Research Help: Penetration - Pistol vs. Rifle & Shotgun Slug

[OfficerObie59]

Hey guys,

I'm working on a project where I need a source to substantiate an argument that a handgun is relatively superior for self-defense due to it's likelihood not to overpenetrate to the degree a long gun will. I'm not looking to get into a debate as to what type of round (JHP vs. FMJ) would be better for this application--I'm just looking for a source to substantiate the point that GENERALLY long gun rounds are more powerful than their pistol counterparts and thus more likely to cause unintended collateral damage.

I've literally looked for hours on this topic, but outside of the interwebs, I don't have much of a firearms library to fall back on. I really need a published book source OR a source from a respected expert, such as Ayoob, and not some random dude with a blog. If some of you guy have books on reloading or ballistics, and the like would take a minute to look, I would be very grateful.

I know my motivations for advocating this distinction might sound suspect given the VP's recent comments and the arguments against using an AR for SD uses, but trust me--my intentions are good here.

If you have anything, please PM me.

Thanks,
Obes

 

[terraformer]

The Box O' Truth - Ammo Penetration Testing

 

[DrNVP]

The Presumptive Hazards of Over-Penetration - M4Carbine.net Forums

5.56 mm Duty Loads - M4Carbine.net Forums

Basic Wound Ballistic Terminal Performance Facts - M4Carbine.net Forums

Best Choices for Self Defense Ammo

DocGKR (Dr Gary Roberts) is a well known SME when it comes to terminal ballistics

 

[OfficerObie59]

The Box O' Truth - Ammo Penetration Testing

I saw that. It's pretty much what I'm looking for--except that I'm looking for it preferably in a published source, i.e., a book. The website will do as a last resort, but my request was hoping someone has something with a bit more credibility to the reader.

 

[OfficerObie59]

Best Choices for Self Defense Ammo

The above link is written in a scholarly enough manner that I should be able to use it.

However, again, if anyone has any sources in a published book, I'm still game.

DocGKR (Dr Gary Roberts) is a well known SME when it comes to terminal ballistics

Thank you for that info. I just might contact him.

 

[terraformer]

You have to realize that ballistics is a mostly unknown art, and not a scholarly art at that. Imagine being a professor who wants to study ballistics on a modern campus. Hence why so little information exists. It's mostly theoretical physics. Though we are entering a renaissance of gun making in this country right now, if the politics doesn't kill that renaissance before it blooms.

Most of the published information I have read about guns is bull shit repeated and regurgitated as fact by those with an agenda. If you use google books, you may find 100 year old tomes on the subject, some very informative, to help.

 

[bch1988]

Get a few different caliber guns, get some building materials and test it yourself . Honestly sounds like a fantastic weekend to me. You can make reasonably accurate ballistics gel from recipes online pretty cheap.

 

[DrNVP]

the key point DocGKR makes is that light and fast bullets (i.e. 5.56mm from an AR) are more likely to deform, yaw, and fragment thru interior walls than heavy and slow pistol bullets. Heavy and slow bullets are more likely to keep chugging through light barriers. As such, 5.56mm is a preferred round for interior use, especially when you take into account their other advantages (ability to defeat armor, recoil control, etc).

 

[Boghog1]

Check with the FBI, and Federal Ammunition I am willing to bet this is where you will find the most detailed information written in a somewhat scholarly format

 

[OfficerObie59]

Most of the published information I have read about guns is bull shit repeated and regurgitated as fact by those with an agenda.

Agreed. Probably the closet published thing I've found were forensic science books on ballistics.

- - - Updated - - -

Get a few different caliber guns, get some building materials and test it yourself . Honestly sounds like a fantastic weekend to me. You can make reasonably accurate ballistics gel from recipes online pretty cheap.

Yeah, it doesn't matter what I think because I'm arguing a position--not performing unbiased testing of a hypothesis. My testing would be suspect from the get go.

 

[Knuckle Dragger]

+1 Outstanding project, I'd like to see what you come up with. The NES crowd probably has some good information.

 

[[cerberus]]

You could always do your own testing and use news papers as a testing media. I am not sure if you can get day old news papers for free anywhere.

 

[MisterHappy]

If you're "arguing a position", just make stuff up.

If it's good enough, you can get published in the Glob.

 

[Engineer]

While it is 'Scholarly' or published in some peer reviewed journal, the data on 'Ballistics by the inch' is pretty comprehensive:
BBTI - Ballistics by the Inch :: Documentation
Good Luck

 

[OfficerObie59]

While it is 'Scholarly' or published in some peer reviewed journal, the data on 'Ballistics by the inch' is pretty comprehensive:
BBTI - Ballistics by the Inch :: Documentation
Good Luck

Good source, thank you.