NCJ Number
60083
Date Published
Unknown
Length
39 pages
Annotation
PRESENT AND PROPOSED HANDGUNS FOR POLICE USE WERE EVALUATED WITH RESPECT TO THEIR EFFECTIVENESS AND SUITABILITY, IN THIS STUDY CONDUCTED BY ONE KENTUCKY POLICE DEPARTMENT.
Abstract
EFFECTIVENESS WAS DEFINED AS A COMBINATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL WEAPON'S BALLISTICS AND THE TYPE OF AMMUNITION USED, BALLISTICS DATA INCLUDED BOTH FLIGHT BALLISTICS AND TERMINAL BALLISTICS (STOPPING POWER). SUITABILITY WAS BASED ON THE WEAPON'S SIZE, WEIGHT, SUITABILITY OF ACTION, AND EXPERTISE REQUIRED FOR USE. WEAPONS EVALUATED INCLUDED THE .38 SPECIAL, THE .357 MAGNUM, THE .41 MAGNUM, THE .44 MAGNUM, AND THE 9MM PARABELLUM. THE .38 SPECIAL WITH FOUR INCH BARREL WAS RECOMMENDED AS THE BASIC POLICE WEAPON. ALSO RECOMMENDED FOR CERTAIN USES WERE THE .38 SPECIAL WITH TWO INCH BARREL AND THE .357 MAGNUM. THE 9MM AUTOLOADER SHOULD BE USED BY PLAINCLOTHES OFFICERS WHO DEMONSTRATE REQUIRED PROFICIENCY IN ITS USE. THESE WEAPONS ARE SATISFACTORY ONLY IF CERTAIN TYPES OF AMMUNITION ARE USED, HOWEVER, THE .38 REVOLVER HAS BEEN KNOWN TO BE INEFFECTIVE IN NUMEROUS INSTANCES. NINETEEN TESTS OF AUMMUNITION WERE CONDUCTED BY FIRING ROUNDS THROUGH AN EIGHT FOOT WATER COLUMN. EACH PROJECTILE WAS RECOVERED, WEIGHED, AND MEASURED. TESTING WAS DONE WITH BARRELS OF VARIOUS LENGTHS. RESULTS SHOWED THAT SPECIFIC TYPES OF AMMUNITION WERE MOST APPROPRIATE FOR SPECIFIC WEAPONS. THE GLASER SAFETY SLUG WAS NOT TESTED BECAUSE IT WAS CONSIDERED UNRELIABLE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT USE. TABLES SHOWING THE PERFORMANCE OF COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE HANDGUN AMMUNITION, AND APPENDIXES PRESENTING PHOTOGRAPHS OF EACH TYPE OF AMMUNITION AFTER FIRING AND DESCRIBING INCIDENTS IN WHICH THE PERFORMANCE OF THE .38 REVOLVER WAS INADEQUATE, ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)