Terminal Ballistics with Pocket Autos

[CoMF]

Since it doesn't seem to be a question that gets asked much, I figured I'd be the one to ask it.

With, perhaps, the exception of Speer's Gold Dot Short Barrel ammunition in the more popular 9mm and .40 S&W calibers, which rounds could also be reasonably expected to exhibit satisfactory terminal performance when fired from the abbreviated barrels of pocket automatics (e.g. the S&W Shield)? Has such testing even been conducted?

I'm specifically looking for data collected from formal BG and IWBA 4-layer denim testing conducted by experts in the field.

 

[bigwheelzip]

ShootingTheBull410, AmmoQuest 9mm
Good resource for ballistic tests. Here is the YouTube playlist for 39 types of 9mm tested.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgNSGOEQko_M90AMdRCDMgd-w4Yozc27i

Last I looked Federal 147gr HST and 124gr HST were best of show.

 

[CoMF]

ShootingTheBull410, AmmoQuest 9mm
Good resource for ballistic tests. Here is the YouTube playlist for 39 types of 9mm tested.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgNSGOEQko_M90AMdRCDMgd-w4Yozc27i

Last I looked Federal 147gr HST and 124gr HST were best of show.

I appreciate the info, but I'm looking for formal testing done by "industry professionals" and not hobbyists.

Don't get me wrong... I'm not deriding the efforts of average Joes who donated the time and effort to ammo testing and generously shared their results with us, but I'm more curious exactly how much attention LE circles have devoted to this topic.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Most LE do NOT carry "pocket pistols" when on duty..........

Good luck, though.

 

[CoMF]

Most LE do NOT carry "pocket pistols" when on duty..........

That is a given, but they are carried as backups or while off-duty.

If this is an area that has been "overlooked," I find that rather puzzling considering so much attention has been lavished on creating effective rounds from service-length barrels.

 

[Captain]

Since it doesn't seem to be a question that gets asked much, I figured I'd be the one to ask it.

With, perhaps, the exception of Speer's Gold Dot Short Barrel ammunition in the more popular 9mm and .40 S&W calibers, which rounds could also be reasonably expected to exhibit satisfactory terminal performance when fired from the abbreviated barrels of pocket automatics (e.g. the S&W Shield)? Has such testing even been conducted?

I'm specifically looking for data collected from formal BG and IWBA 4-layer denim testing conducted by experts in the field.

Where are you located n PA? I do ballistic testing occasionally for work. I work for a,small ammunition company. I've been in the business for over 20 years and have done these test many times. If you live close to Pittsburgh, you would be welcome to try your gun and ammo in the tests. Let me know.

 

[CoMF]

Where are you located n PA? I do ballistic testing occasionally for work. I work for a,small ammunition company. I've been in the business for over 20 years and have done these test many times. If you live close to Pittsburgh, you would be welcome to try your gun and ammo in the tests. Let me know.

I'm in the northeast unfortunately, and alas, I own neither a pocket auto like the S&W Shield nor an assortment of common duty ammo in 9mm or .40 S&W. Otherwise, I'd take you up on that generous offer as the data obtained would be invaluable to both LEOs and concealed carriers alike.

 

[bigwheelzip]

Just curious, what information were you looking for, beyond what is provided in these videos. It seems that everything you listed is provided except the FBI letterhead.

 

[Arik]

Look up DocGR. He's an industry professional. He has over 20 years experience but I don't know if he did pocket auto testing specifically

 

[CoMF]

Just curious, what information were you looking for, beyond what is provided in these videos. It seems that everything you listed is provided except the FBI letterhead.

Good question. I'm not looking for an effective round for a pocket automatic so much as I'm confirming whether or not this was an area that's been overlooked by the "professionals." So far, it's looking that way.

If I was solely interested in finding rounds that "work" out of short barrels, Shooting the Bull's testing would appear to be the best source of data from what I've seen.

Look up DocGR. He's an industry professional. He has over 20 years experience but I don't know if he did pocket auto testing specifically

Funny you should mention that! That's what prompted me to start this thread in the first place.

Aside from testing of the .38 Special out of snub nosed revolvers, I haven't really found anything on 9mm and .40 out of similarly short barrels.

 

[Ramikrav]

Just a couple off the top of my search engine lol-

Loads for Short-Barrel Handguns

Gelatin tests of short-barreled gun ammo - PLUS results | Officer.com

Shooting Illustrated | Snubby Ballistics

One of the reasons I really like .40, is that I also like smaller guns, and in just about every review I've ever found online about short barrel ballistics, the .40 shines. Of course, people are free to disagree.