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QUANTITATIVE STUDY OF HANDGUN CARTRIDGES TO BE USED BY POLICE OFFICERS

NCJ Number
63900
Journal
COLORADO POLICEMAN Volume: 15 Issue: 4 Dated: (JULY-AUGUST 1978) Pages: 23-29
Author(s)
C G WILBER; J R JACOBS
Date Published
1978
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT DESCRIBES NEW TESTS OF SIX COMMERCIAL CARTRIDGES FOR USE IN THE .38 SPECIAL REVOLVER TO ASSIST POLICE IN SELECTING THE MOST EFFECTIVE POLICE HANDGUN CARTRIDGE. RESULTS OF THESE TESTS ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
ROUNDS WERE FIRED FROM A 4-INCH SMITH AND WESSON REVOLVER THAT HAD BEEN USED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME BY A PATROLMAN. THE ROUNDS TESTED WERE (1) SPEER, 125 GRAIN, SOFT NOSE (THE 'PATROLMAN'); (2) REMINGTON, 95 GRAIN HOLLOW POINT; (3) REMINGTON, 125 GRAIN HOLLOW POINT; (4) SUPERVEL (REVIVED), 110 GRAIN HOLLOW POINT; (5) SUPERVEL, 110 GRAIN SOFT POINT; AND (6) GLASER SAFETY SLUG, 96 GRAIN. VELOCITIES WERE MEASURED BY FIRING THROUGH THE SCREENS OF AN AVITRON ELECTRONIC CHRONOGRAPH. WOUNDING EFECTIVENESS WAS MEASURED BY FIRING THE ROUND INTO DUXSEAL; THE RESULTING CAVITY WAS THEN PRESERVED BY POURING PLASTER OF PARIS INTO THE HOLE AND ALLOWING IT TO HARDEN. THE VOLUME OF THE CAVITY WAS OBTAINED BY IMMERSING THE CAST IN WATER AND RECORDING THE DISPLACEMENT IN MILLILITERS. (DETAILS OF THE STATISTICAL MANIPULATIONS USED ARE PRESENTED.) IN ADDITION, TESTS WERE CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE WHETHER SAFETY SLUGS AND THE SPEER CARTRIDGE WOULD PENETRATE A HOLLOW-CORE DOOR AND A FLESH SIMULANT (DUXSEAL). BOTH SLUGS PERFORATED THE DOOR AND PENETRATED THE DUXSEAL TO A CONSIDERABLE DEPTH. OVERALL, THE GLASER SAFETY SLUG RATED HIGHEST ON THE CRITERIA FOR SELECTION, FOLLOWED BY THE SPEER 125 GRAIN CARTRIDGE. THE OTHER ROUNDS TESTED THAT WERE CONSIDERED DID NOT MERIT FURTHER CONSIDERATION. TABULAR DATA, REFERENCES, AND A NOTE ARE INCLUDED. (WJR)

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