40 caliber JHP test

[Springfield XD40 Man]

Hey guy's, I fired one of my 155 grain 40 caliber JHP's into 4 (1) gallon water jugs. The bullet penetrated 3 jugs and was stopped in the 4th. I fired the round from 10 feet. The first two water jugs were completely blown off the table, lol, I got showered with some water. Here's the results. I'd say this is a pretty good performing bullet.

 

[slystad810]

What kind of ammo was used?

 

[dsk]

Water jugs make a great baseline test medium. However you also need to try to challenge the bullet by draping layers of old clothing over the first jug (including padded material), and adding hardwood dowels inside the jugs to simulate bone. You'd be surprised how many bullets will plug up and "turn hardball", take a wild detour, or even come to a stop in the second jug.

 

[TacticalDefense1911]

I'll take information about bullets pulled out of people over water jugs any day.

 

[RobRocket]

Nice test and great shots of the results! Cool.

 

[Springfield XD40 Man]

The ammo is from a company you probably have not heard of. Its called venator velox and its loaded in Cheyenne Wyoming, apparently they are an independent ballistics lab. The box says "engineered for maximum performance". I've had this stuff sitting in my basement for several years, finally decided to give it a test.

 

[dsk]

I'll take information about bullets pulled out of people over water jugs any day.

So would I, except for the fact that no two real-life shootings are even close to being alike. The variables are literally infinite. I'm aware of a man who died from being "shot" with a blank-firing pistol, and also of a guy who soaked up 30 rounds of 9mm before he finally fell. In the former case a convenience store employee thought the gun was real, and when it was fired at him he went into traumatic shock. The second case was one Mas Ayoob once wrote about. So unfortunately there's little we can learn from real-life encounters unless there's enough of them to reduce the margin of error somewhat. Unfortunately most shootings on file involving any specific caliber, brand, and style of bullet number in the dozens, if that. So while I applaud the efforts of ballisticians, investigators, gunwriters, manufacturers and other folk to improve defensive ammo, I for one am not holding out hope of finding the "ultimate" handgun round. In the past I tested ammo myself using the methods I described above, just to find out what would usually expand regardless of conditions or obstacles, and I witnessed some real eye-openers. For example I discovered some brands of .45ACP wouldn't expand at all from short barrels or if it went through clothing. When I found one that would likely expand at least a little bit no matter what (Federal Hydra-Shok) I decided to go with it as my preferred round.

 

[TacticalDefense1911]

Marshall's new criteria for what a "stop" is.

1) All examples are single bullet wounds to the torso
2) The BG was unable to return fire
3) If the BG began running away they made it no further than 10 feet.

I'll take those results even with the multitude of variables. The goal is to keep the other guy from shooting at you. Yes, there are problems with street results but they do give you a general idea of what works well on the street. Take these results and ballistics results done in gelatin, barrier tests, etc., and compare them to your criteria for selecting a particular load. Then choose what works for you. Bottom line, be confident in what you use and make sure it works in your gun.

I'm sorry to have mocked the water jugs, it is good fun, but I do not believe I would base my selection of defense ammo on it.