Greg Hamilton recently posted the following to the email list regarding the terminal ballistics of rifle bullets at different velocities.
With rifle bullets you have:
1) A velocity at which a given bullet will fragment.
2) A velocity where it is stable through tissue but not going fast enough to fragment.
3) A velocity where it is so slow it is very unstable.
All three depend greatly on what the bullet is going through specifically, how far it travels, how many different mediums it passes through, spin rate, etc. It is number 2 that is most affected by these factors.
Many bullets when traveling at subsonic velocities will turn over, but not break as the bullet construction is too strong.
Many 5.56 bullets when they get down in the low 2000fps range have weak wounding (don’t fool yourself into thinking anything as weak as .22LR) but there will be a lower velocity where the bullet will become unstable very quickly and turn over producing more wounding then if it was going faster and did not turn over. The 300 whisper 220gr subsonic is an example of this, the bullet becomes unstable almost instantly when it enters tissue and really rips stuff up in a non-intuitive way.
There is also a velocity where the bullet will turn over and then break and one where it will not (once again, this depends on a lot of factors) the perfect subsonic round will become instantly unstable, turn over and break into fragments. Many bullets when traveling at subsonic velocities will turn over, but not break as the bullet construction is too strong. I’m sure low velocity 5.56 would do the same, but I have never shot the subsonic stuff into any living thing so I can’t tell you.
Recently on the email list, Jeff Mau wrote what I consider to be a very good explanation of the Universal Firearms Handling Rules, his post follows:
1. All guns are always loaded.
2. Never point your gun at anything you are not willing to shoot or destroy.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
4. Be sure of your target and what is behind and beyond.
These rules are principle based and are for all places, all times, everywhere. They are not merely range safety rules. Unlike the NRA safety rules and various other mutated forms of these rules. The verbiage InSights uses is specific.
Frequently, people shoot themselves at gun schools because they don’t apply the UFHR to their gun handling.
My skills are driven by my tactics and these safety rules. If a particular skill forces me to violate these rules then I avoid it. One hand manipulation of the gun is a common area that people violate these rules. Frequently, people shoot themselves at gun schools because they don’t apply the UFHR to their gun handling.
Contact distance shooting is another area where rule number 2 is commonly violated and again people shoot themselves. I have even heard it said that in a middle of a gun fight it is OK to shoot yourself because you have more important things to worry about. The skills InSights teaches are specific. Not only do we teach skills that are more efficient, but they are also safer. Frequently in training, I hear colleagues stated that the UFHR don’t apply in the real world. This is patently false and a fundamental misunderstanding of the UNIVERSAL Firearms Handling Rules. Some of these people are the same ones have shot themselves in various appendages! Some people don’t even learn their lesson the hard way.
Rule number 4 is simply to know your target, what is beyond it and being willing to accept the consequences of what you shoot. It most certainly does not mean you can only point your gun at a berm or something else that will stop a bullet. If given the distance, I will likely not immediately shoot the crazy guy making threats with a knife standing in front of a school bus with little kids inside. If possible, I will maneuver to avoid the possibility of hitting an innocent. However, if that same crazy guy has a bomb strapped to his chest, then I have no issue taking the shot and possibly jeopardizing the kids.
We have been using the Advantage Arms .22LR Kits in our classes and training for a number of years. Most of the instructors now own their own kits and use them extensively, because you can get a lot of training value without the expense of shooting standard caliber rounds for all aspects of your training. There have been some questions about what brands of ammunition seem to work the best on the email list and so far the recommended ammo is: CCI Mini Mags, Remington Golden Bullets, and the Federal Bulk ammo you can sometimes find at wal-mart.
One thing that we need to always keep in perspective is what constitutes a “win.” Winning depends upon the context. As private citizens we “win” when we keep ourselves and the people we care about safe. If this is accomplished with avoidance, or deescalation that is every bit as much a win as prevailing through the application of violence.
As private citizens we “win” when we keep ourselves and the people we care about safe.
It is important to recognize that when it comes to fighting we win as soon as the assailant wishes to break off the attack. We don’t have to fight until the assailant is knocked out, or dead but only until he wants to get away from the situation. This is not to say there aren’t situations where the fight isn’t going to end up with the assailant seriously injured or dead, but that is the exception rather than the rule. Most criminal victimizations have a risk/reward balance and by increasing the risk to the criminal the reward just isn’t worth it any more.
We get a number of students that seem to be a little confused on the prerequisite system that we use here at InSights. The reason for our prerequisites is to save everyone’s time. Students that aren’t completely comfortable or efficient at manipulating their gun, or doing reloads in a static environment aren’t going to suddenly get better at it when they now have to do it on the move and/or under time pressure. Progressing too quickly to a more advanced application doesn’t do anyone any favors.
I still try to go through GDH once or twice a year as a student to reevaluate my ability to apply the fundamentals.
I would make the suggestion that struggling through a higher level class isn’t as valuable as mastering a lower level class. If you are the last one to finish shooting in your firing order and your group size is the largest you would probably get more out of repeating the class you are in rather than moving up a level. I personally took general defensive handgun about 6 times before I felt like I was good at all of the material. I still try to go through GDH once or twice a year as a student to reevaluate my ability to apply the fundamentals. Clearly this is a business that makes it’s money teaching classes, but you as the student/customer, the product you are buying is an increase in your abilities rather than a certification or a diploma.