I heard a very interesting statement from Ron McCarthy; famous LAPD SWAT figure, consultant, author, etc. that a .223 "has never" exited a persons head. Essentially saying if your shot in the face with a .223, the bullet doesn't exit...period. There was an insinuation that concerns of a safe backstop are nullified by the fact the bullet won't exit anyway. I have to ask..can anyone speak to actual data, or of a specific incident that makes Ron McCarthy wrong? I simply don't know myself. Thanks
Maybe he's talking about some kind of frangible ammo? I can say with 100% certainty that .223 will zip right through someone's noggin with pretty much any standard ammo.
Most standard .223/5.56 ammo would likely not go through a grown man's head. I have seen rounds such as 55gr SPs and M193 ball pretty much blow in a person's head without exiting.
Something like the 70gr TSX? Yeah, I'm pretty sure you'll find that bullet in the next county.
I'm going to say that is incorrect. No disrespect intended to Mr. McCarthy, but I think he is wrong. While a .22lr will often not exit a head, a .223 is significantly higher velocity and different construction despite being similar bullet weight.
I shot some 1/4" steel plate with some 55grn FMJ's and they pierced through it like butter. I think it would do the same to a noggin. I would say there needs to be a qualification on that statement in regards to the ammo he is referring to.
1. Steel is not a skull.
2. All depends on the projectile type.
3. It is not the first time Mr. McCarthy has misspoke.
Did you miss the part where I said that I have seen actual people shot in the head with .223 rounds, and these rounds often did not exit?Originally Posted by DanH
Velocity makes the fragmenting type bullets, like the common in .223 ammo 55gr SP, fragment dramatically and penetrate to a rather shallow depth in tissue.
I have seen other high velocity rounds fail to exit in a pserson's head, such as the Remington 125gr .357mag JHP, while slower rounds such as a Winchester 158gr RNL standard velocity often zip right through (in one case flying across the street on exit and penetrating the outer wall of a frame house).
Some of this depends on angle of the hit and what structures are hit.
I once worked a suicide where a .25acp launched from a Baby Browning fully penetrated an elderly man's skull travelling a path from temple to temple, and still had enough velocity to penetrate a kitchen cabinet door after exit.
Striking the forehead or jaw of a younger healthy male would give the bullet a far different level of resistance.
In most cases, yep.
Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet.
-General Mattis
bcauz3y--your comment above is not accurate. Please read tpd223's post directly above yours.
Its a different caliber but I know that a large agency in my state had 5 shootings with 110 grain TAP .308 and none of them exited according to our precision rifle instructor. These were head shots. I imagine bullet design has a lot to do with it.
Pat
Last edited by LittleLebowski; 09-25-2012 at 06:03 AM.
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