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This article was written by Larry Seecamp and applies to the .32 as well as the .380. I have seen a lot of recommendations on this forum for Full Metal Jacket ammo in the small Walthers. This has surprised me since the only real advantage quoted is "best penetration". But what good is penetration if there is little or no damage done by the bullet? A FMJ bullet is used by the military because the Geneva convention requires it. WHY? Because it is "more humane" than a hollow point bullet. Fortunately, the police and civilians aren't governed by the rules of war. Do you see any police departments using FMJ bullets? The answer is NO. They are using the most effective bullets available...hollowpoints. Okay....here is Larry Seecamp's article:
http://www.seecamp.com/faq.htm#Hollow Points
Why hollow points?
Whether hollow point bullets expand or not, there is still a hollow point shock value advantage.
When shooting hollow point ammunition, air becomes trapped and compressed inside the cup as the bullet speeds through the air. This pressure exerts itself outwardly against the side walls of the cup. If enough of it were present, the cup would expand or explode on the way to the target.
Simultaneously, there is a far more moderate degree of inward pressure on the cup created by the outside bullet taper. The discrepancy in pressure exists because the air on the outside of the cup is allowed to pass while the air on the inside is trapped.
The bigger the cup and the smaller the outside taper, the greater is the force for explosion versus the force for implosion.
Soft bullet material, a thin walled cup, a cup weakened through expansion cuts or an aerodynamically streamlined cup to reduce the implosion force, all encourage bullet expansion or explosion ~ as also does increased bullet speed.
Greater bullet speed means a greater tendency for expansion or explosion. From a practical point of view, there is an upper limit to the benefit of bullet speed. There is a point at which increased bullet speed offers no benefits or even a negative benefit in stopping power ~ for example, a light weight bullet that disintegrates on impact.
Expansion or explosion work against penetration. Bullet penetration is reduced by expansion and even more so by explosion.
When a hollow point bullet hits the target it can do a number of things depending largely on the medium it hits.
Ideally, the hollow point bullet hits soft tissue and the compressed air/tissue inside the cup cause the bullet to expand. Along with this, with or without expansion, comes an increased temporary wound cavity. Trapped air/tissue inside the cup and the aerodynamics of the cup create a larger temporary wound cavity than is created by a streamlined ball bullet. Wadcutters have been shown to be more effective as man stoppers than ball. Their aerodynamics tend to create a bigger temporary wound channel.
Traditional hollow points have only minimal if any expansion on hitting denim clothed ballistic gelatin. This is a good thing because it means if the assailant is wearing heavy clothing, penetration is increased. The downside is reduced or no expansion.
With this increased penetration and non-expansion, however, there is still an increased temporary wound channel. Just because a hollow point bullet fails to expand does not mean it is less effective than a ball bullet.
Air blowers are equipped with safety nozzles because air hoses are dangerous and can kill people. Workers have thought it funny to goose someone with an air hose and have blown co-worker’s intestines apart. The stopping power value of trapped air/tissue in a hollow point should not be underestimated, even when the bullet does not expand.
Expansion, with traditional hollow points, is most on unclothed gelatin. This is good ~ there is penetration with heavy clothing and expansion with light clothing.
I recommend traditional hollow point ammunition ~ Gold Dot, Hydra Shok, Hornady, Silver Tips. I’m wary of "high performance" and home-brewed ammunition that show extraordinary performance under staged conditions.
FWIW: One would think a .50 caliber Barrett would be the ideal combat weapon in any encounter. Not so, according to tests done by the TV show Myth Busters.
If an enemy dives under water, using a muzzle loader from the Civil War is a greater threat to that individual than a .50 caliber Barrett. The .50 caliber rounds hit the water at such speed that the water acts like a solid. The slower moving muzzle loaders penetrate much further in the water.
To sum up, there is no ideal cartridge, there is no ideal caliber and there is no ideal gun. For a close range self-defense pistol, I think we do okay.
The most important thing in any defense pistol is that the pistol go bang when the trigger is pulled each time it is pulled. Ammo choice is secondary.
My advice on ammo: Always go with the ammo that works most reliably over the ammo that impresses in staged tests.
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http://www.seecamp.com/faq.htm#Hollow Points
Why hollow points?
Whether hollow point bullets expand or not, there is still a hollow point shock value advantage.
When shooting hollow point ammunition, air becomes trapped and compressed inside the cup as the bullet speeds through the air. This pressure exerts itself outwardly against the side walls of the cup. If enough of it were present, the cup would expand or explode on the way to the target.
Simultaneously, there is a far more moderate degree of inward pressure on the cup created by the outside bullet taper. The discrepancy in pressure exists because the air on the outside of the cup is allowed to pass while the air on the inside is trapped.
The bigger the cup and the smaller the outside taper, the greater is the force for explosion versus the force for implosion.
Soft bullet material, a thin walled cup, a cup weakened through expansion cuts or an aerodynamically streamlined cup to reduce the implosion force, all encourage bullet expansion or explosion ~ as also does increased bullet speed.
Greater bullet speed means a greater tendency for expansion or explosion. From a practical point of view, there is an upper limit to the benefit of bullet speed. There is a point at which increased bullet speed offers no benefits or even a negative benefit in stopping power ~ for example, a light weight bullet that disintegrates on impact.
Expansion or explosion work against penetration. Bullet penetration is reduced by expansion and even more so by explosion.
When a hollow point bullet hits the target it can do a number of things depending largely on the medium it hits.
Ideally, the hollow point bullet hits soft tissue and the compressed air/tissue inside the cup cause the bullet to expand. Along with this, with or without expansion, comes an increased temporary wound cavity. Trapped air/tissue inside the cup and the aerodynamics of the cup create a larger temporary wound cavity than is created by a streamlined ball bullet. Wadcutters have been shown to be more effective as man stoppers than ball. Their aerodynamics tend to create a bigger temporary wound channel.
Traditional hollow points have only minimal if any expansion on hitting denim clothed ballistic gelatin. This is a good thing because it means if the assailant is wearing heavy clothing, penetration is increased. The downside is reduced or no expansion.
With this increased penetration and non-expansion, however, there is still an increased temporary wound channel. Just because a hollow point bullet fails to expand does not mean it is less effective than a ball bullet.
Air blowers are equipped with safety nozzles because air hoses are dangerous and can kill people. Workers have thought it funny to goose someone with an air hose and have blown co-worker’s intestines apart. The stopping power value of trapped air/tissue in a hollow point should not be underestimated, even when the bullet does not expand.
Expansion, with traditional hollow points, is most on unclothed gelatin. This is good ~ there is penetration with heavy clothing and expansion with light clothing.
I recommend traditional hollow point ammunition ~ Gold Dot, Hydra Shok, Hornady, Silver Tips. I’m wary of "high performance" and home-brewed ammunition that show extraordinary performance under staged conditions.
FWIW: One would think a .50 caliber Barrett would be the ideal combat weapon in any encounter. Not so, according to tests done by the TV show Myth Busters.
If an enemy dives under water, using a muzzle loader from the Civil War is a greater threat to that individual than a .50 caliber Barrett. The .50 caliber rounds hit the water at such speed that the water acts like a solid. The slower moving muzzle loaders penetrate much further in the water.
To sum up, there is no ideal cartridge, there is no ideal caliber and there is no ideal gun. For a close range self-defense pistol, I think we do okay.
The most important thing in any defense pistol is that the pistol go bang when the trigger is pulled each time it is pulled. Ammo choice is secondary.
My advice on ammo: Always go with the ammo that works most reliably over the ammo that impresses in staged tests.
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