What calibers would you carry FMJ? if any?

[JImbothefiveth]

In fact most ball ammo will leave two holes instead of one. Instant kills are not likely no matter what kind of ammo you use, and most people proabably take about 120 seconds to bleed out. So unless you devistate the heart or hit someone in the head, the phsycological effect of being shot is what will most likely bring them down.

But hollowpoints expand in the target, making them more likely to hit something vital(if it's a caliber that will go through at least 1 foot of ballistics gelatin with hollowpoints), and I'd guess that would also increase the psychological factor. The police use them for a reason.

I don't want to prolong a life-or-death struggle, because that increases my odds of going from life to death.

high-capacity and reliability take precedence over stopping power.

Get a reliable polymer gun, such as an M&P or glock, and make sure it's reliable with hollopoints. Most police departments use these or similiar guns, and use hollowpoints for a reason.

Home defense means revolvers loaded with all sorts of nasty stuff; hollow points, shot shells, wadcutters, etc.

Wadcutters are usually target ammo, designed to make a clean mark in paper targets. But, if you got some Self-defense level preformance ammo with wadcutter bullets, they might be a good choice if the hollowpoints won't reach far enough in ballistics gel, because they have a greater frontal area than a regular FMJ. Just make sure you aren't buying underpowered target ammo!

As for revolver shot shells, I wouldn't use those for self-defense. They are usually loaded with small amounts of #9 shot. (Although off-topic, do you know where I can get these cheaply? They could be fun for plinking )


Also, I can see how revolvers could be better for home defense, as they are less likely to jam in a struggle over them. (This could be a bad thing though, if it gets taken in the struggle.)

 

[Mello]

S&Wfan

Duke,
Perhaps to you home defense means revolvers, not to me. Even if the most numerous handgun type is the revolver that does not make it number one in effectiveness.

Hmmm . . . name one bottom feeder caliber that trumps a 125 grain .375 hollowpoint in most effectively taking the fight out of a man with just one round.

S&Wfan,
To name two rounds which trump the 125 gr 357; 135gr 10mm and the 155gr 10mm.

deacon8

Mello,

"Most people are restricted to revolvers because of finances or lack of knowledge or interest in firearms."

That is purely BS! You have some semi-auto(of which, I own some as well), therefore you are more rich and more knowledge than me because I like a S&W 629 the best?! Holy smokes, I don't even know what this has to do with original topic, but it deserved attention.

There are estimates that there are 250 - 280 million firearms in the US (http://www.americanfirearms.org/statistics.php#5). Most of those firearms have been in existence for decades. I do not have research to back up my claim, but over the last 30 years I have seen an increase in the purchase and use of semi-autos by both police and citizens for defensive use. For example, before 1975-1980 or so most urban police departments only allowed revolvers. Once those departments went to autos they sold their revolvers to the general public. I bought some for $90 each. It is my contention that most people who possess handguns do not seek training, or practice, or have much interest in guns. This group of citizens was a gun for protection. They want something inexpensive since they don’t plan on using it except in an emergency. The people on THR.org are the people interested in firearms. We are a minority. Most people who own firearms rarely even shoot them. Their guns are stored away in a drawer or on a closet shelf wrapped in a sock or a shirt.

 

[3pairs12]

When I want to shoot cheap I shoot Blazer Brass in my 40sw. Thats the only handgun I shoot it in. The 38 spls get reloads so I can get them from a buddy JHP cheaper than anything else so thats all they see.

 

[Guillermo]

FMJ out of a 45 is just fine

 

[mrt949]

32 in my kt 380 . kt fmj. gold dots in my seecamp 32.

 

[deacon8]

Mello,

Ok...so a lot of departments sold off their revolvers. Why do I care about what the police do with their choices in guns? I was simply curious (to say the least) about your opinion regarding revolvers. I like 1911's...at lot. The military liked them for many decades, but they switched to 9mm. Does that mean I have to like the 9mm, just because the military does? Absolutely not. I'll stick to my .44 mag. And I hope good citizens of America (all of them) have guns, of some type, somewhere. Does it matter if they are semi-auto? No. They ARE a little more complicated than revolvers you know...Of course, it might take only the purest gun-guru's to know that.

Back to the original post. My vote for FMJ is-the bigger the better, because there isn't going to be much expansion after the fact. That is what I think.

 

[deacon8]

P.S. What makes you think revolvers are so much cheaper than semi-autos?That's not the case at all.

 

[Mello]

deacon8,

My point is that most people have revolvers for defense; like Duke of Doubt said. Most revolvers in the hands of the citizens of the U.S. are cheaper than autos. There is a larger supply to meet the demand which keeps the price down. Look at the millions of 38 special revolvers out there that are worth $100 many from police departments. Additionally, there are still millions of cheaply made revolvers out there that the gun grabbers used to call saturday night specials which originally sold for less than $50 in 32 and 22 caliber. When I used to go to gun shows about 20 years ago the greatest number of cheap handguns were revolvers by far.

That is why there are more revolvers available at a lower price than autos, financial issue. Also, because of the greater complexity of the auto many people choose the revolver because they don't want to take the greater time and money to train with an auto; that supports my knowledge and finances issues.

I'm not talking about recently manufactured guns. I agree the 44 mag is a powerful round. Few people have the skill to be able to use full power loads in self-defense. A 240gr bullet at 1400fps in a N-frame S&W is a hand full, not to mention the muzzle blast and recovery time.

 

[Girodin]

but serious home defense means a revolver with a serious cartridge.

I hope we are talking as a backup, because serious home defense to me means a long gun.

Granted that it is not the formost concern if it comes to that but touching off a .44 mag revolver in enclosed spaces, particularly poorly lit ones is going to be an experience and follow up shots are likely to be a chore afterwards.

To each his own, a .44 mag has a heck of whallop no doubt but it is not my ideal HD gun, or even HD side arm, for a number of reasons but that is me, my preferences, and my situation. I laugh every time some one on here talks in absolutes about a caliber, platform or model that is best for something like home defense. What is good for the goose is not always good for the gander. I have a hard time imagining my 105 lbs girlfriend shooting a .44 mag very well. One could conjure up countless other examples. I own revolvers and simply do not feel right now that I shoot any of them as well as various semi autos that I own, that alone makes those particular autos a better HD choice for me. My father is much the opposite and has relied on a revolver for years. I think we have both chosen well.

 

[ArmedBear]

But hollowpoints expand in the target, making them more likely to hit something vital

Not by a lot.

What modern bullet design does mean is more energy transfer to the target.

If a .45 caliber or smaller non-expanding bullet is enough to drop the largest dangerous animals in the world, expansion isn't everything.

Expansion makes a smaller, lower-recoil round like the 9mm act more like a larger bullet.

It isn't a larger bullet, though. Expanding bullet designs rely on assumptions, and these assumptions will not always be true. Sometimes they don't expand. Then you end up with a little bullet, end of story.

Would I want to be shot with 115 grain 9mm FMJ? No.

But does a fancier 115 grain bullet turn it into a 230 grain bullet?

No, it does not. No way, no how.

There's more to a bullet than its diameter.

6.5 Swede works well on elk -- because it's a heavy bullet, not because it has a large bore. 6.5 mm is pretty small.

 

[Boba Fett]

I'd probably go for the 45. I like the 9mm, but I've read a lot about over penetration and since this is for home defense AND we are restricted by FMJ, I'd go with 45 over 9mm.

I would avoid magnum rounds for home defense from the standpoint that if it is night, you'll probably blind yourself and after the first shot you'll be deaf as well.


But for home defense, get a shotgun.