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Anybody have any experience with or know anything about Mag Safe ammo? It's touted as the best man stopper on the market. It's pre-fragmented. They use shot pellets instead of the solid slug. According to their web site their ammo makes a .380 as effective as a .45! Any thoughts? Here's the web site:
http://magsafeonline.com/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The idea of this style of round is good, but in practice.....well?

If you want to "pick" your ammo for the time of year, then I would say you can "bet your life" on it.

The problem with these styles of rounds according to the tests done is this: Hollowpoints will go through med-heavy clothing and still do their job inside the body. With those rounds that open and then "disperse" pellets, there was a real problem with penetration when the subject was wearing med to heavy clothing. There was not the penetration needed.

These studies are found pretty easy doing a web search.

So my answer would be: during the summer when you might have to shoot someone in a bathing suit or light t-shirts: it would be fine. Fall/Winter/Spring when someone might be wearing a med-heavy coat or a leather coat........hollowpoints.


If I only had to use it on Jel-Blocks.....well......it is impressive.
JMO
Garry

YabuUS wrote:Anybody have any experience with or know anything about Mag Safe ammo? It's touted as the best man stopper on the market. It's pre-fragmented. They use shot pellets instead of the solid slug. According to their web site their ammo makes a .380 as effective as a .45! Any thoughts? Here's the web site:
http://magsafeonline.com/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

FWIW, I carry hollow points.

I've seen a shooting with Glaser prefragmented ammo. The bad guy was shot through the passenger window of a car. Glass broke. The only effect on the bad guy was he looked like he had a mild case of the measles. He kept on driving. This is not the result I want to see if I have to shoot.

IMHO, gimmicky ammo is entertaining to experiment with. I'm not entertained by betting my life on unproven equipment, even when it's got a great sales pitch behind it. YMMV.

I'd use something that has a proven track record.

I'd carry handloaded JHP ammo before I touch any of that 'exotic' stuff.

Real good news to find out that there is no reason to be buying .45 anymore.

Liberty wrote:Real good news to find out that there is no reason to be buying .45 anymore.

I quoted their web site claim - I didn't say I believed it! I don't plan to use this stuff. I just wondered if anybody had.

I have shot pot roast with them - 9 mm. You get shallow penetration, it was about 5-6 inches but a wide hole - maybe 2 inches across. If you live in an apartment and are concerned about penetration into other apartments, they may be good since I have seen demonstrations where they fragment in the first wallboard, the pellets penetrate the second, but don't penetrate a 3rd one at all.

BTW Corbon DPX penetrated 17+ inches in the pot roast and opened beautifully.

This leads me to want to ask a strange question.

Is it better to load a mag with all JHP or would it be better to throw some FMJ into the mix too?

My shotgun has shells of different loads in it, with slugs as a last 2 so is there any mileage in having some FMJ in magazines? (for better penetration) or is it a moot point in that the JHP will probably penetrate enough?

Kevinf2349 wrote:This leads me to want to ask a strange question.

Is it better to load a mag with all JHP or would it be better to throw some FMJ into the mix too?

My shotgun has shells of different loads in it, with slugs as a last 2 so is there any mileage in having some FMJ in magazines? (for better penetration) or is it a moot point in that the JHP will probably penetrate enough?

I don't believe that would be a good tactic for a handgun. Too many other variables going into the shoot calculus. Adding having to keep mental track of which rounds you've already shot, and what's next in the chamber is too much to bother with. In a real shoot, you're going to start pulling the trigger, and you're going to keep pulling it until the threat has been eliminated.

I would say, load all of one, or all of the other. I recommend a JHP over an FMJ.

stroo wrote: If you live in an apartment and are concerned about penetration into other apartments, they may be good since I have seen demonstrations where they fragment in the first wallboard, the pellets penetrate the second, but don't penetrate a 3rd one at all.

Now this brings up a legitimate question. If you live in an apartment (like I do) over penetration is a real concern. Naturally you are liable for anything your bullet hits; and we know that dry wall doesn't offer much resistance to a powerful load - especially if you happen to miss your target and strike the wall full force. What would you guys recommend for use in such a tender environment? All of my guns are loaded with jhp's but even then I do worry about waking up in the middle of the night and being confronted with an intruder and having to shoot half awake and possibly missing on the first shot. I don't want to jeopardize my neighbors. The gun by my bed is a .357 snubby. I may exchange that for my .45. Both have jhp's , but still......What do you recommend?

YabuUS wrote:

stroo wrote: If you live in an apartment and are concerned about penetration into other apartments, they may be good since I have seen demonstrations where they fragment in the first wallboard, the pellets penetrate the second, but don't penetrate a 3rd one at all.

Now this brings up a legitimate question. If you live in an apartment (like I do) over penetration is a real concern. Naturally you are liable for anything your bullet hits; and we know that dry wall doesn't offer much resistance to a powerful load - especially if you happen to miss your target and strike the wall full force. What would you guys recommend for use in such a tender environment? All of my guns are loaded with jhp's but even then I do worry about waking up in the middle of the night and being confronted with an intruder and having to shoot half awake and possibly missing on the first shot. I don't want to jeopardize my neighbors. The gun by my bed is a .357 snubby. I may exchange that for my .45. Both have jhp's , but still......What do you recommend?

Anything that won't penetrate wallboard also won't reliably do fight stopping damage to someone wearing heavy clothing, and may well cause you to lose the encounter. Using a low firing position when possible to put the projectiles on an upward angle can help reduce the possibility that a miss may hit someone in another unit, but may not always be possible. The solution is to shoot good quality hollowpoints carefully and hit your intended target with every one. This is certainly easier said than done under gunfight conditions, but that's the performance requirement in the environment you described, and in many other situations as well.

Well said, Excaliber,

The Annoyed Man wrote:I don't believe that would be a good tactic for a handgun. Too many other variables going into the shoot calculus. Adding having to keep mental track of which rounds you've already shot, and what's next in the chamber is too much to bother with. In a real shoot, you're going to start pulling the trigger, and you're going to keep pulling it until the threat has been eliminated.

I would say, load all of one, or all of the other. I recommend a JHP over an FMJ.

TAM

Thanks. I always carry JHP in all my guns but was just needing confirmation that this was the ideal strategy