Should Ammo Type Be Mixed For Defense?

[Tom Goodrick]

I am selecting ammo to load into a magazine to be kept ready for home defense. My main concern is home invasion by multiple BG's. This crime seems to be increasing where I live.

I have been reading some articles about "Stopping Power" including some academic theses and a good article by a former cop who serves now as a medical examiner. It is clear to me that the caliber should be 40 or larger with the exception of 357 mag or, perhaps 357 Sig. Calibers like 10mm, 41 mag and 45 ACP are favorably mentioned.

But a common thread in these articles is that stopping performance varies for any round because of the mix of substances a bullet runs into in the body. Bone may deflect a JHP type and clothing may fill the nose preventing or reducing expansion.

My current plan is to load the magazine of my MP40 alternately with FMJ and JHP loads of the same weight. The same weight should give good accuracy. The alternating types, with two shots in general per BG, should assure effectiveness in disabling the BG.

Any comments?

 

[The Sarge]

I would select one of the premium JHPs that functions well in your pistol and that you shoot good with. Load your magazines with them and don't worry. I see no advantage in alternating with FMJ for defense. A JHP will behave as a FMJ when plugged or deformed. A FMJ will be a FMJ even through soft tissue. Bill

 

[ronnie gore]

rounds

i agree with sarge, but i keep a 12 pump along with a handgun beside the bed, both equiped with lights.

 

[Old cop]

I would not mix rounds in a magazine for fear of causing a malfunction. This might work in revolvers but IMHO is not a workable tactic in a semi auto.

 

[heybrowndog]

i agree with sarge, but i keep a 12 pump along with a handgun beside the bed, both equipped with lights.

x2 12 gauge is the ultimate home defense weapon. Mine hangs above the header of my walk-in closet, but the M&P is in the nightstand.

 

[redbos]

Yeah, I would say that my 12 Gauge with 8 rounds of OO Buck makes me feel better than a pistol in the home. I carry a .45 and a 10 mm sometimes and they are great rounds, but as the man said," Use your handgun to fight your way back to your rifle/shotgun." Just a thought.....

 

[thomasinaz]

I wouldn't mess around with FMJ ammo, especially inside a residence. Too much penetration, in people, walls, etc...Any good quality JHP will get it done, without the over-penetration problems associated with FMJs. Most of the better quality JHPs are tested through clothing barriers and such things that clog the hollow point. They are designed to expand regardless of these obstacles. Center hits with whatever you choose will go further in a successful outcome, than the type of ammunition chosen.

In my humble opinion; if you don't deal in drugs or human smuggling and don't flaunt wealth, you should be relatively safe from home invasion. But it's never a bad thing to be prepared.

 

[garrett09]

I would load it with a good defensive hp. In a home defence you dont want over penetration.

 

[off road]

Although I keep a combat shotgun handy, no way am I counting on it in the confined spaces of a house. Just to big and clumsy, making a disarm all that more likely! All someone has to do is deflect the muzzle a bit, and the shotgun is out of the fight....imagine this scenario in a narrow hallway. Better be ready to go hand-to-hand!!!

I want weapons that are quick and light and handy. My choice is a Glock 23 backed up by a J-frame in my pocket, all loaded with Glaser Silvers. (One note, go to the range and be sure your automatic will cycle properly with Glasers very light/very high velocity bullets.)

 

[Snowbandit]

Different ammo types shoots to different points of aim. The first consideration, even before stopping power, is where the bullets are going to end up. Trust any of the modern hollow-points to do their magic if you place them appropriately. Mixed ammo is a really bad idea.

 

[growr]

This was once the rage, but is no longer in vogue. Find a quality cartridge that functions flawlessly in your gun and stick with it.
Randy

 

[matsu]

Rem 870 18" barrel extended mag 12ga with light is what I have plus a S&W 4003 40s&w on the night stand

 

[vstromrider]

The only reason to ever use hardball (FNJ) is in a pistol that will not reliably feed JHP. My home weapon is a steel 45 with 2 Glaser silver tips up ,than 230 gr hydrashoks filling the rest of the mag. glasers do great temporary cavity wounds. the 230 grainers give an avg of 13 inches of penetration in humans.

 

[firebirdude]

Buy two boxes of high quality defense HP ammo (usually sold in boxes of 25). Go to the range. Shoot half a box slowly and ensure no malfunctions/accuracy is where it should be. Shoot the other half in rapid fire and ensure no malfunctions. Load up the remaining box in your mags and go home.

 

[Tom Goodrick]

Thanks for the thoughtful replies. I have two types of JHP's, both name brands and over $1 per round. I will test them for function and accuracy and stick with one of them. I'll leave the FMJ's of the same weight for target practice.

The problem I have with a shotgun is there's a good chance I'd have to shoot past my wife. Either she'd be greeting the BG and welcoming him in or he'd be pointing a gun at her. With a shotgun, I'd have to give it up.

I'd like to take a class in home defense. It seems to me there are many peculiar aspects compared to regular self defense or combat courses. Elements of state law that pertain would also be helpful.

 

[M29since14]

That used to be in fashion for a while among the local cops, both in revolvers and semi-autos. Usually they were thinking about shooting through car glass and doors.

One officer I knew had a small European .380 of some kind - maybe a Walther or a Mauser, I can't recall - that he carried when off-duty. I remember him showing it to me and being reasonably impressed by it. It was a high quality gun, whatever it was. Anyway, later he told me he had purchased some of the first Federal hollow-points for it and found that they did not feed reliably, so he would load the magazine with RN-FMJs and put one Federal HP in the chamber.

When I thought about this jamming gun, I always wondered why he didn't just get a Chief's Special.

Anyway, that was the only case I could see of mixing ammo in the gun making even a little sense, but it used to be pretty common.

 

[R1_Demon]

I wouldn't mess around with FMJ ammo, especially inside a residence. Too much penetration, in people, walls, etc...Any good quality JHP will get it done, without the over-penetration problems associated with FMJs. Most of the better quality JHPs are tested through clothing barriers and such things that clog the hollow point. They are designed to expand regardless of these obstacles.

I agree with thomasinaz on this one. Way too easy for the FMJ to possibly even go through your BG, the glass slider behind him/her and into your neighbor's house and kill them. Then guess who is at fault? Yup, you guessed it. You're going to jail. Not saying that can't happen with JHP's, but the likeliness is cut down severely over FMJ's.

Stick to the JHP's. They have come a long way and are tested to go through clothing and other object, yet expand and stay in the BG to bring them down and stop the threat. That's what you want. You want the threat stopped. Not hurting other people behind them and property damaged as well due to the FMJs.

 

[OFT II]

I could see having one magazine loaded with FMJ handy and having HPs in the pistol with the FMJ being available if you should need it (most unlikely). If you have the ammo in your primary magazine mixed then half of your ammo will be less than perfect for the purpose.

 

[10mm Sonny]

My current plan is to load the magazine of my MP40 alternately with FMJ and JHP loads of the same weight.

I'll never unterstand why novices think this is a good idea.

 

[rodeo kid]

I agree with sarge, there is no advantage to mixing ammo,just use a good self defense hollowpoint. I use Hornaday Critical Defense or Buffalo Bore, depends on the caliber. God Bless.