Handgun Wounding Factors and Effectiveness

[Longitude Zero]

Two Words...Shot Placement. In general a 22LR to the head is more deadly than a 44Mag to the foot. Unless you disconnect the brain form the body aka spine shot the mechanism of death is exsanguination. So the larger the diameter and/or the more bleeding the bullet causes the better. Dr. Martin Fackler of the International Wound Ballistics Group debunked the "temporary wound cavity" theory decades ago. Unless tissue is actual touched by the bullet and its castoffs aka fragments the "shock" of the bullets passage is negligible in causing incapacitation.

[SlowBurn]

Even prior to, and therefore more important than, shot placement is the first rule of gun fighting.

I love my old Glock 17 (Gen2) and it would be great to have, with 2 loaded mags, when trouble comes. If I was a leo or security whose job is to run towards trouble, that's what I'd chose on my belt.

But I'm not, and that's just not going to happen. Its usually in my vehicle. By carrying a pocket gun, in my mind I'm doing better now than I did just having a G17 in the car. The P380 is no wmd, but I've watched and read enough accounts where somebody saved the day with a little gun to know its not useless either. It doesn't have the highest velocity, or capacity. But I am getting better at shot placement.

I want to mention, because you never hear this, that I'm very grateful to all of you who carry. I feel better knowing that there are responsible armed people out there. Thanks

[muggsy]

A large slow moving bullet disrupts more tissue and penetrates deeper than a high speed projectile that expands. If I was in a fight for my life I would want to be carrying a double stack .45 automatic. Unfortunately, full size double stack .45 automatic pistols are a bit hard to conceal. Life is full of compromises, so I carry a CM9 and back it up with a P380.

[Barth]

I'm a big believer in any service caliber gun with quality HP ammo can serve you well.
It's more important to be comfortable and proficient with the platform and caliber you carry.
Your worst day at the range is likely going to be much better than how you'll shoot in a defensive situation.
Adrenalin dump, shaking hands and tunnel vision is no fun.
Not that I know anything about that...

[TheLastDaze]

old, lazy, out of shape? Huh, ya talkin to me? Hehehehe, " point at the belt buckle and muzzle raise will take care of the rest".
Start off about 6-8" below the buckle(pelvis and hip bones) (downward shots help with rule #4). Let the gun help you work your way up. After reading accounts of defense shootings, rounds fired to stop the threat, it seems like high capacity is the way to go.
(earlier this past spring, 4 thugs jumped a guy and his girlfriend in the park at night, the guy identified himself as a cop as he was drawing his pistol and began firing, he stopped firing after he had loaded the 3rd magazine. Cop and girlfriend are ok, thugs not good. Sounds like a glock17 can do a decent impersonation of a glock18.)

outstanding !!!!!!

[muggsy]

A lot is made of the stretch cavity caused by hollow point bullet in ballistic gel. While impressive stretch cavities are usually confined to the first two or thee inches in a block of ballistic gel. That same tearing does not occur in human or tissue. Human tissue stretches rather than tears. Most the vital organs are well beyond the first two or three inches unless you shoot the person in the head or back.

[yqtszhj]

The Colonel always says shoot em in the face. Since he likes those .45s thats gonna be ugly.