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You should read up on the FBI protocols. There are 9 of them. Most people only the internet only test the first two. Believe me, the 3rd one would show the weakness of a great many lighter rounds as well as the Judge. It would also display the strength of the "hunting" ammo that doesn't expand as much.
For those who don't know the test protocols; see following:
Test Event 1: Bare Gelatin The gelatin block is bare, and shot at a range of ten feet measured from the muzzle to the front of the block. This test event correlates FBI results with those being obtained by other researchers, few of whom shoot into anything other than bare gelatin. It is common to obtain the greatest expansion in this test. Rounds which do not meet the standards against bare gelatin tend to be unreliable in the more practical test events that follow.
Test Event 2: Heavy Clothing The gelatin block is covered with four layers of clothing: one layer of cotton T-shirt material (48 threads per inch); one layer of cotton shirt material (80 threads per inch); a 10 ounce down comforter in a cambric shell cover (232 threads per inch); and one layer of 13 ounce cotton denim (50 threads per inch). This simulates typical cold weather wear. The block is shot at ten feet, measured from the muzzle to the front of the block.
Test Event 3: Steel Two pieces of 20 gauge, hot rolled steel with a galvanized finish are set three inches apart. The steel is in six inch squares. The gelatin block is covered with Light Clothing and placed 18 inches behind the rear most piece of steel. The shot is made at a distance of 10 feet measured from the muzzle to the front of the first piece of steel. Light Clothing is one layer of the above described T-shirt material and one layer of the above described cotton shirt material, and is used as indicated in all subsequent test events.
The steel used is the heaviest gauge steel commonly found in automobile doors. This test simulates the weakest part of a car door. In all car doors, there is an area, or areas, where the heaviest obstacle is nothing more that two pieces of 20 gauge steel.
Test Event 4: Wallboard Two pieces of half-inch standard gypsum board are set 3.5 inches apart. The pieces are six inches square. The gelatin block is covered with Light Clothing and and placed 18 inches behind the rear most piece of gypsum. The shot is made at a distance of ten feet, measured from the muzzle to the front of the first piece of gypsum. This test event simulates a typical interior building wall.
Test Event 5: Plywood One piece of three-quarter inch AA fir plywood is used. The piece is six inches square. The gelatin block is covered with Light Clothing and placed 18 inches behind the rear surface of the plywood. The shot is made at a distance of ten feet, measured from the muzzle to the front surface of the plywood. This test event simulates the resistance of typical wooden doors or construction timbers.
Test Event 6: Automobile Glass One piece of A.S.I. one-quarter inch laminated automobile safety glass measuring 15x18 inches is set at an angle of 45° to the horizontal. The line of bore of the weapon is offset 15° to the side, resulting in a compound angle of impact for the bullet upon the glass. The gelatin block is covered with Light Clothing and placed 18 inches behind the glass. The shot is made at a distance of ten feet, measured from the muzzle to the center of the glass pane. This test event with its two angles simulates a shot taken at the driver of a car from the left front quarter of the vehicle, and not directly in front of it.
Test Event 7: Heavy Clothing at 20 yards This event repeats Test Event 2 but at a range of 20 yards, measured from the muzzle to the front of the gelatin. This test event assesses the effects of increased range and consequently decreased velocity.
Test Event 8: Automobile Glass at 20 yards This event repeats Test Event 6 but at a range of 20 yards, measured from the muzzle to the front of the glass, and without the 15° offset. The shot is made from straight in front of the glass, simulating a shot at the driver of a car bearing down on the shooter.
In addition to the above described series of test events, each cartridge is tested for velocity and accuracy. Twenty rounds are fired through a test barrel and twenty rounds are fired through the service weapon used in the penetration tests. All velocities are measured and reported.
1991 Ammunition Test, Volume III, U.S. Department of Justice, FBI; March 1992, page 2 & 3.
Most people realize that the FBI ammunition tests are not a measure of handgun stopping power, but a means to compare handgun ammunition tested.
One lesson to be learned from the 1986 Miami shootout is that a human can take a great deal of damage (even non-survivable hits such as the first hit Platt took in the fight from Dove) and continue to fight.
W. French Anderson, M.D. in his "Forensic Analysis of the April 11. 1986, FBI Firefight" states in his Preface page vii "The fundamental point of
Forensic Analysis is that even when the human body sustains enormous damage, if the will is there the person can continue fighting and surviving."
He notes that Matix's ability to function after receiving a head wound delivered by McNeil near the beginning of the firefight that contused Matix's brain "was extraordinary".
Dr. French quotes Dr. Barnhart, "Following total cardiac arrest [or even a shotgun blast that completely disrupts the heart], the brain, spinal cord, and muscles can have the capacity to react in a purposful and coordinated manner for up to 15 seconds. Think how much havoc can be perpetuated in this fairly long period of time in a mortal situation." p. xiii
The fundamental point is
if you can still think and move, then you can still fight; only when your brain or heart stops, or you choose to give up, does your ability to fight back cease." French, p. xiii
If you accept Dr. French's
fundamental point; then you should choose the most devastating cartridge that you can competently handle and will bet your life on. All you will have is what you have chosen and are in possession of, to stop a deadly threat. This is most likely to be an under-powered handgun rather than a long arm which would likely be both more powerful (devastating wounds) and more accurate than a defensive handgun.
I submit that all "defensive cartridges" (those cartridges which include the 9mm para, but less than full powered .44 mag) are under-powered, that is why we are taught to shoot at least twice to center of mass, assess and proceed as necessary.
