JOINT AGENCY BALLISTICS TEST FOR DEFENSIVE HANDGUN AMMUNITION

[WillBrink]

If you have not read it, a must read doc of extensive formal third party testing of common duty loads, and 5.7. If you don't want to read all the details, caliber summary starts on page 35.

*It appears solid copper is the way to go. I may switch after reading that report.

*Rnds with excess velocity like the 10mm have higher failure rates, and as expected, unlikely to be the best choice

*.45 still appears to be hard to beat. Whether the juice worth the squeeze in reduced capacity, recoil, etc is the Q

* 5.7 (first formal testing I'm aware of for SD handgun) did exhibit some impressive results and very bullet choice dependent and may be a viable choice under some circumstances.



https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z6g...h8dK2rHqo/view

[signal4l]

Interesting read. Seems the Leigh Defense fluted, all copper projectiles are worth a look

[1168]

I wrote a whole reply about some of the details on pages 32, 41, and 42, complete with quotes, but my iPhone is a worse word processor than a typewriter from 1992, so I accidentally deleted it. Anyway, $&@% me; just read those pages, and you can probably guess why I was highlighting them.

[Clint]

Excellent read!

Thanks for posting Will.

[WillBrink]

Interesting read. Seems the Leigh Defense fluted, all copper projectiles are worth a look

Expensive and hard to find, but may be worth it. Barrier blind, most consistent/reliable, biggest PWC.

[ABNAK]

Only issue with the 5.7 is that the good ammo that makes it worthwhile isn't available to us lowly plebes.

Also, interesting to see that the Underwood Xtreme Defender rounds (the fluted all-copper ones) basically did the best overall of all the ammo tested in the "faster" calibers like 9mm, 357Sig, and 10mm, and even better than the top .45 and .40 rounds. Basically it is THE round to have in the "faster" calibers, perhaps THE best handgun round out of all the ones tested period.

[WillBrink]

Only issue with the 5.7 is that the good ammo that makes it worthwhile isn't available to us lowly plebes.

Also, interesting to see that the Underwood Xtreme Defender rounds (the fluted all-copper ones) basically did the best overall of all the ammo tested in the "faster" calibers like 9mm, 357Sig, and 10mm, and even better than the top .45 and .40 rounds. Basically it is THE round to have in the "faster" calibers, perhaps THE best handgun round out of all the ones tested period.

I don't believe that's the case and the ammo they were testing is not the "good stuff" us plebs could not get (though many did), but more modern after marker designs sold to consumers.

The Underwood stuff is interesting in that it's effects on PWC velocity dependent for the wounding mechanisms, so what ever projectile has the most velocity.

[Eda]

I'm very skeptical of the Lehigh fluted solids. Their nose design is not intended to produce large wounds, it is borrowed for a pattent for shaped nose penetrators for 105mm tank guns. You also see similar designs in African dangerous game solids. Its designed to stabilize the nose and keep it nose forward, giving deep, straight line penetration. I think the wounding effect of the bullets is exaggerated by the nature of gel. Gel stretches like tissue but it tears much easier than living tissue, causing the cavitation shown in gel. I fear that in living tissue they will act just like expensive flat nosed fmj

[ABNAK]

I don't believe that's the case and the ammo they were testing is not the "good stuff" us plebs could not get (though many did), but more modern after marker designs sold to consumers.

The Underwood stuff is interesting in that it's effects on PWC velocity dependent for the wounding mechanisms, so what ever projectile has the most velocity.

I have some .380 Penetrator ammo from Underwood (not the Defender one although they look very similar). Haven't shot it yet.

After reading this I went downstairs and verified which round it was once I read your link, then went to Lehigh's site (Underwood used Lehigh bullets in these rounds) and watched a little video on the difference between them. The scallops on the Defender are wider and deeper than on the Penetrator. Defenders are also lighter/faster. The Penetrator in the video was a 9mm 115gr; it went 30+" in gel. The 90gr Defender in 9mm went exactly 18" and the PWC was two or three times the size of the Penetrator's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnFwr2ycgXk&t=17s

[ABNAK]

I'm very skeptical of the Lehigh fluted solids. Their nose design is not intended to produce large wounds, it is borrowed for a pattent for shaped nose penetrators for 105mm tank guns. You also see similar designs in African dangerous game solids. Its designed to stabilize the nose and keep it nose forward, giving deep, straight line penetration. I think the wounding effect of the bullets is exaggerated by the nature of gel. Gel stretches like tissue but it tears much easier than living tissue, causing the cavitation shown in gel. I fear that in living tissue they will act just like expensive flat nosed fmj

I don't have a life so I read a good deal of that PDF Will linked. They also tested with two beef briskets, one behind the other. The study claims the PWC from the Defender (not Penetrator), even in less-elastic "flesh", was outstanding.