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From: ke4zv!gary@gatech.edu (Gary Coffman)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re: Reloading questions: 40 S&W and 45 ACP
Message-ID: <35659@mimsy.umd.edu>
Date: 14 Jun 91 20:05:46 GMT
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In article <35507@mimsy.umd.edu> boyd@mailer.cc.fsu.edu (Mickey Boyd) writes:
#
#I was swayed from the "9mm" school of thought to the "45ACP" school of   
#thought when someone pointed the following out to me.  I was carrying a 
#CZ-75 loaded with HydroShoks, when a buddy of mine pointed out to me that 
#if I managed to aim just right, and the bullet doesn't hit bone and close 
#up, and the bullet doesn't hit a soft spot and overpenetrate, and if the 
#consistancy of whatever it does hit encourages expansion, if all of these
#things happen just right my bullet just might  expand to about .45" in 
#diameter!  Well heck, why not start there and make expansion optional?  Note 
#that Jeff Cooper (who certainly knows what is up when it comes to guns and 
#terminal performance) carries flat point hardball ammo in his .45, because 
#he feels that the frontal area of the bullet is already big enough.  Another 
#thing that "converted" me was the realization that in all probability 
#those extra rounds that the 9mm round allowed me (in my gun) would not 
#do me any good if I did not have time for more than one shot.  Your first 
#is the most important, and has the best chance of hitting the target both 
#in terms of time and "stress shock".   

I've seen a man drop stone cold dead from a single .22 round. I've seen
a man with 5 .45 slugs in him badly maul 6 police officers. The variability
of human response to penetrating wounds is so extreme that the question of
9mm vs .45 seems moot. High velocity rounds do seem to cause a momentary
stun effect that may allow you time to deliver a well placed followup
shot. Unless you are the assailant, you rarely have the luxury of a
well aimed first shot. Your first shot is likely designed to get the
assailant's head down and stop him from shooting at you *again*. Your
mileage may vary.

Gary