Quote:
Originally Posted by Cal44
Well, the 32 S&W and the 25 acp are examples of rounds that they often don't have the kinetic energy to penetrate bone (e.g., skull) and just bounce off. Or, follow the skull around just under the skin and then exit from behind. And leave the bad guy with a flesh wound and a headache.
The trouble with gel tests is there is nothing hard in the gel, so the 32 S&W and 25 acp penetrates OK, but in real life these low end rounds can't get past bones.
You are right, when shot in the belly, most people died back before antibiotics. But McKinley took nine days to die of gangrene. A very poor stopper in a self defense situation.
I think the move to the 32 S&W long just added enough power to break bones, at least most of the time, so they are a lot more effective.
Both 32 S&W Long and 32 acp were just powerful enough that they enjoyed a long run of use by law enforcement.
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I agree in part. If the .32 s&w was totally effective as a caliber that would incapacitate a bad guy then we wouldn’t have any of the other calibers now would we? Yes, President McKinley did take 9 days to die but that’s inmaterial to the matter at hand. Was he incapacitated when shot? Yes! No, he wasn’t capapulted backward through the air levitated off his feet to land 15 feet back from where he was standing like you see in Hollywood. Handguns are notoriously questionable as incapacatators. My 33 year, 4 months and 6 day Federal Law Enforcement career has taught me that. I was employed by U.S. Customs and later DHS as a Customs Patrol Officer then Special Agent before I retired. I was a Range Officer/Firearms Instructor my entire career. During my Firearms Training both basic and that of a Range Officer I was trained by the best from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Academy, (FLETC), to include Jim Cirillo retired NYPD. I had several Firearms Training classes and sessions on the range with him. Jim told us that the best way to immediately incapacitate, (kill), someone with a handgun is shoot them in the CNS or the brain. Civilians are not cops, they are not members of Jim’s NYPD stake-out squad. Civilians should be using a weapon on an assaiant to STOP an action that places them in imminent danger of their life or serious bodily harm. They don’t need something that vaporizes the bad guys like Capt. kirks Phaser. I’m not a cop anymore. I don’t get paid to go in harms way any more. The only way now that I’d use a firearm is at arms length to get the *** the hell off me! If I get shot the bullet holes are going to be in my *** because that’s the direction I’ll be heading! Call it in, wait for the paid cops not the retired ones to arrive, render all assistance and be a good witness and citizen.