Ammunition

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Handgun Hunting by Lee Jurras and George Nonte

(I am reproducing parts of this long out-of-print book. While much of the information may be outdated now, it does make interesting reading. These guys - especially Mr. Jurras - were pioneers in what we take for granted these days)

Chapter 8
Ammunition

A handgun or any other firearm is merely the vehicle for launching a projectile. The projectile itself is the only part of the entire system – shooter/gun/ammunition – which actually contacts the game and thus achieves the desired result of a quick, humane kill. Therefore, assuming reasonable skill on the part of the shooter, the ammunition actually assumes considerable greater importance than the gun. Obviously, the gun is important – but, given identical caliber, a cheap, fixed-sight gun with proper ammunition will be more effective o game than the most costly and sophisticated gun used with an inferior or incorrect load.

The inherent shortcomings of handgun ammunition (compared to that for rifles) must be discussed if one is to understand the full importance of proper load selection for handgun hunting. The principal limitations of all handgun ammunition – bar none – are in the area of velocity, energy, penetration, and trajectory height. Spinoff disadvantages due to those factors may be found in poor expansion, excessively high velocity-loss rate, and relatively poor accuracy. (All of these, of course, are "poor" only in comparison with contemporary rifle ammunition.)

Most of the disadvantages may be traced directly to a single factor: the inability of any ammunition to produce rifle-class velocities in handguns. And, of course, that inability may be laid directly at the very short barrel length of handguns and their inability to safely withstand rifle-class chamber pressures (with the exception of an Auto Mag pistol, which does function at rifle pressures). To a lesser degree, this lack of velocity is due to the fact that dimensional limitations of handguns do not allow the use of cartridges with sufficient powder capacity. It is interesting to note that the very largest of handgun cartridges, the .44 Magnum, has a capacity of only 25.2 grains of water (see the Case Capacity table in Appendix 1) which is substantially less than the 35.8-grain capacity of the smallest rifle cartridge normally recommended for big-game hunting, the .30-30 Winchester.

In any event, the maximum velocities that can be obtained in conventional handguns (excluding the Auto Mag) range from 1500 to 1800 fps, which is only about 60 to 70 percent of the velocity normally produced by conventional non-Magnum, hunting-rifle ammunition.

This velocity limitation is directly responsible for lack of striking energy. As if the velocity handicap weren’t enough, even the velocity levels that can be reached are achieved within a rather severe bullet-weight limitation. The .357 Magnum’s highest velocities, a bit over 1600 fps, can be obtained only with light bullets weighing about 110 to 125 grains – while a rifle cartridge of the same .36 caliber (the .358 Winchester is a good example) will normally use a bullet weighing at least 200 grains. More likely it will be 225 to 250 grains, with a velocity well in excess of 2000 fps.

These two factors, limited velocity and bullet weight, are responsible singly or in concert for all the other shortcomings mentioned. Low velocity means high mid-range trajectory height; light bullet weight (with attendant high velocity-loss rate) also enhances trajectory height, and in addition reduces penetration at target; low velocity reduces bullet expansion in game, no matter how efficient the projectile is.

Therefore, it is impossible for any handgun ammunition to even approach the effectiveness of the most mediocre of modern hunting-rifle cartridges.

Some handgun hunters do apparently run up better kill records than some rifle hunters – but this is due to careful and skillful hunting and shooting, and is achieved in spite of handgun ammunition limitations rather than because of them.

However, the picture isn’t nearly as black as I have painted it. Handgun ammunition, bullets in particular, has in recent years undergone a considerable design overhaul. Beginning with the advent of the first Super Vel ammunition (developed and produced by my co-author, Lee E. Jurras), jacketed bullets that will expand reliably and well at handgun velocities have been developed and are currently available in a wide range of calibers and ammunition makes. These same designs have been further refined to achieve higher velocities than were previously available. In addition, bullet profiles and other characteristics have been modified to permit greater transfer of energy to the target. As a result, bullet lethality has in some instances been doubled or tripled for given calibers from what was available a bare 15 years ago. With that as a background, we can discuss the selection of factory-loaded handgun-hunting ammunition with better understanding.

First of all, we have two basic types of loadings available, and minor variations within those types. The first is the traditional, lead, heavy-bullet load, producing moderate velocities ranging from a bit over 800 fps in the .38 Special up to about 1500 fps in the magnum cartridges. Bullets in these loads are generally swaged of a slightly hardened (with antimony) lead alloy, and are lubricated with grease or wax placed in circumferential grooves or cannelures rolled into the bearing surface of the bullet. The bullet may be entirely of lead construction, or it may have a thin copper or brass gas check pressed into its base. At the higher velocities in this range, a gas check reduces the probability of bore leading, and is, in fact, essential for this purpose with the softer lead alloys used in early .44 Magnum ammunition. The lack of a gas check is responsible for the notorious reputation of the .357 Magnum for leading bores heavily. These lead-bullet loads generally produce good penetration because of their relatively great bullet weight, and at the upper end of the velocity range will produce some bullet expansion if the lead alloy is soft enough. Generally speaking, the ammunition manufacturers use a fairly soft alloy, not only to promote expansion but because it is less wearing on swaging equipment and is, therefore, more economical to manufacture. Alloys differ, and it is possible to identify those which produce maximum expansion and those which produce maximum penetration by trying several different makes. Obviously, one cannot have maximum levels of both expansion and penetration in the same load, for each of those attributes is present to the detriment of the other. In the past, these lead-bullet loads have all been of solid form and round-nose or semi-wadcutter profile. Other factors being equal, the semi-wadcutter shape produces more tissue damage, a larger wound channel, and somewhat less penetration than the round-nose. Recently, though, at least one maker (Winchester) has added a hollow point in its semi-wadcutter lead-bullet line and has combined this with a relatively soft alloy to produce greater expansion than the solid bullets of the same profile.

It should be pointed out that the foregoing discussion of lead bullets applies only to revolver ammunition. No lead-bullet factory loads are available in autoloading pistol cartridges with the exception of those very light numbers intended purely for formal paper-punching at ranges of 50 yards and less. They are in no way suitable for hunting anything more than small game or pests at short ranges. It should also be pointed out that the similar light target loads offered for revolvers suffer the same limitations.

The second type of handgun ammunition embraces both revolver and autoloader cartridges and consists of metal-jacketed bullets, the jacket normally being composed of soft copper alloy. Within this category, we have the typical "ball" bullets in which the jacket continues unbroken over the nose. Nothing more need be said about this type of bullet, for it is totally inadequate for hunting, possessing excellent penetration but generally being incapable of any expansion whatever, though it will sometimes deform or tumble upon impact with heavy bones. This type of bullet is found mainly in auto cartridges, but also to a limited extent in revolver calibers, and generally utilizes heavy bullets at moderate velocities not exceeding 1300 or 1350 fps.

The only jacketed handgun bullets suitable for hunting are those designed to expand as they penetrate animal tissue. These may be lumped in two categories, jacketed soft-point (JSP) and jacketed hollow-point (JHP). The former utilizes a thin, copper-alloy jacket in the form of a cup which encloses the base of the bullet and extends forward over the bearing surface and part-way down over the ogive, leaving a portion of the lead-alloy core exposed at the nose. The exposed core is solid, while in the case of the JHP, the exposed portion of the core is penetrated by a conical (usually) cavity which promotes expansion more rapidly than the solid JSP nose. Generally, both JSP and JHP bullets have the core lead extending beyond the jacket edge, and in profile a substantial portion of lead may be seen protruding beyond the end of the jacket. One variation exists, the truncated-cone from of bullet for autoloading pistols, introduced by Super Vel some years ago. In this bullet, the nose is flattened for a third to half the bullet’s major diameter, and the jacket extends fully forward to this flat, and is turned over slightly at the edge. Thus, the flat portion exposes the end of the core, but no core material is visible when the bullet is viewed in profile. When the core fills the jacket flush to form this flat, the bullet is designated JSP, and when a wide, deep conical cavity appears there instead, it is designated JHP.

While various minor variations of expanding-bullet form (shape) will be encountered, the most common is the simple round nose with at most a two- or three-caliber ogive radius. One unusual form introduced fairly recently was developed at the now-defunct Amron small-arms ammunition plant, and is marketed under the Smith & Wesson name. It is called the "Hemi" form. The nose of this bullet is formed by a hemisphere of the same diameter as the bearing surface. A variation of the round nose will also be encountered where the tip is flattened. The other form is the truncated-cone, introduced by Super Vel and now also offered by Sierra bullets, and perhaps other independent bullet makers. This profile did not originate with Super Vel, having first appeared around the turn of the century in ammunition designed for the then-new Parabellum (Luger) autoloading pistol.

Regardless of bullet form, the same rules govern expansion and penetration: You can’t have both – for expansion reduces penetration as it increases the frontal area of the bullet and therefore increases the target’s resistance to penetration. The two principal factors which govern expansion (and therefore penetration) are core hardness and jacket ductility. Those handgun bullets which produce maximum expansion contain a soft core of virtually pure (not hardened by any additional metal) lead enclosed in a very thin and very soft copper jacket. To produce maximum expansion, the jacket must be just sufficiently strong to resist the forces placed upon it by feeding and firing, yet remain soft and ductile enough that it will place as little restriction as possible on the outward flowing of the lead core as it is deformed by impact with the target.

Because of this, two bullets which appear identical may give totally different expansion/penetration characteristics under the same conditions. One bullet may be explosively expansive, while the other barely deforms, penetrating quite deeply without significant expansion. Hardness of core and jacket make the difference, and this can not be determined by simple examination or thumb-nail scratching of the bullet. In the absence of factual test data, the only way to make a selection between two apparently identical bullets is the shoot them into game or a test medium, such as Duxseal or gelatin, from the same gun at the same velocities, and then compare their performance.

Generally speaking, other design factors being equal, the JHP bullet will expand more, will expand more rapidly upon penetrating the target, will produce a larger wound cavity, and will, therefore, penetrate less than the JSP. In some instances, with bullets of identical core and jacket hardness, weight, and profile, the difference in behavior between JSP and JHP bullets may be almost non-existent. If too heavily constructed, as were the older 9mm Luger and .38 Super bullets, they both punch right on through tissue without expanding. At the other end of the scale, when properly designed and constructed, the JHP may produce one-third more tissue destruction and wound volume than the JSP.

When it comes to selecting a load for your gun and for a particular species of game and set of shooting circumstances, keep these factors in mind: The shorter the gun barrel, the less expansion and penetration will be produced by any load at any range, and the shorter the barrel, the shorter the range at which acceptable expansion and penetration will be produced; the longer the range, the less expansion you may expect; as the animal grows larger, you must depend more upon penetration and less upon expansion for a quick, one-shot kill; the smaller and lighter the animal, the less resistance it offers to the bullet, and therefore the less expansion will be produced. Let’s boil that down to some basic choices in different calibers for different kinds of hunting.

In 9mm Parabellum, maximum expansion and velocity for small varmints and non-edible game is most likely to be obtained from the 90-grain, JHP loading; and in the same caliber for edible game and species comparable to whitetail deer, a JSP loading such as the Super Vel 112-grain is a more desirable choice. In .38 Super automatic, the JHP 107-grain bullet is best for the small stuff with the 112-grain JSP more suitable for deer and the like. In .45 caliber, of all the factory loads currently available the Super Vel 190-grain JHP is superior for all purposes, keeping in mind that this caliber is strictly a 50-yard (or less) hunting gun.

In revolvers, there are so many more individual loads produced by a wide variety of makers that it becomes impractical to give such precise recommendations. However, for varmints and non-edible game, invariably the lightest-bullet load in JHP form will be best – however, one must consider that some bullets of this type are too heavily constructed to produce the explosive expansion for which the type has been noted since its introduction. For larger game, the light-to-medium weight JSP bullets at high test velocities are to be preferred because of their greater penetration combined with good expansion. In this range, we find a number of 125- to 137-grain loadings in .38 Special and .357 Magnum, and 180-grain loadings in .44 Magnum. In some instances, though, lighter-bullet JHP loadings too strongly constructed for proper expansion on small game will perform well on deer, black bear, and the like.

For truly big and perhaps dangerous game, the heavier JSP bullets in only the biggest calibers will normally be best. A fast-expanding bullet may produce a large and very deadly looking surface wound without penetrating to the vitals or breaking major bones to ring the animal down. Obviously, then, we need deep penetration combined with as much expansion as can be reasonably expected on game of this short. At reasonable ranges, this requires substantial bullet weight, a fairly thick and strong bullet jacket, and, for once, a core alloy somewhat harder than pure lead may be desirable. At this time, there is no factory-loaded bullet which is ideal for this type of work in the typical, conventional handguns. The 180-grain JHP is a good choice in .44 Magnum, while the Super Vel .44 JSP is a good choice in .44 Auto Mag. There simply aren’t any good bullets for the largest game in .41 Magnum, and the .357 Magnum is too small a caliber. In .41 magnum, probably the best results I have obtained have been with a 210-grain JSP loading with which I have killed a couple of bears and a variety of the larger African antelope.

As this book goes to the publisher, I’ve been notified that the Super Vel Cartridge Corp. is permanently closing the doors of its Shelbyville, Indiana, plant. Consequently, the above recommendations for Super Vel ammunition become of only academic interest, and secondary recommendations are in order, at least for the auto-pistol loads. In 9mm Parabellum, the Remington-Peters 115-grain JHP and the Winchester-Western 100-grain JSP are fine choices. Circumstances for the .38 Super are unfortunate, for no other company offers any expanding-bullet loads for it. Only ball loadings remain. The .45 ACP situation is a bit better, because 185-grain JHP loads are available.

Actually, as has already been pointed out, even at its very best and with the very best in ammunition, the handgun is a marginal arm for hunting dangerous game – though I’ve done it successfully when shots were very carefully chosen and set up.

In any event, as stated at the beginning of this chapter, it is extremely important that the hunter recognize the fact that the choice of ammunition for handgun hunting is more important than the choice of the gun.

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