reloading as compared with the cost of factory ammunition.  I’ve been shooting competitively for over 3 years now, but there’s nothing about reloading which I find appealing.  Yes, saving money is good.  But reloading ammunition takes no small amount of time – I barely have time to practice and shoot as it is.  Worse is the issue of reliability (or lack thereof) associated with reloading ammunition.  Between my pistol and my PCC, I’m shooting at least 1000 rounds a month and have been for some time.  I think in the last year, I can recall one ammunition-related failure.  But in the matches I shoot, I routinely see “reloaders” which not only ammunition-related failures but also dangerous “squib” loads which can lead to serious injury to shooters and anyone near them (like the RO).  I suppose I’ve always thought that in my retired years I might consider reloading, but between the time commitment, and the increased potential for malfunctions, I’m not interested in reloading anytime soon.  Still, I’ve always been envious of the capability reloaders have to create loads which are performance customized for their particular firearm.  Loads which dramatically reduce felt recoil, and allow the shooter to perform hyper fast shots and follow-ups with greater accuracy. This capability is a tremendous advantage in most practical shooting sports. Not having this advantage, I’ve simply focused on shooting as best as I possibly could with regular factory ammo for several years.

In 2016, Federal Ammunition released their Syntech brand of synthetic jacket target ammunition. In addition to the synthetic jacket, the ammunition featured Federal’s Catalyst™ lead-free primer, making the ammunition ideal for indoor range use where lead exposure is a real health concern for both patrons and employees of indoor ranges. Fast forward to 2018, and Federal releases a version of Syntech 9mm ammunition which is designed specifically for the action shooting sports called Syntech Action Pistol:

If the “Action Pistol” designation wasn’t clear enough as to the target market for this ammunition is, then the fact that Syntech Action Pistol ammunition is the “Official Ammunition of USPSA” should remove all doubt.  In fact, Federal has said that their engineers worked with USPSA to develop it as a high-performance handgun round that meets USPSA (and IPSC) power factor requirements and cycles reliably. No small feat.

Here are the specs on Syntech Action Pistol in 9mm:

• Use: Competition
• Caliber: 9mm Luger
• Bullet Weight: 150
• Bullet Style: Syntech Jacket FN
• Muzzle Velocity: 870
• Ballistic Coefficient: 0.2
• Package Quantity: 50
• MSRP: $18.95
• Official Ammunition of USPSA

As of this writing, I’ve shot 3000+ rounds of Syntech Action Pistol 9mm through my SIG P320 X-Five in USPSA and Steel Challenge.  In short, this ammunition is a dream come true.  Firstly, the reduction in recoil is quite noticeable.  I’m guessing that those “mad chemist” types that load their own ammo can likely produce ammunition optimized for their own gun which has no to negligible recoil.  But Federal Action Pistol ammunition does not at all disappoint in this regard.  I typically shoot 124gr. ammunition out of my X-Five, and felt recoil seems to be down by as much as half in my own side by side comparisons.  That translates into faster, more accurate follow-up shots.  No less amazing to me than the Syntech Action Pistol recoil reduction is the reduction in fouling present in my firearm after shooting this ammunition.  I typically clean my gun every 1-2 weeks, or after about 300-500 rounds.  However, in one 2 week interval between cleanings, I shot at least 500 rounds and was shocked to see how clean the firearm was when I went to clean it.  It looked like it maybe had 100 rounds of standard ammunition fired through it.  The Syntech Action Pistol “TSJ™” not only eliminates copper and lead fouling, it also extends barrel life as compared to conventional target ammunition by reducing the harsh metal-on-metal contact between bullet and bore.

Syntech Action Pistol ammunition not only runs cleaner inside the gun,  thanks to the “Catalyst™ high-performance lead-free primer used in the Federal Syntech line, it provides a healthier shooting experience for the shooter.  Not only do I shoot a lot, but I also shoot some indoors, so my lead exposure is very high.  So I’m VERY pleased Syntech Action Pistol uses lead-free primers that will help reduce my lead exposure.

Reliable.  Softer recoil.  Makes USPSA Power Factor.  Cleaner.  Healthier.  Less barrel wear.  Does this wonder ammo have any downsides?  Well, it is a bit pricey as compared to conventional brass cased target ammo.  The MSRP is $18.95, but it can be found for less.  My ammunition sponsor Target Barn has it for $14.95 a box.   Still, it’s roughly 30-50% more in price than conventional brass cased ammo, so I essentially use it just for important matches and when I shoot indoors.  The only other problem Federal Syntech Action Pistol has right now is that it can be hard to find in stock.  I think that Federal may have underestimated the demand in the marketplace for factory competition ammunition.  So when you find it stock, buy plenty – you won’t regret it.  Syntech Action Pistol ammunition is also available in .45 and .40 S&W for you major power factor folks.