Test Results Various Calibers of Ammunition Conducted by MPD Ordinance Section

    TEST RESULTS
VARIOUS CALIBERS OF AMWiUNITION 
CONDUCTED BY MPD ORDNANCE SECTION

ihese slides were prepared by the Ordnance Section of the Memphis 
Police Department to squaint law enforcement officers with the potential 
of various types and calibers of ammunition.

Test w'̂ re conducted using tho following format:

Cavitation Test:
Into a block of modeling clay measuring 6" x 7" x 18" shots 
fired from ten feet.

Accuracy Test:
5 - 5  shot groop averages fired from 25 yards from a tlosed 
breach weapon clamped into a macliine rest.

Penetration Test:
Fired into 3/4-inch pine boards spaced one inch apart.

4.

5.

This slide shov.> the entry of a 38 special Smith & Was&ai IIC 
grain SJHP into the clay. Note the deformation of the clay ?t the entry 
point! damego is moderate.

Here the clay is sliced in half revealing the cavilrtion. The 
projectile penetrated 9-inches and expander the vertical measurement of 
the clay leaving approximately four inch cavity, '̂nergy was relf- = sed 
very early and exp nsion of the bullet was good. Penetration through five 
and dented tit - 3/4"

This 1" group of Smith d Wesson IIC grain SJHP was s’r.ot from 25 yards 
out of a 6" closed breech bench rest averaged 5 shot velocity, 1050 feet 
per second with 9"̂ feet per second varible. -

This shov/s tne entry of Remington 125 grain SHJP in the block of clay.

Initial cavitation was very good and the bullet did come apart. 
Penetration was acceptable at 13:. U  created a  ̂ 1/2" cavity in 
the clay.
Penetration through 7 and dented i}8-3/4" pine boards.

Accuracy at 25 yards of five shots with 38 special Remington 125 or 
SHJP produced a 5/8" group with average velocity of 1425 feet per 
second with a varible of 62 feet per second.

Shown here in the entry into the clay of 38 Special Smith 6. Wesson 
of a 125 grain SJHP.



8. Penetration o f th is b u llet was approximately 15". Expansion 
o f the b u llet vras good. Cavitation vraa good, however, enersr was 
released slow ly. Penetration througn 4 and dented 5 -  3/^" pine 
boards.

9. The Smith & Wesson 125 JHP held a very poor group out o f 
fiv e  shots at 25 yards from the bench rest average v e locity  985 
fee t per second with l4 l feet per second varib le .

10. Shown here is  the entry o f  the Winchester Western 158 grain 
lead HP. A good cavity is  indicated by the bulge in  the clay .

11. This b u llet expanded extremely w ell releasing it s  energy early . 
Penetration was acceptable at 11 1 /2 ". Throu^ 5 and dented 3/4" 
pine board.

12. Accui’acy o f  the fiv e  shots v/as fa ir . The aimiunition f^r'ld a
1 3/4 Incli group vri.th average v e lo c ity  o f  1021 feet per second with 
a varib le o f  15 fee t per second.

13. Shown here is  the entry in to  the clay o f  the Winchester Vfestem 
158 grain lead luballoy b u lle t. Almost no apparent e ffe c t  on the clay .

14. The b u llet penetrated approximately three inches before causing 
any cavity and then I t  began v;anderlng throu^^ the clay changing 
d irection s arid traveling through the clay and out onto the range flo o r .

15. The V/inchester Vfestem I 58 grain luballoy held app^'oxiinately
1 1/2" group. Average v e locity  872 fee t per second \vith 25 feet per 
second varib le . Penetration th rou ^  6 and dented in 3 /4" pine boards.

16. Here is  the entry in to the clay block o f the Remington 158 
grain semi-vrad cutter lead, which appears to  have an elongated cavity .

17 . Penetration was extreme as the b u llet conpletely vrcnt througli 
the clay but i t  did create a 'la rge  cavity v.tille releasing it s  energy 
verj' slcpwly. The bu llet e:qpanded v /ell not to  be a HP.

18. Here is  the entry o f  a Remington 230 grain metal case 45 AGP.

19. Being a metal case b u lle t , i t  passed ccnpletely through the clay 
delivering it s  energy very slow ly.

20. Shovmi here is  the entry o f  Remington 4 l magnum, 210 grain SJ3? 
fire d  from a Smith & Wesson ^fodel 58 6" barrel. The cavity is  
bulging fron  a l l  '^ides.

21. E:\panslon o f  the bu llet was very good and penetration was 
acceptable at approximately I 6" . The cavity v.as tremendous in  size  
and sha-7s the devastating e ffe c t  o f  the 4 l magiurn. Energy was 
released on impact; through 9 and dented filO 3/4" pine.

22. A drawback o f the Remington 210 grain SP 4 l magium is  accuracy 
is  shcum here. I t  held only a 2 1 /2" group and it s  r e c o il vhlch
is  more than the average person can handle.

23. Here is  the entry o f  Remington 210 grain lead 4 l Magpum shovdng 
a large cavity .



2k.

25.

26.

27.

2 8 . 

29.

The bTillet shovred almost no expansion and traveled 19" throup-h 
the clay and almost outj.the back. The cavity was good and it s  
energ7 vras released early . However, as conpared to  the previous 
41 magnum bu llet th is bu llet runs a poor second. Thrcush 5 and 
dented rfS 3/4" pine.

Accuracy o f  the Remingtcn 210 grain lead 4 l ma&'ium was verv’ poor 
with a 4 1/2" group. This is  not acceptable fo r  our use.

Here is  the entry o f  Remington 44 Special 246 grain lead round 
nose. Almost no evidence o f a cavity .

The bu llet vrandered released it s  energy slowly and passed com­
p lete ly  through the cla^'-. Very poor poten tia l fo r  P olice  use.

Here is  the entry o f  the Remington 45 Auto Rlni 230 grain lead, 
oha-ring a cavity startin g la te .

The bu llet passed throu{^ the clay a fte r  creating an elongated 
cavity at the entry. Tlrrough 6 imbedded in  §7 3 /4" pine.

30. The groiping o f  the 45 Auto Rim was good vd.th a 1" groip .



T 111-: \V.\SHIN( 'T0N POST. V . V r. 1’. li i. \ fi V 2 1. 1 ^ i .>

Police Surgeon on '’flolloir Point Bullets
Two years it came to the r.tten- 

lion ot the Itooid oi Police and Fire 
Suivcons that ceiaaih units of ihe 
F.xeculive iTotective Ser\ice were 
eciuippod with "hollow point" bullets. 
Kiimoir nltested to their inc-ense.! 
imitilaiini; eltccis, \ crash stij<i\' pro- 
cram was imtiatcd to prepare lor new 
sur'-'icai prohlcins. It was inevita'''. 
that metiihcrs within the Fxcctitive 
i'lntcctiie .S( rvicc would Ik- \iclitns 
ol their own .veapons.

It w;is soon learned that, while lesti- 
ttionials were abundant, no factual 
medical intormatton concerning hu­
man injuries pro'iuccd b.v the hi liow 
points c-xisted. The Surgeon Getieral's 
library could find ro reference on ihe 
subject. Range instructors who were 
interviewed had bet.i led to believe 
the iturposc of the new missile was to 
auiiment the "killittg power."

Through special channels were 
Ic.irtied the essential structural fca 
lures ol th e  hollow point and its 
uimiue tactical advantage.

1 The hollow point is not a 
liumdum ' The legendary dum duni is 

described as a flat-ended soft lead unit 
which was fiieti from high velocity ri-. 
lies. These lead masses were said to 
become distorted on impact, causing 
mutilating and deep destruction. The 
■ .‘tuper Vel" (at left in the accompany­
ing photograph) hollow point 's fired 
from a hand gun at low velocity. Kx- 
cept for Hmm. at the tip, it ts encased 
with hard metal. It does not expand 
or become disiorted to a signifieant 
degree on tissue impaet {.second bullet 
irom left).

■ t M

-‘it-r.i.’lj--./,'.--..-I,'. ■ :
'TiSoaiR'i-xiSl-Jf-':-* . j-  , .v<;,f ■ -V

‘‘Sillier I el" liolloiv iioiiils

Z. After tissue penetration, the hol­
lowed point perioims a reverse para 
etiul->hke roll. It causes more rapid 
loss of velocity than occurs in (he 
stream-lined standard counlorparl 
ihis feature lessens the danger of the 
missile passing through and out of the 
biKly and into a secondary target. The 
value of this quality is must useful 
when weapons are fired at close 
range in crovyded areas. Rraetically. a 
hollow point fired at an assailant 
would be less liable to penetrate and 
injure a second individual. Since their 
adoption, three Executive ib-otective 
Service Officers have been injured by 

. Super Vcl bullets. All were 'shot at 
short range (loss than three Icen. 

Uthough bone was not struck. In

III left, “ ihniuliims’ ’ nt rij:hl.

none e.d the bullet pass through and 
i.ut. In none was t'- - n.uir; mm-e sc 
vere lluin would havi- been I'xpec'cd 
liv sla- .hiid aii.i..unition. In ail, the 
bullets " c n  removed--examined—am! 
p'-eserveo In none was the expan.sion 
or dislortion more than that “cen in 
standard ammunition. All »heso ofli- 
eers returneci full activities. Thus 
limited experience supports the tacti­
cal prognosicatinn of the Department. 
Make re. mistake, the hollow points 
tell the victim, yet they produce no 
uiiusur! injury. They arrest more 
quickly and are least Uangerou.s to ad- 
lacent targets.

J. Blaine Harrell, Itl.D.,
MfniD'T Pr̂ rl ci Police »i>u I’lrp

\\'.-ishiitg'on.