Ran across this the other day:
http://www.brassfetcher.com/9x19mm JHP Performance through Bone Simulant plates and Gelatin.pdf
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Here is the "Summary" with emphasis added by me:
Of the six brands tested, four of the six ammunition types failed to expand in the bone plate/gelatin target. The Cor-Bon 115gr +P DPX and Federal 105gr EFMJ projectiles performed effectively, by functioning similarly through the bone plate as they did in bare gelatin...
The wounding mechanism of a jacketed hollowpoint is the crushing of tissue through bullet expansion. Failing this, the lethality of a JHP is oftentimes lower than a full metal jacket which wounds through tumbling. FMJ bullet shapes lend themselves more readily to tumbling than a JHP that failed to expand – though many of the unexpanded JHPs did tumble, it was far too deep into the track to have influenced the lethality of the bullet to any extent.
We recommend using the Cor-Bon 115gr +P DPX and Federal 105gr EFMJ if bullet expansion after a bone hit is a priority. It should be said that the human body consists of many different bones, with shapes other than flat, so these results should be considered as generally indicative of the performance that you can expect in an actual target. In any event, the bullets that failed in these tests will not perform better against living bone.
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It should be noted that the DPX did not get to the FBI desired level of 15 inches penetration after going through the bone simulant, though it did expand. It did meet the minimum of 12 inches.
The 105 gr EFMJ (which I consider too light) did not get to the minimum of 12 inches in any of these test shots, so I personally disagree with the author's recommendation with regard to that load. I do carry the 124 gr +P EFMJ, though it seems impossible to find any more of it.
These results do make you wonder about "premium" (and expensive) JHPs.
Do the folks here agree that FMJ rounds are more apt to tumble (and sooner in the wound track) than unexpanded JHPs?
ETA - Most folks say that "a JHP that fails to expand acts just like a FMJ, so what do you have to lose by using JHPs?" But - if what the authors say is true, you would actually be better off with FMJ (that tumbles) than an unexpanded JHP.
I'm curious if these results match the real-world experience from those with medical trauma and/or handgun hunting experience.
http://www.brassfetcher.com/9x19mm JHP Performance through Bone Simulant plates and Gelatin.pdf
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is the "Summary" with emphasis added by me:
Of the six brands tested, four of the six ammunition types failed to expand in the bone plate/gelatin target. The Cor-Bon 115gr +P DPX and Federal 105gr EFMJ projectiles performed effectively, by functioning similarly through the bone plate as they did in bare gelatin...
The wounding mechanism of a jacketed hollowpoint is the crushing of tissue through bullet expansion. Failing this, the lethality of a JHP is oftentimes lower than a full metal jacket which wounds through tumbling. FMJ bullet shapes lend themselves more readily to tumbling than a JHP that failed to expand – though many of the unexpanded JHPs did tumble, it was far too deep into the track to have influenced the lethality of the bullet to any extent.
We recommend using the Cor-Bon 115gr +P DPX and Federal 105gr EFMJ if bullet expansion after a bone hit is a priority. It should be said that the human body consists of many different bones, with shapes other than flat, so these results should be considered as generally indicative of the performance that you can expect in an actual target. In any event, the bullets that failed in these tests will not perform better against living bone.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It should be noted that the DPX did not get to the FBI desired level of 15 inches penetration after going through the bone simulant, though it did expand. It did meet the minimum of 12 inches.
The 105 gr EFMJ (which I consider too light) did not get to the minimum of 12 inches in any of these test shots, so I personally disagree with the author's recommendation with regard to that load. I do carry the 124 gr +P EFMJ, though it seems impossible to find any more of it.
These results do make you wonder about "premium" (and expensive) JHPs.
Do the folks here agree that FMJ rounds are more apt to tumble (and sooner in the wound track) than unexpanded JHPs?
ETA - Most folks say that "a JHP that fails to expand acts just like a FMJ, so what do you have to lose by using JHPs?" But - if what the authors say is true, you would actually be better off with FMJ (that tumbles) than an unexpanded JHP.
I'm curious if these results match the real-world experience from those with medical trauma and/or handgun hunting experience.