However, I would buy armoredman’s explanation for why an engagement with hollow-point ammunition could be potentially less lethal.
Except for said explanation being obviously bogus due to the simple and blatantly apparent fact that the added tissue damage JHPs are known to cause due to their expansive properties, in addition to, or rather because of, increasing the amount of cardiovascular and respiratory tissue that is damage or destroyed, is more likely to put the victim, the shootee, if you will, into shock. And shock typically results in death without immediate application of proper medical response.
It's really simple. JHPs do more damage in tissue. This damage is likely, but not certain, to cause the attacker to bleed out and go into shock quicker, thus causing him or her to be physically incapable of continuing his or her aggressive behavior. In some cases it may cause the attacker to simply not want to continue his or her aggressive behavior. But this is a psychological response caused by the brain registering a massive amount of damage being done and changing its response from "fight" to "flight." Either way, the simple fact that JHPs are more effective because they do more damage when they expand, and that this increase in damage is likely to lead to a corresponding decrease in survivability is inescapable.
Also note that when I say "shock," I mean the medical term, which escapes me presently, for shock due to blood loss. Not so-called "hydrostatic shock," which though present in handguns is not likely to cause any permanent damage to tissues at handgun velocities. Most living tissue is elastic and resilient to shock enough to be relatively unaffected by the shock forces generated by typical defensive handguns. In fact, some credible sources (Fackler among them, IIRC) have shown permanent wound channels unlikely to be affected by shock forces generated by bullet impacts of less than 2000 fps. This is why rifles are rifles and handguns are handguns, and no one who has seen the effect of both on living organisms confuses the effectiveness of either for a nanosecond. If you're picking a fight, or preparing for a specific threat, you grab a rifle. A handgun is a defensive measure taking out of convenience due to its compactness and portability.
The only thing that matters appreciably when discussing handgun effectiveness is permanent wound cavity--width and depth--how wide the bullet expands, and how deep it penetrates. More of both is good. Yes, this includes penetration.
The FBI requires a minimum of 12 inches of penetration in callibrated ballistic gelatin after penetrating heavy clothing, angled windshield glass, or 20 gauge rolled steel for this reason. No load that penetrates 6 inches makes it into a duty sidearm carried by any federal agency, including the Federal Air Marshalls. Any such load would be of questionable effectiveness given it's unlikely such a load could penetrate to the vitals of an adult assailant given the oblique shot angles, clothing, and likely presence of skeletal mass and other obstacles present in a gun fight. Professionals who rely on weapons for a living know three things for certain; shot placement is key, under penetration gets you killed (over penetration
might only get you sued and thrown in jail), and if it is worth shooting once, it is worth shooting thrice. This is why, to my knowledge anyways, Glasers and other frangibles have been tested by military and federal agencies, and universally abandoned for all but close range live fire drills on steel targets.
A six inch wound in real life most likely means only a shallow, superficial wound that results in a pain response that is completely ignored due to the adrenaline and endorphins in the body. The only way to ensure a quick end to hostilities is either through destruction of vital cardio-respiratory structures like the heart, lungs, and large arteries and veins found in the upper thoratic cavity, and the corresponding blood loss produced leading to shock, unconsciousness, and eventually death, or through the destruction of the central nervous system such as a hit to the brain or upper spinal column, resulting in near instant paralysis and death. Because the CNS represents such a small target, rounds are usually directed at the larger targets in the upper chest cavity due to increased likelihood of achieving an effective hit(s).
ossible deterrant value.
