oboe
04-05-11, 22:23
We live in a really, really small condo in south Florida. Sticking to 9mm, I'm looking for something that won't cause big problems to my neighbor on the other side of a common wall but will still be of use for home defense.
Right now, I'm operating on the presumption of penetrable walls, and if they turn out to less rather than more penetrable - well, that will be the cherry on top. I also am theorizing with the presumption that here in south Florida, the home invader will not be wearing four layers of denim or any such thick clothing. If he or she or they wear soft armor, all bets are off anyway.
Here are my candidates in 9mm, in no particular order of importance:
(1) Cor-Bon +P 90 gr JHP; flash suppressed powder; muzzle 1500 fps, 450 ft. lbs. I have no other data or testing on this round, but in theory - it's fast, it's light, it will have earlier expansion and less penetration. At the likely 2 yds. at which it would be fired at a home invader [to which reference is hereinafter made as "perp"], fired as many times as I'm still capable as firing it . . . maybe as good as anything else.
(2) Cor-Bon +P 100gr "Powerball". Muzzle 1475 fps, 483 ft. lbs. This is a JHP with a plastic ball in the hollow part. From testing I've read, it lacks the penetration we'd want in a street round, and it is known to lose its jacket in the perp. The good news: It hits hard but is highly unlikely to penetrate a common wall and still remain life threatening.
(3) Cor-Bon 95 gr DPX. From 3.1" barrel, muzzle 1300 fps, 356 ft. lbs. Solid copper hollow point. From tests I've read, penetrates beyond what would be expected of this weight in a conventional JHP load, and loses virtually no weight at terminus. Lacks FBI required penetration, but still gets in there and does some work. Could be the compromise winner - do you think?
(4) Fiocchi 92 gr Mono-Block. Not unlike the DPX projectile. Have no further information at this time.
(5) Double-Tap 80 gr solid copper Barnes DPX type projectile, same construction, muzzle 1560 fps, 433 ft. lbs. Would expect even less penetration than Cor-Bon 95 gr DPX, but still enough to enter the perp.
(6) Yes, the very interesting Federal EMJ 105 gr Guard Dog, muzzle 1230 fps, 353 ft. lbs. Projectile is lead free, copper and some kind of plastic. NO loss of mass at terminus, and expansion and weight tending to indicate over-penetration no concern. Test I've read indicates hard frontal hit, less than FBI required penetration. Manufactured and marketed as home defense with "safe" level of penetration. Seriously - if you were a perp wearing south Florida regular - would YOU just brush this off because the penetration isn't FBI minimum?
I would choose none of these outside of this tiny condo. But they seem to have the characteristics that would allow me to "first, do no harm" to my neighbor and second, screw up the perp enough to make a difference - especially when hit at 7 ft in the head.
Your thoughts?
Right now, I'm operating on the presumption of penetrable walls, and if they turn out to less rather than more penetrable - well, that will be the cherry on top. I also am theorizing with the presumption that here in south Florida, the home invader will not be wearing four layers of denim or any such thick clothing. If he or she or they wear soft armor, all bets are off anyway.
Here are my candidates in 9mm, in no particular order of importance:
(1) Cor-Bon +P 90 gr JHP; flash suppressed powder; muzzle 1500 fps, 450 ft. lbs. I have no other data or testing on this round, but in theory - it's fast, it's light, it will have earlier expansion and less penetration. At the likely 2 yds. at which it would be fired at a home invader [to which reference is hereinafter made as "perp"], fired as many times as I'm still capable as firing it . . . maybe as good as anything else.
(2) Cor-Bon +P 100gr "Powerball". Muzzle 1475 fps, 483 ft. lbs. This is a JHP with a plastic ball in the hollow part. From testing I've read, it lacks the penetration we'd want in a street round, and it is known to lose its jacket in the perp. The good news: It hits hard but is highly unlikely to penetrate a common wall and still remain life threatening.
(3) Cor-Bon 95 gr DPX. From 3.1" barrel, muzzle 1300 fps, 356 ft. lbs. Solid copper hollow point. From tests I've read, penetrates beyond what would be expected of this weight in a conventional JHP load, and loses virtually no weight at terminus. Lacks FBI required penetration, but still gets in there and does some work. Could be the compromise winner - do you think?
(4) Fiocchi 92 gr Mono-Block. Not unlike the DPX projectile. Have no further information at this time.
(5) Double-Tap 80 gr solid copper Barnes DPX type projectile, same construction, muzzle 1560 fps, 433 ft. lbs. Would expect even less penetration than Cor-Bon 95 gr DPX, but still enough to enter the perp.
(6) Yes, the very interesting Federal EMJ 105 gr Guard Dog, muzzle 1230 fps, 353 ft. lbs. Projectile is lead free, copper and some kind of plastic. NO loss of mass at terminus, and expansion and weight tending to indicate over-penetration no concern. Test I've read indicates hard frontal hit, less than FBI required penetration. Manufactured and marketed as home defense with "safe" level of penetration. Seriously - if you were a perp wearing south Florida regular - would YOU just brush this off because the penetration isn't FBI minimum?
I would choose none of these outside of this tiny condo. But they seem to have the characteristics that would allow me to "first, do no harm" to my neighbor and second, screw up the perp enough to make a difference - especially when hit at 7 ft in the head.
Your thoughts?