There are minimum and maximum preferred penetration levels in ballistic gel (and the specs for the gel are very detailed) when it comes to defense against humans, and those specs do involve some compromises that generally will not come in to play when dealing with dangerous game. The gel penetration testing is a repeatable means of predicting what a bullet will do - not a perfect simulation, because bone, muscle vs. fat, etc. will all impact real world results. Even with all that, no qualified person actually recommends using a pistol if a rifle is available. A pistol is what one carries when there is no reason to expect a problem. It is chosen for convenience, not effectiveness.

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NHI, 10-8.