[powerstrk]

I was flipping through the channels before I went to work today, and came across Lethal Weopon 3. The scene where Mel is in the range and is loading his Berreta with a bullet that has sharp point on it, and proceeds to blow a hole through a vest with a piece of steel in it. And then warns his buddies these "cop killers"
were picked up on the street. Is this the cop killer type bullet people always refer to? And if so who made them? Thanks

[Hkmp5sd]

It's bogus, hollywood fiction. The so-called "Cop Killer" bullets are actually armor piercing ammunition that has never been marketed to the general public. There also has never been an LEO killed by "Cop Killer" bullets. The media also played up the teflon coated bullets as cop killers, saying the teflon allowed the bullet to "slide" between the kevlar threads of a ballistic vest. Another case of them not knowing what they are talking about.

A decade or so ago, I saw a demonstration during a discussion of cop killer bullets and how stupid the whole thing is. An LEO took a toy bow and arrow set, popped the rubber stopper off the arrow and whittled a point on it. Using the toy bow, he fired at a vest and penetrated it.

[NukemJim]

Is this the cop killer type bullet people always refer to

My limited understanding is that the " cop killer " bullet is a media myth. Yes, there are types of handgun ammo that can penetrate some vests, it depends on the rating of the vest involved ( I am not going to go into the rating system for body armour ) but they are controlled by BATFE.

My understanding is that they are rare in handgun ammo in the most poplular calibres ( .38, .357, .40, .45, 9mm ) .

It is also my understanding that the " teflon coating" on a bullet does NOT increase the ability of a given round to penetrate a given vest.

As for handgun ammo going thru metal trauma plates in the vest, again with the common calibres it ain't going to happpen. Many of the metal plates take a vest up the level where the plate/vest combo will stop most rifle bullets.

From my reading the media publicity given to cop killer bullets actually cost more police officers their lives because prior to the publicity of the cop killer bullets it was not commonly known that many police were wearing vests. The criminals then started aiming for the police offices heads increasing fatalities.

Sarcasm ON

But do not worry about the police being killed. The media who got lots of rating points and air time on this issue sure did not.

Sarcasm OFF

As always I could be mistaken. And not I am not going to get into the odball handgun calibers like .223. .308.

Try running a google seach on the subject. Last time I checked I do not believe ANY police officer in the US had been killed by a " aurmor piercing cop killer bullet" while wearing a vest. ( I hope this is still true.)

Just remember if you see it in the movies or an a TV show it is almost certainly WRONG. IMHO

NukemJim