ALL RIGHT... A DEBATE!
On Hydro-Shock/Kinetic Energy;
I agree that shot placement is
everything and anything outside of a CNS hit isn’t likely to “drop” something. Any living creature will continue to function for some period of time when hit with a “hydraulic” shot (defined as a shot that doesn’t make contact with the CNS (brain/spine)) until the hydraulic fluid (blood) pressure drops to the point where oxygen isn’t being transmitted to the required level). However, using some of my deer hunting scenarios… (rifle shooting .308 SP). Deer one 1/4ing , deer two broad side. Entry wound on each .308”, exit wound on both large. Both deer run approx. 25 yards (give or take). Upon field dressing on deer one it was found that the bullet had hit the following organs liver and lung… on deer two bullet had hit both lungs and clipped an artery to the heart. Now the liver on deer one was
totally destroyed. When I say it was totally destroyed it was gone as any semblance of an organ and in it’s place was detached “mush” that was floating around the cavity. What caused the liver to “evaporate”? Surely it wasn't the wound tract of the .308 bullet (even if it expanded to whatever) cause that would have only put a “hole" of that size through the organ. If it wasn’t the wound tract the only thing that could have done it was the hydro shockwave cause by the hi-vel bullet. On cleaning deer two while there was a lot of blood there wasn’t any mush as the organs the bullet hit were very elastic. Also, what causes “blood shot” meat surrounding entrance/exit holes. Again, it has to be the hydro shockwave as the bullet will just make a hole.
As I said previously, what effect hydro shock/kinetic energy has on terminal ballistic can not be disproved nor proved. There are examples on both sides of the theory that do each. I don’t hold a Ph.D. in any type of physics nor do I have the time/money for in-depth testing on the subject. I just have to go with my own research (admittedly limited) and experiences to make a determination. I am not going to discount hydro-shock as having no effect on terminal performance of a bullet.
On Fragmentation/penetration;
While I didn’t have the time to look at all the info on the site you provided I did look over the paper on the .22 QS (I also but the site in my favorites). First I’d like to ask you why on one hand you discount Strasbourg (terminal ballistic test on living creatures) then on the other hand site terminal ballistic results obtained from testing in a non-living element.
Not trying to be a wiseass here… just a question. Now we can both agree that any .22 bullet isn’t going to make much of a permanent wound cavity. Taking that lets say that we fire 4 .22 bullets into center mass in a defensive situation. Given the choice of 4 permanent tracts that penetrate XX inches or 4 that penetrate 1” – 2” then fragment into 12 smaller permanent tracts that continue to penetrate an additional 4” or so on different axis’ I would choose the latter. Why? For the simple reason that with the first you have 4 chances to hit a vital organ (heart preferably with a .22), with the latter you have 12 chance to cause damage to that vital organ). I agree while the fragments will be small, 6” is more then enough penetration to reach the heart and
any damage to that organ is better then none.
Let me further explaining/clarify my reasoning with an extreme example. The following I think we can agree on for this discussion/debate/example… 1 - Again, a .22 will make a small permanent wound cavity, 2 – Either .22 Hyper-Vel (HP or QS) will penetrate (enter) the skull cavity, 3 – The organ Brain is not as elastic as a muscle, nor as “fluffy” (for lack of a better word but hopefully you know what I mean) as a liver, 4 – that after initial wound tract nothing can be guaranteed (i.e. the bullet could exit the skull cavity, it could come to rest upon impact with the rear portion of the skull cavity or it could bounce off the rear (and continue causing damage), 5 - a .22 shot to the skull cavity more then likely will cause incapacitation (defined as the cessation of activity of the subject... not death), 6 – we are not discussion hydro-shock effect (I believe it has an affect, you do not, we agree on that). .
OK the HP will enter the skull, send off secondary projectiles (pieces of the skull itself)(we’ll disregard these), and continue on its path through the brain causing a permanent wound tract of .22 or so (probably a little larger due to expansion) and then impact the back of the skull (see #4 above)
The QS will enter the skull, send off secondary projectiles (pieces of the skull itself) (we’ll disregard these), penetrate .5” – 1”, fragment into 3 smaller projectiles. These three small projectiles will radiate out from the original wound tract creating three separate tracts, the three will either stop within the brain or impact the back of the skull (see #4 above).
Now, given the above two scenarios, which bullet is more likely to cause
permanent incapacitation (i.e. death) due to damage? I have to believe the QS as more areas of the brain are being damaged due to the multiple projectiles traveling through it. You can damage areas of the brain and life can still be maintained (granted this can range to fully functional life to life in a vegetated state, but life never the less). The more areas of the brain that are damaged the less likelihood of life being sustained.
I think the QS design give you more chances of injuring/hitting a vital organ due to it's fragmentation (ie "hit the target in the right place). I also know that the more damage the more likely hood of incapacitation. That is why I carry .45 (Larger Fragments).
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Schmit, GySgt, USMC(Ret)
NRA Life, Lodge 1201-UOSSS
"Si vis Pacem Para Bellum"
[This message has been edited by David Schmidbauer (edited January 12, 2000).]