I would like to see some 35 Gr truncated cone or fmj for better penetration. Amazing Hornady and speer have the little self defense bullets, but they dont penetrate.
I would like to see some 35 Gr truncated cone or fmj for better penetration. Amazing Hornady and speer have the little self defense bullets, but they dont penetrate.
If I had to use a .25 for self defense, Winchester makes - or perhaps used to make - ammo that is essentially a JHP but has a small round ball in the hollow point. If I understand correctly, the purpose was to provide some (but not all) of the expansion of a JHP while ensuring reliable functioning in a small semiauto. That would be my vote for the least bad option.
I briefly owned an Intratec .25 acp. When I tried it at an informal shooting range, I was using a homemade wooden target frame. Two bullets hit the frame, penetrated about 3/16 inch, and then dropped to the ground essentially undamaged. A .22 lr. from my 1 1/8 inch (roughly equivalent length rifled portions of the barrel) NAA mini revolver will completely bury a bullet in the same wood. Penetration is a definite weak point of the .25.
I like to play around with autos like those mentioned here. But note that I said play around with. Regardless of brand, I think these little pistols constitute poor choices if defense is a need. One day I hope to order a custom .25 mold throwing a pointed cast bullet. I will try to achieve extensive penetration in a round that has terrible performance. Then I will sell the mold to another sucker so he can play around.
I have a small box (I forget whether it was 5, 6 or 10 rounds) somewhere of a load called the "MSC" (Maximum Sub-Caliber) for the .25 ACP. It utilized a solid copper projectile with a hollow point. It was not designed to expand, but to enhance th penetration of the .25 via (relatively) higher velocity. I read somewhere it was discontinued because it was ruled an "armor piercing" round ... Can't say if that was true.
I had some of those old MSC rounds, they and the terminal effects forum are why I don’t use boutique ammo. I had tried it in my little 950 BS, the jacket steyed adhered to the chamber wall and the bottom of the cartridge shot through, leaving a useless gun. Took me a while to figure out what had happened. I took a small screw and extracted the brass.
Many years ago, a guy that I worked with had a Bryco Jennings in 380. One day he joined me at the shooting range. About 3 mags into his shooting session, the trigger pin sheared off. He took it home, went out to the garage and found a finishing nail that fit tight, pounded it in and cut it flush with a hacksaw. The next week he sold it in the local classifieds for $100.
-Seconds Count. Misses Don't-