CougarRed
06-14-2013, 08:59 AM
Hi Doc
I've followed you from the Tactical Forum days 10+ years ago. Thanks for all your hard work in the ballistics arena!
Preamble: I know penetration (and placement) is paramount. Here's my question: When you are testing ammo, what are your expansion minimum guidelines?
The reason I ask is I saw an old post of yours (Sept. 2000) concerning some testing you did on lighter weight 40S&W rounds:
All of the 135 gr to 165 gr .40 S&W bullets either failed to meet minimum penetration (12") or expansion (0.65") guidelines.
That led me to dig a little further, and I found another old post (Jan. 2001) that referenced your 1994 article Comparison of the Terminal Performance of 9, 40 & 45 JHP, and went on to explain:
The ideal handgun bullets for law enforcement and military special operations . . . have consistent expansion (approximately 0.60 inches for 9 mm, 0.65 inches for .40 S&W, and 0.70 inches for .45 ACP) without fragmentation, core-jacket separation, or significant weight loss.
I can't find a copy of your 1994 article, so my question is: when ammo testing, are your expansion minimum guidelines 0.60" for 9mm, 0.65" for 40S&W and 0.70" for 45ACP?
****************
Likewise, I can't seem to locate a copy of your 2000 article Terminal Performance of .38 Special and .380 Hollowpoint Bullets Intended for Law Enforcement Back-Up and Off-Duty Self-Defense Using 10% Gel as a Tissue Simulant.
Do you have a minimum expansion guideline for .380 and 38 special? Is it 0.50"?
The reason I ask is that I saw you once commented favorably about the 110 Corbon DPX standard pressure 38 special load which tested at:
.38 Sp Corbon 110 gr JHP DPX (using Barnes XPB all copper bullets), ave vel=1021fps
BG: pen=13.0"; RD=0.52", RL=0.52", RW=109.5gr
4LD pen=12.4"; RD=0.52", RL=0.51", RW=109.7gr
Many thanks!
I've followed you from the Tactical Forum days 10+ years ago. Thanks for all your hard work in the ballistics arena!
Preamble: I know penetration (and placement) is paramount. Here's my question: When you are testing ammo, what are your expansion minimum guidelines?
The reason I ask is I saw an old post of yours (Sept. 2000) concerning some testing you did on lighter weight 40S&W rounds:
All of the 135 gr to 165 gr .40 S&W bullets either failed to meet minimum penetration (12") or expansion (0.65") guidelines.
That led me to dig a little further, and I found another old post (Jan. 2001) that referenced your 1994 article Comparison of the Terminal Performance of 9, 40 & 45 JHP, and went on to explain:
The ideal handgun bullets for law enforcement and military special operations . . . have consistent expansion (approximately 0.60 inches for 9 mm, 0.65 inches for .40 S&W, and 0.70 inches for .45 ACP) without fragmentation, core-jacket separation, or significant weight loss.
I can't find a copy of your 1994 article, so my question is: when ammo testing, are your expansion minimum guidelines 0.60" for 9mm, 0.65" for 40S&W and 0.70" for 45ACP?
****************
Likewise, I can't seem to locate a copy of your 2000 article Terminal Performance of .38 Special and .380 Hollowpoint Bullets Intended for Law Enforcement Back-Up and Off-Duty Self-Defense Using 10% Gel as a Tissue Simulant.
Do you have a minimum expansion guideline for .380 and 38 special? Is it 0.50"?
The reason I ask is that I saw you once commented favorably about the 110 Corbon DPX standard pressure 38 special load which tested at:
.38 Sp Corbon 110 gr JHP DPX (using Barnes XPB all copper bullets), ave vel=1021fps
BG: pen=13.0"; RD=0.52", RL=0.52", RW=109.5gr
4LD pen=12.4"; RD=0.52", RL=0.51", RW=109.7gr
Many thanks!