txinvestigator --
That's a very good read you supplied. So basically (K.I.S.S. method), penetration #1, expansion #2. I have learned a good bit tonight, thanks to all for your informative posts.
JLaw
Search found 2 matches
- Wed Oct 12, 2005 8:55 pm
- Forum: General Gun, Shooting & Equipment Discussion
- Topic: Ammo Discussion
- Replies: 26
- Views: 4015
- Tue Oct 11, 2005 8:13 pm
- Forum: General Gun, Shooting & Equipment Discussion
- Topic: Ammo Discussion
- Replies: 26
- Views: 4015
Ammo Discussion
I love handguns of all makes and calibers, read about as many as I can. However I have not studied up on ammunition much at all. If it goes bang and makes a hole it must be good, right? Yeah, right.
I'm ready to order a bunch of ammo for my Makarov (9x18 caliber), which is what spurred this discussion. I'm not going to buy into the whole super-duper name brand $3.00 per shot self defense ammo thing, but I think that many brands of HP's are worth they're beans like Speer Gold Dot and Federal Hydra-shock.
I know HP's are a better defensive round than ball, because the HP will expand to a larger caliber (hopefully) then transfer all or much of it's energy to the target, and tear up a little more tissue in the process. Okay, I understand that.
Ball ammo however, from what I understand, will keep on trucking right through the chest cavity, making only a small permanant hole and not transfering as much energy into the target. Not to mention the liability of damaging what's behind the target/suspect.
With a small caliber handgun, such as the .380, 9x18 Mak, 9x19 Luger etc., is they're really a big advantage to HP ammo vs. ball ammo? I know that penetration is a little better with ball, which may be an advantage with .380 and 9x18 Mak. However...
If you shoot to center mass and do not destroy a vital, is the extra frontal surface area provided by the expanding HP round going to do you any good??? If a ball round penetrates the heart/lung, that'll still stop the threat, maybe a second or two later, but it'll stop it regardless. Maybe more importantly...what are the chances of making a center mass hit and completely MISSING any vital organs??? (I never took anatomy, sorry.)
Maybe we can get a little discussion going on this post to educate
people like myself who don't really want to pay $19.00 for 20 rounds of defensive ammo, even though it may very well be better than that $8.99 FMJ stuff.
JLaw
I'm ready to order a bunch of ammo for my Makarov (9x18 caliber), which is what spurred this discussion. I'm not going to buy into the whole super-duper name brand $3.00 per shot self defense ammo thing, but I think that many brands of HP's are worth they're beans like Speer Gold Dot and Federal Hydra-shock.
I know HP's are a better defensive round than ball, because the HP will expand to a larger caliber (hopefully) then transfer all or much of it's energy to the target, and tear up a little more tissue in the process. Okay, I understand that.
Ball ammo however, from what I understand, will keep on trucking right through the chest cavity, making only a small permanant hole and not transfering as much energy into the target. Not to mention the liability of damaging what's behind the target/suspect.
With a small caliber handgun, such as the .380, 9x18 Mak, 9x19 Luger etc., is they're really a big advantage to HP ammo vs. ball ammo? I know that penetration is a little better with ball, which may be an advantage with .380 and 9x18 Mak. However...
If you shoot to center mass and do not destroy a vital, is the extra frontal surface area provided by the expanding HP round going to do you any good??? If a ball round penetrates the heart/lung, that'll still stop the threat, maybe a second or two later, but it'll stop it regardless. Maybe more importantly...what are the chances of making a center mass hit and completely MISSING any vital organs??? (I never took anatomy, sorry.)
Maybe we can get a little discussion going on this post to educate
people like myself who don't really want to pay $19.00 for 20 rounds of defensive ammo, even though it may very well be better than that $8.99 FMJ stuff.
JLaw