Self-Defense Bullet Selection Criteria

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147 Grain

New member
When it comes to self-defense and preservation, everyone naturally wants more odds in their favor. After proper training and shot placement, understanding a few basic principles surrounding bullet construction and choice of caliber (within reason) are important as well.

When selecting ammo for self-defense, please consider these basic principles:

1. Heavy for caliber UNbonded hollow-point (HP) bullets generally outperform their lighter-weight counterparts (across the board) in Gelatin, 4-Ply Denim, Heavy Cloth, Wallboard, Glass, and Metal, with only a few exceptions. Example: 9mm = 147-gr. unbonded HP / 40 S&W = 180-gr. unbonded HP / 45 ACP = 230-gr. unbonded HP. Plus P (+P) loads at 50 – 75 fps higher velocity typically perform better than standard pressure loads with the same bullet.

2. Exception #1: Mid-weight BONDED bullets need to be driven at faster (+P) velocities in order to perform well in all-around testing through various media. UNbonded mid-weight bullets (at regular or +P velocities) are typically outperformed by most heavy for caliber loads. Example of mid-weight BONDED loads: 9mm = 124-gr. +P / 40 S&W = 165-gr. +P / 45 ACP = 200-gr. +P.

3. Exception #2: Lead-free all copper JHP’s (Jacketed Hollow Points) are lightweight in nature and in comparison to regular HP’s, their make-up in volume is longer than the weight of a regular HP bullet. Hence, a medium weight copper JHP might have a similar overall length to a regular heavy for caliber HP. Barnes makes XPB and LE Tac-XP (Law Enforcement Tactical) copper bullets in most calibers and manufactures are jumping on the band wagon using copper JHP’s that are very effective when driven at higher (+P) velocities.

4. Most self-defense situations will require a bullet that penetrates deeper than imagined in order to reach the vitals! Bad guys (BG’s) typically will be moving and your selected HP load may have to penetrate at LONGER odd-angles than imagined in order to reach the vitals. (They won’t hold still for you like a B-27 target at the range will.) Furthermore, during stressful situations, it is often necessary for a bullet to have to (first) go through an extremity before even penetrating the upper chest cavity (e.g. hand, arm, shoulder, neck, leg, thigh, ribs, bones, and etc…)! Because of these factors, selecting a bullet that comes close to meeting or exceeding the FBI protocol of 12" minimum penetration is preferred in order to ensure full penetration.

Note: If your favorite handgun load typically struggles to reach 11" - 12" of penetration into Gel, 4-Ply Denim, or Heavy Cloth, consider upgrading to a heavy duty bonded HP, hardcast wadcutter, or use FMJ.

5. After shot placement into the upper Thoracic (Sniper's) Triangle area, penetration is the key to putting more odds in your favor. Good expansion characteristics is a plus and this (along with penetration) makes for a good choice in BALANCED self-defense ammo.
 
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Webleymkv

New member
I have a pretty simple process for selecting a self-defense loading. I simply look for these three qualities in the following order: adequate penetration (12" minimum), reliable expansion, kinetic energy.

As an example, when comparing say the Winchester Ranger 147grn T-Series to the Winchester Ranger 127grn +P+ T- Series, I will opt for the 127grn loading because while both loadings display adequate penetration and reliable expansion, the 127grn loading has more kinetic energy (a factor that, while not the be-all-end-all of terminal ballistics, still should not be completely ignored). However, when comparing say Cor-Bon's 90grn JHP to Cor-Bon's 125grn JHP, I'll take the 125grn loading because the 90grn displays undewhelming penetration despite it's higher kinetic energy.
 
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147 Grain

New member
When it comes to self-preservation, the bottom line is will the bullet perform with sufficient penetration through the vitals in order to maximize wound trauma as it causes rapid (fatal) hemorrhage that quickly deprives the brain of oxygenated blood needed to maintain consciousness. Expansion is a plus and you should not care about the kinetic energy of a bullet if it does the job performance wise.

In handgun cartridges for SD, kinetic energy doesn't matter much and one should not place such a high priority on it. Shot placement and plenty of practice with a reliable weapon is the key. Next is choice of bullet and its construction. Then choice of caliber (within reason) is the last priority.
 
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jmortimer

Moderator
Since I live in the middle of no-where and I like non-expanding bullets with the largest possible meplat, I want at least two feet in penetration in ballistic gelatin. My goal is two holes, one in and one out. This is a perfect example, a standard presssure full profile 150 grain hard cast wad cutter that will shoot though any man at only 900 fps from a 1 7/8" barrel J Frame. The maximum meplat is devestating. http://www.brassfetcher.com/Buffalo...r standard pressure Hard Cast Wad Cutter.html Bottom line for me is big slow bullets with maximum meplats that will shoot through the target. Low recoil, maximum penetration, and accuracy.
 
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AZAK

New member
147 Grain states:
Because of these factors, selecting a bullet that comes close to meeting or exceeding the FBI protocol of 12" minimum penetration is preferred in order to ensure full penetration.
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I am still amazed at how this is continually "misquoted". Some how the 12 inches has become the standard. Folks will argue till they are blue in the face about this caliber or that round or this bullet weight or construction, yet still site the "12 inch rule" as the basis on which their argument rests.

Here is the direct quote from:
HANDGUN WOUNDING
FACTORS
AND EFFECTIVENESS (page 11)
"It is essential to bear in mind that the single most critical factor remains penetration. While penetration up to 18 inches is preferable, a handgun bullet MUST reliably penetrate 12 inches of soft body tissue at a minimum, regardless of whether it expands or not."

Further:
THE FBI'S 10MM PISTOL
By JOHN C. HALL
Special Agent/Unit Chief
Firearms Training Unit
FBI Academy
Quantico, VA
"Nevertheless, in assessing the potential volume of wounds created by the test bullets, greater attention was given to the potential tissue displaced up to a depth of 18". For practical purposes, penetration beyond that range would most likely carry the bullet outside the body.

Averaging the volumetric results over all eight test events, the 10mm and .45 displaced similar volumes of tissue within the desirable penetration range of 18"-4.11 and 4.22 cubic inches respectively-©well beyond that displaced by the 9mm and .38-ªwhich respectively measured 2.82 and 2.16 cubic inches.

As an additional consideration, the 10mm was by far the most accurate round tested, consistently providing one hole 10©shot groups at 25 yards of less than an inch (0.77" average) with both handloaded and factory ammunition built to FBI specifications. By contrast, the 9mm averaged 2.3" and the .45 averaged 2"."

Call me crazy but I think that I want the "preferable/desireable 18 inches" as my minimum standard; then again, I like my brake pads to be not the "good" or the "better", I like the "best".
YMMV
 
B

Bartholomew Roberts

Moderator
OK, first let me say that I understand your point was basically that 18" was the preferred depth and that 12" is considered the minimum acceptable penetration by the FBI. However, one your quotes from the FBI study popped out at me and since it relates to criteria for self-defense bullet selection, I thought I would take that in a slightly different direction than the point you are making.

Averaging the volumetric results over all eight test events, the 10mm and .45 displaced similar volumes of tissue within the desirable penetration range of 18"-4.11 and 4.22 cubic inches respectively-©well beyond that displaced by the 9mm and .38-ªwhich respectively measured 2.82 and 2.16 cubic inches.
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It strikes me that there are some problems with assessing cartridges by comparing the average volumetric results over eight test events and 18" of penetration:

1. Not every shot is going to get 18" of penetration. By virtue of greater diameter, the .45 and 10mm will have greater volume; but on an unobstructed torso shot that penetrates 8" total, the volumetric difference between 9mm and .45 isn't going to be quite so dramatic.

2. As 147 Grain already noted, not all tissue is created equally. If 90% of the additional volumetric difference is in muscle tissue (and it will pretty much have to be on an 18" shot), then the actual difference in terms of dropping blood pressure rapidly is much less than the volumetric difference would suggest.

In short, twice the volumetric difference sounds impressive at first glance; but I am skeptical that this is going to yield twice the practical effect, or even 1.1x the practical effect.
 
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AZAK

New member
Not every shot is going to get 18" of penetration.
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If you have not already, I would consider reading the sited
FBI material, which includes:

"The following penetration results
indicate the number and percentage of rounds in each caliber that
met or exceeded the 12" minimum:

10mm - 39 shots out of 40 (97.5%)
.45 - 37 shots out of 40 (92.5%)
9mm - 27 shots out of 40 (67.5%)"

And here are listed the eight tests:

"FBI Standardized Ammunition Tests
Test 1 - Bare Gelatin @ 10 feet
Test 2 - Heavy Clothing @ 10 feet
Test 3 - 20 gauge Steel @ 10 feet
Test 4 - Wallboard @ 10 feet
Test 5 - Plywood @ 10 feet
Test 6 - Auto Windshield Glass @ 10 feet
Test 7 - Light Clothing @ 20 yards
Test 8 - Auto Glass @ 20 yards"

Regardless of what one makes of the reports and the information contained within, I believe that it is important that if one is going to use the "12 inch rule" as a standard that one might want to have read the material; this really does not take much time, the documents are relatively short.

I personally see a difference between 9mm, 45 auto, and 10mm auto; from these documents, my own experience, and other sources. I personally prefer to carry and shoot 45 auto and 10mm auto. My choice. YMMV
 
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Eagle0711

New member
Penetration is needed to get the bullet deep enough to get the job done.

Articles have appeared that claims that 45 ACP FMJ [ ball ] will go thru 2.5 human beings.

I saw a crime program on TV that showed a young man lying in a drive way shot with 45 ACP Ball. There was an x-ray that showed a bullet that entered the right chest and transvervesed to the left side of the chest and was still in the body. This young man was dead. He looked to be of small stature, say 150 lbs. So the overpenetration issue with 45 ball is INHO over rated.
 
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147 Grain

New member
Speaking of penetration being overrated, PD's aren't overly concerned about the small amount of energy left in a spent bullet and we don't hear a lot about the 87% - 91% of bullets that completely miss their intended targets.

While overpenetration is indeed a valid concern, it is typically blown out of proportion, with little attention given to proper shot placement in order to reduce the full-power of rounds that miss.

The public's perception of overpenetration is in essence, putting the cart before the horse.
 
B

Bartholomew Roberts

Moderator
If you have not already, I would consider reading the sited
FBI material, which includes:
Click to expand...

I've read the cited material, though it has been awhile. The report you cite is from 1989. It doesn't surprise me that many of the expanding 9mm rounds in 1989 failed to penetrate 18". I think you'd probably see different results comparing modern bullet designs.

Of course, that ignores my first point - which is that volumetric comparisons using displacement in 18" of ballistics gel are flawed because in a real person, an 18" wound track will be an outlier.
 
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AZAK

New member
Of course, that ignores my first point - which is that volumetric comparisons using displacement in 18" of ballistics gel are flawed because in a real person, an 18" wound track will be an outlier.
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I am curious on what you base this assumption. These specific tests (ballistic gelatin), and many similar since, are considered by many to be "the bar"/standard/media as it were.

I've read the cited material, though it has been awhile. The report you cite is from 1989. It doesn't surprise me that many of the expanding 9mm rounds in 1989 failed to penetrate 18". I think you'd probably see different results comparing modern bullet designs.
Click to expand...

I was merely responding to the OPs "misquote" from this report; stating "preferred" and twelve inches together. Of course bullet design has advanced in the past couple of decades; across the board/calibers.
 
B

Bartholomew Roberts

Moderator
I am curious on what you base this assumption.
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I base it on the average male torso being about 19" shoulder to shoulder and about 9" front to back. Given the different composition of human tissue (unlike ballistics gel), it kind of limits the opportunities for an 18" wound track.

As the study you are citing noted itself, there isn't much point in penetration past 18"; because in all probability, the bullet will exit the body after 18" - meaning that 18" wound tracks are an outlier - not the norm.
 
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Rampant_Colt

New member
The 12"-18" penetration requirement stems from the fact that the bullet may have to penetrate a bicep or forearm and/or multiple layers of heavy clothing first. If the bullet strikes a large bone like an elbow, it may potentially underpenetrate or not expand
 
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.357SIG

New member
Let's not split hairs about this rule of thumb. The idea is that the 12", or 18", (18 is probably better, since penetration in gel is consistent, but not so in the body) will generally ensure you will get enough penetration to hit the vitals in probably more than 95% of shootings. Unless you are firing at an angle so obtuse, you will strike the area intended with this penetration guideline. Overpenetration is much, much better than underpenetration, remember. Of course, you can hit the heart and other important organs with merely a couple of inches of penetration, so likely, you will never need to worry about it...even from the side or back. It's just saying "Hey, if you get something that penetrates 12-18" in gel, it will likely penetrate far enough in the body to hit whatever is being aimed at without falling short."

A big issue with penetration is it varies so much in the body. COM, where most of us aim, is essentially a bunch of air-filled space. The bones in the area are thin and weak (compared to others), and the muscle tissue is usually not massive. The only heavily-protected area is really the spine. Most shots in this area will have no problem reaching vitals.

I'm not taking a side on this issue, but saying it's not worth arguing about either way.
 
K

krazykeny

New member
Shot Placement

Shot Placement is the most important fact in a self defense shooting.
The only one shot stop is hitting the brain or the spine.
If you shoot a 200LB. man in the heart, He still has up to 20 sec. to kill you !

If I can justify shooting,then I can defend overpenatration.
Any bullet, or buckshot that penatrates enough to stop.
Also has the ability to overpenatrate,Or if you miss, to penatrate walls.

More people are killed by 22 long rifle, than any other bullet every year.
Even though a .22lr. has almost NO shock factor,The things do penatrate.

My .357 mag. snubnose is my "answer the door Gun".
I use .357 - 158 grain jacketed hollowpoints in it.
If I could buy 180, or 200 grain bullets at a local gunshop.
Then I would use them.

That allows me to get to my 12 ga. shotgun.
The pump shotgun has 12ga. 3"mag 000 buckshot.

If mine , or my family's life is in danger.
Then I want as close to possable "one shot" stop.
After all I might not get a second shot.



.
 
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riggins_83

New member
Penetration
Reliability of expansion in various materials
Reliability of expansion based on the barrel length of the gun and muzzle velocity
Overall quality of ammo (a lot of ammo out there I don't feel is consistent enough for SD).
Feed reliability in the gun its being used in. For example if I'm carrying a 1911 GI model that's really not designed to feed HPs I'll use expanding FMJ.
 
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WESHOOT2

New member
What's in a screen name?

Please continue to ignore the ever-growing acceptance and adoption of the 357 SIG.
And its anecdotal effectiveness.

Oddly, accomplished without benefit of heavy-for-caliber bullets; weird, huh?
 
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