Does anyone else keep different mags for carry and "in-house"?
I always carried hydrashoks, but at home I kept a mag topped with 3 or 4 Glasers.
Didn't want over-penetration in the house.
s346K,
You're concerned about overpenetration with a higher velocity, lower weight bullet, but I think you've got this backwards.
In the test results I have seen, the factor most related to increased penetration is sectional density - a function of mass vs. diameter. In the same caliber, a heavier bullet will have more sectional density and thus more penetration.
You are using a relatively lightweight bullet for .45, which should have relatively less penetration (all other things being equal).
That's why I have a shotgun in the house. For me, the handgun is the portable option, not the primary in-house option.
ok. so you're telling me the tests you've seen would verify that a 230g hp (for example) going 850fps is going to penetrate MORE than a 185g hp going 1200fps? i fail to see this logic, i'd like to read on this. where did you find this information? i will do some searching myself, also. do you recall seeing a point in which the speed of said bullet will trump the weight with regard to penetration?
i am afraid that a 185g hp bullet going 1200+/- fps out of my .45 will go through someone and into whatever; a wall, the dog, a shoe...but you're saying it's less likely to happen because of the bullet's weight, right? and my 850 fps 230g hp would be MORE likely...?
Shot 1 - 230gr Hydrashok. Impacted at 984 ft/sec, penetrated to 15.2" and was recovered at 0.607" average diameter.
I personally carry 115gr Hornady XTP (which is identical to the 115gr TAP-FPD, minus the black nickle coating on the brass.)
Buy something name brand... Federal, Speer, Winchester, Hornady, Cor-Bon, etc.
shoot at least two magazines worth of the chosen ammo through each magazine you intend to carry. (Then mark the magazines so you know which ones are "Carry Mags")
If everything runs without a hitch.... you found a good defensive ammo that will work with your gun. Guns like Glocks, HKs and Sigs generally aren't very picky about what you feed them.
Your Mileage may vary.
I've never heard of anything like that! Will using a mag for my particular carry ammo only shape the top of the mag just a tiny bit differently to avoid FTF or something? I'm curious now! I've got enough mag's I can do this for sure. lol
Shot 1 - 230gr Hydrashok. Impacted at 984 ft/sec, penetrated to 15.2" and was recovered at 0.607" average diameter.
Shot 2 - 165gr Hydrashok. Impacted at 1215 ft/sec, penetrated to 11.0" and was recovered at 0.585" average diameter.
Shot 3 - 230gr Hydrashok, overpenetration test. Impacted at 988 ft/sec, penetrated 7.2" of gelatin, two pieces of interior wallboard and 3.3" of gelatin block placed behind the 'interior wall'.
Shot 4 - 165gr Hydrashok, overpenetration test. Impacted at 1200 ft/sec, penetrated 7.2" of gelatin and was found between the second gelatin block and the 'interior wall'.
i see no pattern with weight and velocity...? am i missing something?
ok. so you're telling me the tests you've seen would verify that a 230g hp (for example) going 850fps is going to penetrate MORE than a 185g hp going 1200fps? i fail to see this logic, i'd like to read on this. where did you find this information? i will do some searching myself, also. do you recall seeing a point in which the speed of said bullet will trump the weight with regard to penetration?
i am afraid that a 185g hp bullet going 1200+/- fps out of my .45 will go through someone and into whatever; a wall, the dog, a shoe...but you're saying it's less likely to happen because of the bullet's weight, right? and my 850 fps 230g hp would be MORE likely...?
Consider the following 40 S&W loads (40 S&W bullet diameter is .401)
40 S&W 135 grain bullet at 1300 FPS
Energy: 506 ft/lbs
Momentum: 25.07
SD: .119
40 S&W 155 grain bullet at 1175 FPS
Energy: 475 ft/lbs
Momentum: 26.01
SD: .137
40 S&W 180 grain bullet at 1000 FPS
Energy: 399 ft/lbs
Momentum: 25.71
SD: .159
If you considered just the information printed on the box (the velocity and the energy) the 135 grain seems to be the clear winner, it is traveling faster with more energy than the other two loads, but once you calculate momentum and sectional density a different picture is painted.
Both the 155 and 180 grain loads have more momentum than the 135 grain load, and both have a higher sectional density meaning they should penetrate deeper and yield a better result.
Marking a carry mag means (to me at least) that I've tested the mag and know it works.
I actually stopped doing this a while back, because if a mag didn't work I tossed it. All my mags are carry mags.
Oh I thought he meant literally using mags for carry ammo only, then other mags for my cheap range ammo. Anytime a gun fails and it appears an old mag may be at fault, I toss it as well.
Really any modern, factory, hollow-point, self-defense ammo should do you just fine for carry.
I'm currently carrying 147gr. Federal HST 9mm.
In the past I've carried TAP, Gold Dots, Hydra-Shok, Silvertips-- they're all good and defensible in court.
Some years ago, I worked with a guy who would not carry a weapon with HP's of any kind. FMJ only. His reason for this was fear of legal repercussions a la lawsuit filed by the "victim" or family based on (in his words) excessive use of force.