EFFECTIVENESS OF SNUB-NOSE REVOLVERS AND SMALL AUTOMATIC PISTOLS

• NCJ Number: 26971
• Journal: FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 44 Issue: 6 Dated: (JUNE 1975) Pages: 10-13
• Author(s): V J M DIMAIO; J A JONES; W W 3D CARUTH; L L ANDERSON; C S PETTY
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 4 pages
• Corporate Author: Federal Bureau of Investigation
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

SEVERAL COMMONLY USED POLICE HANDGUNS WERE FIRED AT SPECIAL GELATIN BLOCKS IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF KINETIC ENERGY EACH ONE LOST BY PASSING THROUGH SIMULATED TISSUE.

Abstract

THE .22 LONG RIFLE HIGH VELOCITY CARTRIDGE, WITH EITHER A SOLID OR HOLLOW POINT BULLET, FIRED FROM A POCKET AUTOMATIC IS ESSENTIALLY EQUAL IN ITS WOUNDING EFFECTIVENESS TO THE TRADITIONAL FULL METAL JACKETED BULLETS FIRED FROM .32 AND .380 AUTOMATIC PISTOLS OF THE SAME BARREL LENGTH. THE SNUB-NOSE .38 SPECIAL REVOLVER FIRING THE TRADITIONAL 159 GR ROUND NOSE LEAD BULLET IS NO MORE WOUND EFFECTIVE THAN POCKET-SIZE AUTOMATIC PISTOLS FIRING .22 LONG RIFLE LEAD BULLETS AND .32 ACP OR .380 AUTOMATIC FULL METAL JACKETED BULLETS. THERE IS ESSENTIALLY NO DIFFERENCE IN THE WOUNDING EFFECTIVENESS OF THE .32 ACP AND .380 AUTOMATIC CARTRIDGES WITH TRADITIONAL FULL METAL JACKETED BULLETS WHEN FIRED FROM WEAPONS OF THE SAME BARREL LENGTH. THE .25 AUTOMATIC CARTRIDGE AS WOULD BE EXPECTED IS SIGNIFICANTLY INFERIOR TO THE .22 LONG RIFLE, .32 ACP, .380, AND .38 SPECIAL CARTRIDGES. USE OF SEMIWADCUTTER, WADCUTTER, AND SOFT POINT BULLETS IN THE .38 SPECIAL REVOLVER INCREASES THE WOUNDING EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS WEAPON SUBSTANTIALLY BUT GENERALLY NOT AS MUCH AS HOLLOW POINT BULLETS. USE OF HOLLOW POINT BULLETS CAN DOUBLE THE WOUNDING EFFECTIVENESS OF THE .380 CARTRIDGE AND TRIPLE THAT OF THE .38 SPECIAL CARTRIDGE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)