.45ACP JHPs versus Bone and Gelatin

[Brass Fetcher]

Test Report of .45ACP:

Cor-Bon 185gr +P DPX
Cor-Bon 165gr +P Pow'R Ball
Federal 165gr Expanding FMJ
PMC 230gr Starfire
Speer 200gr +P Gold Dot
Winchester 230gr SXT

Tested against Bone Simulant and Ballistic Gelatin

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=152023&stc=1&d=1320384582

 

[Dean1818]

Excellent info

Thanks for sharing

 

[Pyro]

I'd love to see a Glaser thrown into a similar test.
From your others the Glaser appears to become more lethal after passing through a barrier, I'm curious if the bone stimulant would be enough to do that.

Good test as always, very informative.

 

[TwoWheelFiend]

Cool stuff. Nice Cooper quote in your sig btw

 

[ATLDave]

Fascinating, as always. In looking through some of your previous reports shared on THR, I didn't see anything talking about 10mm rounds. Have you fellows ever tested those?

Also, with regard to the bone-plate tests, do you have any sense as to whether additional velocity would change the outcome in a qualitative way? In other words, would the same projectile pushed at an additional 100 fps, or 200 fps, or 400 fps, exhibit the same (non-)expansion characteristics? Is there something inherent in the bullet design that prevents expansion after encountering bone (tip clogged with hard material, or whatever), or is the general addage that additional velocity increases certainty/extent of expansion still good?

Thanks again. It's great to have actual empirical data, rather than rank speculation and conventional "wisdom," on this stuff.

 

[Wishoot]

Interesting that Gold Dot (a brand that I've always put a lot of trust in) didn't do what it's supposed to do and the Federal EFMJ worked better.

 

[Odd Job]

Would the test results be different if the bone simulant was placed in the ballistic gel at the appropriate depth, instead of being on the outside?

 

[Brass Fetcher]

Also, with regard to the bone-plate tests, do you have any sense as to whether additional velocity would change the outcome in a qualitative way? In other words, would the same projectile pushed at an additional 100 fps, or 200 fps, or 400 fps, exhibit the same (non-)expansion characteristics? Is there something inherent in the bullet design that prevents expansion after encountering bone (tip clogged with hard material, or whatever), or is the general addage that additional velocity increases certainty/extent of expansion still good?

What seems to be occurring is that the bone plate, which is 0.25" thick, plugs the hollowpoint cavity. Most JHPs have a healthy internal taper to the cavity, the DPX rounds have less taper. So basically, the plug stops making its way into the cavity at this taper. Unless this depth is 0.25" or deeper, the bullet doesn't expand. Increasing velocity could help the situation by increasing the pressure at the cavity.

Would the test results be different if the bone simulant was placed in the ballistic gel at the appropriate depth, instead of being on the outside?

We'll test anything that you are willing to pay for.

 

[Hypnogator]

The last couple of tests you've conducted have really been eye-opening, especially regarding Cor-Bon DPXs. They are now my "serious social occasion" round in .380, 9mm and .40 S&W.

Glad to see the Federal EFMJs did as well, too, as I carry them on the rare occasions I venture into the People's Republic of New Jersey.

 

[harmon rabb]

wow. time to switch my carry loads to DPX

 

[svtruth]

Very interesting.
More reason to hit COM, if you have ever handled human skeletal material, ribs are hard, dense and springy, the sternum is porus. In life, the sternum keeps producing red blood cells.

 

[918v]

Would the test results be different if the bone simulant was placed in the ballistic gel at the appropriate depth, instead of being on the outside?

That's what I'm thinking as well. This test is valid only if there are human/insect hybrids with exoskeletons running around the neighborhood.

 

[4thHorseman]

Thanks for posting. Great read!!

 

[RinkRat]

10 +++++ Very Very Very Good