thanks for the reply. Ive seen way too many "expansion" tests that look amazing in water, but the human body isn't just one substance. There's bone, muscle, and organs stuffed in there. Ive heard different views also. Im somewhat new to OCing, been almost a year since i turned 18. A lot of people like JHP's and HP's because of the fear of overpenetration, but overpenetration means the bullet can exit and hit someone down the street. Those stories are pretty rare though. I like the idea of "poke the biggest hole, with the heaviest bullet." More blood out, more air in. But the 9mm fan club doesnt like that idea haha.
Indeed.
A lot of hype IS trumped up on JHPs vs. lead/and or/FMJs and such. Of the JHP's Ive tried and test for myself, the Gold Dots typically worked
consistently as advertised- giving a decent balance between penetration/expansion with out disintegrating into a hundred peices, or shedding off 2/3 of their weight in jacketing (non-bounded JHPs).
But ya, those tests are in water/gel, etc. Clothed, or not. And yes, people certainly are not made of either, usually arent naked, and usually have all manner of crap in their pockets, on their belts and so forth-all through which rounds often have to pass through-before even hitting the person him/herself.
And then there's the person (s) being shot- there are so many variables there, alone. Not everyone is the same wieght/ muscle -content/ build, etc.
The other thing is- JHPs are 50/50 at best- when they fail to expand as advertise-they act almost just like the same round in FMJ/Lead - when they DO expand as advertised- sometimes they do so TOO well-resulting in not penetrating
deep enough.
So, my own, personal, sollution? I split the difference- I load .45 with alternating loads - 230 GDHP/230 TMJ/230 GDHP/230 TMJ , etc.
for about the 1st 4 rounds in my magazines, the remaining 8 are just TMJ. This way, fire a double-tap, you are sending one of each type down-range.
Consider the more typical load-out (mostly used by 9mm/.40 victims...err users) of loading out the whole magazine with Brand X JHPs.-
How effective is possibly firing 12-16 rounds of JHPs that work properly- but only penetrate 5 or 6 inches (vs. the 12" minimum standard) ?
After John Q Victim has emptied his mag into the BG, and BG is still coming at him.....not a pleasant thought.. (and happens a lot more often than any marketing dept. for any ammo manufacturer want you to know about).