Hollow Points for Personal Defense

[MWhiteDesigns]

If you shoot someone with a hollow point for whatever reason, hands down, it will do alot damage. Do you carry hollow points in your personal defense gun? I just purchased quite a few boxes Federal Tactical 124 gr. JHP's. Even though my intentions are to defend myself, I am not necessarily looking to cause death to someone.

What happens if you were to use and for what ever reason were facing criminal charges? I have read multiple articles in which prosecutors focused on the hardware used. I personally will continue to use hollow points for personal defense. What about you? What are your thoughts?

[OakRidgeStars]

Do you carry hollow points in your personal defense gun?

Yes. Always.

What happens if you were to use and for what ever reason were facing criminal charges?

The criminal charges would have little to do with the type of ammo in your gun, and everything to do with your actions leading up to, and after, you discharged your weapon.

I highly recommend that look into training classes (paging: ProShooter) to better prepare yourself should this ever become a reality.

[WRW]

Hollow points typically expend the bulk of their energy in the target. What that means for a self defense situation is that the bullet stops in the target and does not go on to affect by-standers. Show me someone that would prosecute for that, and I'll show you someone making more money than their worth.

[MWhiteDesigns]

Hollow points typically expend the bulk of their energy in the target. What that means for a self defense situation is that the bullet stops in the target and does not go on to affect by-standers. Show me someone that would prosecute for that, and I'll show you someone making more money than their worth.

Agree 100%

[totes6]

In my opinion while carrying FMJ is better than nothing, tests and real life examples have shown that they will more often than not pass straight through the target and still carry enough energy to bounce around causing a potential threat to anyone in the vicinity. Hollow Points as stated in the above posts are much better at discharging their energy inside the target. So in that regard people who use FMJ could potentially be held liable for negligence. This is one of the reasons most Police Depts. I know of have switched over to Hollow Point rounds.

In regards to a District/States Attorney who is going to push the issue on the Hollow Points is probably so anti-gun that they would prosecute you for using a rubber-band gun to defend yourself. And I definitely agree with WRW that they need to find a new job. Has a DA/SA pushed the issue on hollow points before, yes and they probably will in the future, in an attempt to demonize the gun owner. IE, "The defendant bought these evil bullets specifically to kill someone." Of course throwing the local police officer that is in charge of deciding what the deputies carry as a service round on the stand and explain why the department decided to use hollow points too, tends to deflate that avenue of attack. I need to dig it up, but my favorite story was when a defense attorney had a local cop take the stand and had him take his service weapon out and show the rounds to the Jury which of course were hollow points (note, don't do this in a court unless you know for sure what the cop is carrying, could backfire.)

[SHMIV]

Even though my intentions are to defend myself, I am not necessarily looking to cause death to someone.

If you are fixxin to shoot a man, you'd best be prepared for the fact that he may die.

I knew a man that killed many men in Vietnam. After coming home from the war, he went into law enforcement. Once, in an effort to stop a man from running, he shot him in the leg. The man died from his wound.

My acquaintance has never had any issues coming to terms with all the men that he killed in war, but after more than three decades after the fact, he is still greatly bothered, even tormented, by the guy he never meant to kill.

His advice to me was to never shoot anyone that you have no intention of killing.

[MWhiteDesigns]

Of course. If I was ever in the situation having to use in self defense, even if my intentions were not to kill the man, I completely accept the fact that it may happen.

[Jakeiscrazy]

Yep HPs are a must. I recommend using youtube to search brands and find the an effective one for your caliber.

[Chasbo00]

Here's a good primer on defensive ammo...

http://ammo.ar15.com/project/Self_Defen ... /index.htm

[vooduchkn]

FMJ (or ball) ammo will most often than not OVER penetrate or just go straight through and not expand, thus failing to do the one thing you want; expending as much kinetic energy into the target as possible so that it is stopped. A hollowpoint that penetrates and opens properly will leave all of its muzzle energy in the target and with decent shot placement should incapacitate the target.

Death is a very likely outcome using either types of ammunition in any type of firearm regardless of caliber. I have some buddies that came back from the sandbox that were complaining about the 5.56 NATO FMJ "lasering" targets and them firing back vice going down. They mentioned that a good hollowpoint high velocity 5.56 bullet would have probably dropped them where they stood, but using anything but FMJ is against the Geneva Convention (tell that to the opposition).

There is a vast variety of self defense ammo. I steer away from "Gucci" ammo such as Glaser or Powerball. I prefer Winchester Golden Saber (.40) or Hornady XTP (10MM). Self defense ammo usually has more velocity and may have different dimensions than stock FMJ/BALL ammo. Make sure your choice cycles reliably in your firearm and shoot some of it so you know how it shoots.

On another note, I find my IPSC hollowpoint handloads shoot more accurately and hotter than factory FMJ or self defense ammo..

My. $.02

[jbw59]

I agree. Hollow point is the way to go. But don't be lulled into the security that a hollow point wont shoot through. It's less likely to shoot through, but distance to target and, God forbid, placement of the shot through the body will have effect as well. A hollow point at 6 feet going through soft tissue and a shirt is likely to penetrate through. Lets just all hope we're never in that situation. But if we are, we are more responsible to everyone using hollow points.

[ProShooter]

HP's are the only ones you should carry in a defensive handgun.

[MWhiteDesigns]

I did a good amount of research and concluded on Federal Tactical HST 124gr JHP. I bought 4 boxes last month. Has anyone had personal experience with these?

http://cdn4.ammoforsale.com/media/catal ... prem-1.jpg

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt ... x=86&ty=46