Quote:
Originally Posted by Strange Famous
Whether it will penetrate 18 inches into the flesh of a human being or 15 inches - while interesting to people who have a technical fascination with guns - isnt relevant to the question.
__
|
Actually it is relevant.
The OP probably knows more about firearms than the person dispensing above advice.
People generally won't recommend firearms like .22LR or 25ACP for self defense or any sort of defense against humans. They all might be 'good working metal.' But the difference is, you may have excellent shot placement, on the center of mass, where the heart or spine is located. A 'good working metal' .22LR round may end up lodging only in the ribcage and fail to adequately neutralize the threat. On the other hand, a properly loaded 9mm JHP will (in theory) penetrate the rib cage while expanding and damage vital organs and neutralize the threat. If you're lucky, the round will hit the spinal cord and render instant incapacitation of the threat.
The expansion of the 9mm round to 150% its original diameter increases the probability that the round will hit vital organs and stop the threat, hence the need for hollowpoints. A properly constructed 9mm round will expand to .6" DIA, while a properly loaded .45 can expand up to .75."
In a life or death situation, you want every advantage you can get.
The Miami FBI shootout exemplifies the need for a stronger cartridge loaded properly. One of the rounds fired by the FBI agent hit the perpetrator through his forearm, then hit is ribcage, but lodged there. Had the round had sufficient penetrating force it would have severed the perpetrator's aorta. However, the 9mm fired by the agent failed to do this and the perp subsequently killed the FBI agent.
Finally, Strange, you should not give erroneous and misleading information about things you have no idea about when people's lives are potentially at stake. I hope I've adequately explained why caliber selection matters--although not by much once you get in to .38/9mm/.40S&W calibers. Pistols are notoriously poor manstoppers (and i'm quoting a Ph.D who studies ballistics here). You will do well to read more, and post less.