On to myth number two: hollowpoint bullets. We know all about these, don’t we? They can puncture body armor, they blow people across the room, and doctors have to be careful removing them from the victim, lest they explode during excavation.
Sounds a bit silly, doesn’t it? Well, I’ve seen all three of those scenarios enacted in prime-time television dramas within the last year. You’ll hear all of them soon in electorial posturing, too.
The truth is a different matter, however. Hollowpoints are the preferred loads for every major law enforcement agency in the country, and for much of the outside world. Why? Becuase they’re effective, and because they’re safer.
You read that right. Standard bullets (ie. “round nose,” or “full metal jacket”) are simply conical or pointy projectiles designed to be propelled at high speeds. Their shape and trajectory make them likely to overpenetrate. This means that the bullet will not only punch a hole in the bad guy, but possibly through him and out the other side. Such bullets can also puncture walls and other intermediate barriers, therefore posing an unacceptable risk to bystanders and uninvolved parties. Ricochets from such ammunition are also more likely.
Hollowpoints are designed with a cavity in the nose of the bullet, hence the name. These rounds are designed to flatten and expand on impact. This has several beneficial effects. The first is that the kinetic energy, which would usually be spent on a straight trajectory, is instead expended in a lateral pattern. This means that the shock (and therefore effectiveness) of the shot is radiated outward in the target’s body. This makes the rounds much more effective in stopping an attacker.
The second advantage also lies with the interruption of trajectory. Since the round slows to a stop much more quickly, it’s far less likely to overpenetrate and pose a collateral risk. In a house with sheet-rock and drywall, which would you choose?
Additionally, since the individual rounds are more effective, fewer need to be fired. This means fewer chances for shots to miss and “go wild,” endangering unintended targets.
The actual effects are quite devastating, but believe it or not, your attacker has a greater chance of surviving when hollowpoints are used. Why? Because you don’t have to pump as many rounds into him.
Take the 9mm for example. With FMJ ammo, it’s a mediocre performer at best. It may very well take 7-10 rounds to stop a determined attacker. That means 7-10 small bleeding holes. On the other hand, two hollowpoints can do the job, making bigger holes and conserving large amounts of kinetic energy for the impact.
True, those 7 or so rounds will very well be mortal, but that’s not the point. The point is to stop your attacker, and the best way to do that is to inflict massive shock. With modern hollowpoints, the 9mm goes from a peashooter to something resembling a qualified defensive weapon.
Hollowpoints are more effective and more responsible, and that’s why folks use them.
So what about that stuff we see on TV? Well, most of it’s bunk.
Let’s start with body armor. Most of the types worn by soldiers and the police contain a ceramic plate with Kevlar on both sides. It isn’t a magic talisman, but it buys them a chance of walking away with a nasty bruise, as opposed to not walking away at all. Given the design of hollowpoints and the way they function, they are actually far less effective against body armor than standard bullets.
Hollowpoints are designed to stop and expand when they meet resistance, which is exactly what happens when they hit body armor. Basically, they go “splat” against it and fragment. (And yes, I know someone to whom this has happened. He had a broken rib and some really epic bruises, but he walked away from two .45’s to the chest.) If I were going up against someone in a vest, hollowpoints would be my last choice.
As far as being “explosive,” well I’m sorry to disappoint. True, some folks claim that the effects may “simulate” an explosion, and there’s been alot of hyperbole over the years, but there is no commercially available ammunition that uses exploding tips. What’s more, even if there were such a thing, it would detonate in the chamber from the force and heat of the ignition. Trauma-ward surgeons of the world can rest easy–there’s no risk to their fingers in removing hollowpoints from someone.