srothstein wrote:If you are worried about the vest, practice tactics instead of worrying about the ammo. The ammo choice won't make much different for a vest. The tactics are called a failure drill or a Mozambique drill. The old version was two tot he chest and one to the head. The original Mozambique was two to the chest, one to the head, and one to the hips (or so I was told).
Most police now are practicing failure drills as two shots to the center of mass, then aiming for the pelvic girdle (hips). A shot to the pelvic girdle is more likely to stop or slow the attacker than any not immediately fatal shot. It is also much easier to shoot the pelvic girdle than the head because it moves less as the person is walking or running and is larger than the head.
I am of the opinion that good tactics is usually a better choice than worrying about the weapon or ammo. There is very little effective difference in good quality equipment (just make sure you do have good quality), even in the different calibers. Whether you like Glock or 1911, JHP or FMJ, 9mm or .45acp, the tactics and shot placement are almost always going to be the determining factor, IMO. the rest is personal choice though it MIGHT make a slight difference.
Spot on sir.
There are two factors in the translating of kinetic energy to the target. Mass and velocity. A .22 has high speed but low mass. However its low mass will likely mean that it stops in the body after bouncing around, expelling it's entire energy into the body. Though it can cut up a bunch of stuff the blunt impact may not deter the attacker fast enough...dead but doesn't know it.
A high velocity large bullet tends to penetrate entirely leaving the body and therefore takes some (sometimes a significant amount) of energy with it. That's what happened to our boys in the Phillipines that got them chopped up after shooting the Bolos (IIRC) with the 30.06 rifle. They were full of opium and bound there limbs. The dudes would be ultimately dead but could could do a great deal of mischief before dropping. So the 1911 .45 ACP was developed. Massive bullet, mediocre velocity = great energy translated to the bad guy.
<ramble>I don't know how many people that I treated full of 9mm holes that were back on the street a few weeks later. Though not necessarily a good example of tactics, we had one shot in the left glute with a .22 and was DRT (Dead Right There) with profound lividity (blood pooling) in the abdomen; he was face down. We surmised the round bounced off the pelvis and piffed his guts.</ramble>
Sooo, get a decent chunk of metal, likely to stay in the target and then learn where to put it and how to do it under extreme stress.
When I'm at the range most (not all) of my shooting is with one hand. In a real world situation I figure that is how I will probably have to use the weapon. If I have the time to take careful aim using both hands, then I probably have the time to avoid the situation altogether. That's not a hard and fast rule, of course, but I think it is important to practice shooting the way you will most likely have to shoot - if you ever have to shoot.
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Getting back to the question I see no problem with FMJ unless you are using a magnum caliber. In a magnum overpenetration could be a issue.
