Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Carry Ammo

Another fantastic podcast from the Proarms crew! This one is on carry ammo! Listen and be amazed.

Andy

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's a good pod cast. For those that need more proof that HPs are the way to go, out of the gun digest book of concealed carry during 1995 and 1996 NYPD hit 15 bystanders with FMJ ammunition. 8 were direct hits, 5 were hits where the fmj passed through someone else and 2 where the fmj passed through an object first.
In the same period 44 officers were struck by fmj from their fellow officers. 21 were hit directly, 2 were from ricochet and 17 were struck by bullets that passed through other people.
Even if you have a finicky pistol, there's an HP out there that will feed it.
adam s

Anonymous said...

I think these folks are looking for the "magic bullet". Ball ammo has its uses and I know several knowledgeable gunmen who carry ball only in their semiautos! While JHPs have come a long, long way from the early Super Vels, they are not an absolute requirement. Plus all this mess about 357 SIG v. 40 S&W is silly. Handguns are just not that powerful and the difference between calibers is marginal at best. Your choices are fast and light or slow and heavy - pick one!

Premium JHP ammo should be tested and employed for self defense before carry. And, while the LE agencies spend lots of time and money evaluating the "best" ammo, unless you are in police service, your needs may be different. You are not required to use +P+ to penetrate automobiles. And if you use +P ammo, you need to evaluate your ability to control it and properly place your shots as well as function in your carry gun.

There is a lot of nice personal defense ammo on the market today that may well be superior for CCW use. You want sealed primers, nickel plated cases, a good performing JHP, low muzzle flash powder and complete reliability in your pistol.

Remember Rule 4: Be sure of your target and what is behind it! STA

Anonymous said...

STA...did the folks that you mentioned who carried FMJ only in their autos say why? Also, do you know what platforms. I've heard that GI grade 1911's and browning HPs might have issues with HPs.
adam s

Glock26idpa said...

In response to Adam S's questions to STA, I imagine they want penetration!

I won't start the 1911 issue other than to say some were not designed for hollow points. Anybody know when the first hollowpoint design came about? Did the podcast mention the 60's?

Andy

Anonymous said...

Can't remember what the podcast said but I believe that I have read that Super Vels came out in the 60's like you said Andy. Hydra Shoks, Silvertips and the other ammo maker's standard HP loads came out in the 70s and early 80s. The 38 spec 158gr +P LSWCHP in the mid 70s.
adam s

Anonymous said...

Adam/Andy: Older semiautos, and the guys who operate them, were designed for ball ammo. Many people simply lack confidence in reliable feeding of JHPs. Walther PPK/s are a good example of this. The gun was designed in the late 20's/ early 30's to function with ball. They do not operate well with JHPs. M1911s and BHP-35s are examples of this. In my experience it is not penetration per se that they give as a reason but reliability. I am thinking of my Guru Clint who said he carried ball in his 1911s. I noted a shift to JHPs when he began to use the XD 45s.