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Hollow points or FMJ rounds?

YoZUpZ

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UtahJarhead wrote:
I carry a .380 and I've been told by multiple people (not just schmoe's on the street) that JHP in .380 is pointless, especially in heavier clothing weather. There's not enough force behind a .380 to mushroom the bullet in JHP so all it does is collect fabric from passing through the material and using a large amount of energy just passing through the clothing that it wouldn't lose with FMJ. It's a pretty overwhelming consensus that some rounds (.380 in particular) should always be FMJ. You're NOT going to overpenetrate with a .380! Well, maybe if it's Calista Flockhart mugging you...

Having said that, I did a little research of my own (a Google search!) and found this:

http://www.ktrange.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=1523

Again, this is just the .380 I'm speaking about. However, with the lack of energy in a .380 round, perhaps there really is some legitimate debate. Does anybody think that thicker clothing (winter time) would prevent a JHP .380 round from doing its duty and stopping the threat?

To the OP: What caliber are you inquiring about?

I use FMJ in my .380, and use JHP in all other handguns :dude:
 

Aaron1124

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Master Doug Huffman wrote:
The precepts of gun safety - ALL OF THEM - are LOADED, MUZZLE, TRIGGER & TARGET.

LOADED - all guns are LOADED until they are not.

MUZZLE - cover with the MUZZLE only that which would be destroyed.

TRIGGER - keep your finger off the TRIGGER. Keep YOUR finger off the TRIGGER.

TARGET - know your TARGET and what is beyond.
I think the knowing what is beyond your target is the most difficult one for many people, especially when put in the heat of the moment, and faced with imminent danger. I guarantee a lot of people aren't going to be immediately concerned with who or what is behind their target if they truly feel they're about to be seriously hurt or killed. Not really sure how a person would train for that sort of thing.
 

eye95

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Aaron1124 wrote:
Master Doug Huffman wrote:
The precepts of gun safety - ALL OF THEM - are LOADED, MUZZLE, TRIGGER & TARGET.

LOADED - all guns are LOADED until they are not.

MUZZLE - cover with the MUZZLE only that which would be destroyed.

TRIGGER - keep your finger off the TRIGGER. Keep YOUR finger off the TRIGGER.

TARGET - know your TARGET and what is beyond.
I think the knowing what is beyond your target is the most difficult one for many people, especially when put in the heat of the moment, and faced with imminent danger. I guarantee a lot of people aren't going to be immediately concerned with who or what is behind their target if they truly feel they're about to be seriously hurt or killed. Not really sure how a person would train for that sort of thing.
Excellent points. The best way to protect what is beyond the target is to hit the target--and to do so with ammo that won't through-and-through.
 

Matt85

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for OC i use a CZ SP-01 loaded with 124gr 9mm GDHP and for a CCW i use a KEL-TEC P3AT loaded with standard90-95gr .380 FMJ.

i have heard the .380 JHP round has issues due to rapid loss of energy. but, the .380/.32/.22 FMJhave a very long history of being effective killing rounds. the .380 and .32 FMJ rounds were thestandard for law enforcement throughout europe for a long time.

we would all prefer the most powerfull cartridge in a self-defence situation, but dont say the small cartridges are "useless". a .22 can make the "bad guy" just as dead as a .45, it just requires better shot placement or more shots.

-matt
 

GLOCK21GB

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Matt85 wrote:
for OC i use a CZ SP-01 loaded with 124gr 9mm GDHP and for a CCW i use a KEL-TEC P3AT loaded with standard90-95gr .380 FMJ.

i have heard the .380 JHP round has issues due to rapid loss of energy. but, the .380/.32/.22 FMJhave a very long history of being effective killing rounds. the .380 and .32 FMJ rounds were thestandard for law enforcement throughout europe for a long time.

we would all prefer the most powerfull cartridge in a self-defence situation, but dont say the small cartridges are "useless". a .22 can make the "bad guy" just as dead as a .45, it just requires better shot placement or more shots.

-matt
ok, the 380 is not useless , just overwhelmingly under powered for a life or death self defense situation..if your going to carry a weapon for self defense, carry one that fires a round that you can bet your life on it's ability to put down a person in one or 2 shots......with a 380 you might have to reload 2 or 3 times before the guy falls down.
115grain 9mm +P Hollow Points, Minimum for self defense....
 

Deanimator

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Matt85 wrote:
i have heard the .380 JHP round has issues due to rapid loss of energy. but, the .380/.32/.22 FMJhave a very long history of being effective killing rounds.
Don't confuse "killing" and "stopping".

If somebody is doing something that makes me feel that I need to shoot them, I want them to stop doing whatever that is IMMEDIATELY. I don't care whether they die or not. I care whether they're able to kill ME. If they're incapacitated and don't die, I'm giddy. If they kill me and then die in the hospital a week later, I might just as well have not bothered.

I want to be protected, not avenged.
 

bigdaddy1

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According to some recently disclosed CIA training documents, if you press a low power pistol (such as the 380, .25 etc) right behind the ear, just below the skull, the concussion of the shot will do more damage than the projectile. This also renders the shot virtually silent.
 

GLOCK21GB

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cabbitone wrote:
bigdaddy1 wrote:
According to some recently disclosed CIA training documents, if you press a low power pistol (such as the 380, .25 etc) right behind the ear, just below the skull, the concussion of the shot will do more damage than the projectile. This also renders the shot virtually silent.

Good...to know.... :shock:
AND THEY TURN OFF LIKE A LIGHT BULB, TOO.:) That is called Mob Style, the Mafia did this a lot back in the day....might still be the preferred method...
 

Thoreau

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HP all the way. Speer Gold Dot's in 180gr .40 and 115gr in 9mm.

Luckily, AZ doesn't really require as much concern over heavy winter clothing getting in the way, it's (for all intents and purposes) summer year round.
 

Hollowpoint38

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Deanimator wrote:
Matt85 wrote:
i have heard the .380 JHP round has issues due to rapid loss of energy. but, the .380/.32/.22 FMJhave a very long history of being effective killing rounds.
Don't confuse "killing" and "stopping".

If somebody is doing something that makes me feel that I need to shoot them, I want them to stop doing whatever that is IMMEDIATELY. I don't care whether they die or not. I care whether they're able to kill ME. If they're incapacitated and don't die, I'm giddy. If they kill me and then die in the hospital a week later, I might just as well have not bothered.

I want to be protected, not avenged.
Exactly! I like your point! I carry Hollowpoints in my weapon and FMJ in my extra magazine. Why? IDK. WHy not? Life or death situation and the BG is shooting from a car and my hollowpoints don't make it through. I have a full magazine of FMJ that might do the trick! BOOYA!
 

UtahJarhead

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I prefer the 4 rules laid out like this, perhaps it's because I'm used to them. :)

d. The four weapons safety rules are:
(1) Treat every weapon as if it were loaded.
(2) Never point your weapon at anything you do not intend to shoot.
(3) Keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you are ready to fire.
(4) Keep your weapon on “safe” until you are ready to fire.

(Taken from the US Marine Corps range safety guide at: http://www.pendleton.usmc.mil/base/safety/Pocket385631.pdf )

The only 'difference' between these rules and the ones above are rule #2. If you are pointing your gun and someone's behind your target, you're also pointing it at that second person.
 

UtahJarhead

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Lots of anecdotal evidence for the .380 (and a few other calibers as well). I think the .380 is actually a good discussion point for this thread because by many it's considered the first REAL round that should be used for self defense. That indicates if a .380 can do something, any other gun should be able to as well.

http://forums.officer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=128532

They're actually civil when not trying to kill OC'ers!
 

vegasche1023

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Sabotage70 wrote:
HP's release all the energy in the body. FMJ can and will pass through the body still holding on to some of it's energy. And by passing through the body, puts innocent bystanders at risk. HP's will create a larger wound track thus inflecting more damage and having a greater "knock down" power.

ETA: I carry Speer Gold Dot. Rumor has it, that's what the local LEO's carry.

I have a few Metro buddies that carry Winchester Ranger T-series. Since they supply their own firearm they have a list of authorized firearms and ammo.
 

buster81

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Aug 25, 2008
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Richmond, Virginia, USA
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Deanimator wrote:
Matt85 wrote:
i have heard the .380 JHP round has issues due to rapid loss of energy. but, the .380/.32/.22 FMJhave a very long history of being effective killing rounds.
Don't confuse "killing" and "stopping".

If somebody is doing something that makes me feel that I need to shoot them, I want them to stop doing whatever that is IMMEDIATELY. I don't care whether they die or not. I care whether they're able to kill ME. If they're incapacitated and don't die, I'm giddy. If they kill me and then die in the hospital a week later, I might just as well have not bothered.

I want to be protected, not avenged.
+1
 

George Mann

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Colorado Springs, CO
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buster81 wrote:
Deanimator wrote:
Matt85 wrote:
i have heard the .380 JHP round has issues due to rapid loss of energy. but, the .380/.32/.22 FMJhave a very long history of being effective killing rounds.
Don't confuse "killing" and "stopping".

If somebody is doing something that makes me feel that I need to shoot them, I want them to stop doing whatever that is IMMEDIATELY. I don't care whether they die or not. I care whether they're able to kill ME. If they're incapacitated and don't die, I'm giddy. If they kill me and then die in the hospital a week later, I might just as well have not bothered.

I want to be protected, not avenged.
+1
That's why I carry a .45!:cool:
 
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