Winter clothing can indeed be an issue...
...and I too am concerned about penetration in sub-optimal calibers. In something like .380, .32ACP or similar, I'd be very hesitant about any frangible, even the larger-pellet Silver Glasers.
However, the .357 isn't a marginal caliber. If anything, it should drive them fast enough that as long as there's no "winter clothes" issue (as a Californian, something I need not spend much time worrrying about) it's perfectly suited to the Glaser concept.
As to recoil, driving a light round very fast often produces less felt recoil than driving something bigger at a slower pace, even if the ballistic energy on the "fast and light" load is higher.
If you haven't perused a standard velocity table I recommending printing out the one on the NAA website (www.naaminis.com) under the "technical info" yellow button on the left. It covers weights from 30 to 300 grains and velocity from 600fps to 1,800fps. Look at what happens when speed rises...total energy goes through the roof. An 80grain Glaser .357 doing 1,700fps from a 4" tube is pulling 514ft-lbs energy, and dumping it into the first 8" to 10" of flesh it hits. "That's GOTTA hurt."
In comparison, a 230grain Hydrashock .45 pulling 900fps has 414ft-lbs energy. Energy alone is NOT a stopping power rating, but it does factor in.
I would personally feel well-armed with six .357 Glaser Blues on tap, in a mild climate. I could not say quite the same thing for Blues in .38spl, hence I run a pair of Silvers "first at bat" in my snubbie.
Having studied shooting reports and seen gelatin dispersion photos for the Blues, I think the "Facklerite" concern over lack of penetration is exaggerated. At least in a civilian role...for LEOs that may have to attack somebody defending cover and shoot through car doors or similar, yes, I can see the problem with frangibles, in spades. But as a civilian, I have no plans whatsoever for charging defended cover, I lack the training, tools, backup and kevlar vest to be even *thinking* about something like that. I'll find my own cover, thank you...maybe take a couple of pot-shots to keep the barsterd's head down, make him think twice about charging ME, and wait for the cops
.
All that said, there ARE contrary opinions out there. Perhaps the best-stated is here:
http://www.firearmstactical.com/briefs5.htm
My view is that these guys consistently underestimate the need for expansion and overestimate the need for penetration. If that were the case, we'd all use hardball. As one example of their arguments, they say that when shooting a gun-equipped opponent, there's a chance your round will strike his outstretched arm(s) and pass through 4 to 5 inches of forearm flesh before striking his torso...therefore Glasers are a bad idea. Sounds fine, except two points:
1) Hit the arm that's holding a gun with a Glaser .357 and it'll be too chewed up to shoot with...assuming you didn't blow it mostly off. Granted, if the hit is to the other arm he'll probably continue shooting one-handed but right away you've got better than 50/50 odds of a good result on an arm hit. (The odds are better than even because if he's doing a two-handed grip, sure, it's 50/50 but there's a fair chance he'll be doing one handed shooting.)
2) A JHP hitting an arm may come away from a bone hit at an odd angle and completely miss the torso behind the arm. Remember, it's spinning, when it hits something solid, God only knows where it'll go next. So either way, a "wingshot" is a crapshoot regardless.
There is NO ammo available that will stop even on a bad hit. You have to do your part. Do your part with a .357 Glaser and within it's admitted limitations, it's a perfectly good round
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One other plus to a Glaser: there's no "upper speed limit" to their effectiveness. If your gun has a longer-than-average barrel for your caliber, with a JHP you risk having the round expand but then "shred backwards". "Longslide" .45s are known for this...another example is the old-fashioned plain-lead .38Spl hollowpoints - with no jacket, they expand OK at low snubbie velocities but shoot 'em from a 4" or 5" tube and they'll come unglued. In this sort of failure, the entire nosecone section of the round can flake off and leave a dribble of scrap metal back along the wound channel while the main projectile loses about 1/5th of it's weight and proceeds through at it's original bore diameter. At that point, you'd have been better off with hardball. In contrast, with Glasers it's a "faster is good" situation...a .357Mag carbine levergun loaded with Glaser Blues pulling 2,000fps+ from a 16.5" barrel would be absolutely devastating
.
(The new Federal E-FMJ also solves this "speed sensitivity" issue.)
My $.02
Jim
