Penetrating Dumpsters, Car Doors, ect

most ammo will go through a car a single door with little to no problem, anything more than that, and i would advise you to contemplate running away.
 
I wonder if thick clothing really slows a bullet down much?..........
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That's not the issue. Many hollow point bullets are clogged with fabric and don't expand---causing more penetration. In effect, they become hardball.

DPX, HST, and GD expand, even through heavy clothing. Golden Saber is still rated good in this regard, but not as good as the above bullet technologies.
 
Don't most laws say that if you have the opportunity you are to flee but if you stick around and use deadly force then you're going to be in just as much trouble?
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Ah, yes. The "duty to flee" laws. Easterners.:rolleyes:

No, most states do not say that. Yours does, but many do not. In many states, lawmakers recognize that if someone is trying to kill you, running away will get you shot in the back. If in doubt, take a CCW class, it is covered in the "use of force" section.
 
Just because WE know rule 4 doesn't mean the BG does, I can EASILY see some scum bag getting behind a dumpster and firing over the top. And if you think a head shot is hard, try aiming for a hand.
 
Don't most laws say that if you have the opportunity you are to flee but if you stick around and use deadly force then you're going to be in just as much trouble?
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Maybe in NY, but not in most other places.

You may not continue using deadly force if the threat has gone away.

Hiding in the dumpster would remove them as a threat, but hiding behind an object and continuing to make threats means they are still a legit target.

If you decide to not go any further, make sure you keep a close eye on the guy.

He may still think you are a target (even as you move away).
 
Two things:

The presumption that bad guys do not/will never utilize cover is based upon what?

The presumption that in the event that they do utilizing cover you be afforded the opportunity to flee is based upon what?

Just curious.
 
If the BG jumps in a dumpster (see original post), you cannot see him. If you cannot see him, then he cannot see you. Seems elementry to me. If BG cannot see you, it certainly strikes me as an opportunity to flee. What presumptions are you using to think otherwise ?
 
The whole idea behind conceal carry is to "Stop an Attack".
I would'nt want to stick it out for the gun battle at the O.K.corral.
I have carried a Tracker .44 magnum a time or two.A little un-
comfortable to me to carry such a large gun.In the winter time it's not bad.
It's easy to conceal.Load it with some FMJ's and it will go through stuff.

Thing is?You shoot the bad guy,it goes right through him.Hardly slowing
the bullet down,if no bones are hit.It finally stops in the Kroger store down
the road.It sure could do a lot of damage on its journey.I carry a 9 M.M.
JHP.Probably do more damage to the bad guy with it.











if
 
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Given the dumpsters I've seen/used over the years, I'd be very surprised if most handgun rounds would be able to reliably penetrate one. The metal is pretty thick, and they tend to have a lot of internal reinforcement.
 
Given the dumpsters I've seen/used over the years, I'd be very surprised if most handgun rounds would be able to reliably penetrate one. The metal is pretty thick, and they tend to have a lot of internal reinforcement.
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Even rifle rounds won't penetrate. They will penetrate one side of your average dumpster, but won't penetrate the other. Works just like spaced armor, same reason rifle rounds easily penitrate one car door, but have trouble penetrating the other door. Far more likely a BG will hide behind the dumpster rather than jump in.

Or get an NFA tag on a sawed off shotgun loaded with slugs.
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You'll give the BG a nice headache by ringing the dumpster like a church bell, but a slug won't penetrate dumpster steel.

You do get a nice light-show with slugs though.

MotelGunAOW1.JPG
 
I think you're best served by choosing a particular pistol and load, then sticking to it and practicing.

Taking a step back, and examining the OP's idea, I think that having different types of ammo for different situations may have some utility (it is usually pointed to as an advantage of shotguns), but for a self-defense oriented handgunner, it isn't a good idea. Overthinking the basic problem of personal defense by trying to include unlikely scenarios complicates the issue.

The overwhelming majority of valid self-defense shootings are quick, stressful encounters that preclude the relatively cool decision to switch to a specific reload based on a tactical problem. I'd rather have a simple, reliable system, then solve whatever tactical problems arise through marksmanship, retreat, calling for help, etc.

That said, having a reload of FMJ probably wouldn't hurt. I'm just saying I don't think you would ever need it.
 
I've been down in a dumpster, . . . and if some knuckle-dragger comes along and bangs something on the side of it, . . . your ears can ring like thunder.

Knowing that, . . . if someone that "was" shooting at me, hopped into a dumpster, . . . I'd probably take the advice given earlier and exit stage left, . . . but I'd also ring the dumpster with 3 or 4 rounds just to confuse him and keep his head down so I could make my escape.

Course then again, . . . that only works if the dumpster is MT, . . . but I'd probably do it anyway so I could "assist" my departure.

May God bless,
Dwight
 
The OP:

"I'm considering replacing one of my speedloaders with FMJ to get greater penetration. I would hate to get caught in a situation where a BG had some great cover and I had no chance of hitting him."

Rhetorically, where and why the "hopped into a dumpster" talk came from is irrelevant to the thread.

As noted, most dumpsters will defeat most efforts to shoot through them.

How about mailboxes and other common items of cover?

It is good to know what you can and can't shoot through, if not because you intend to try to defeat cover, then because you intend to use cover.

And no, I don't think that it would be a good idea to hop in a dumpster or to try to mail yourself under fire. ;-)
 
Dumpsters?

I think you will need a rifle for that.

With the exception of AP pistol ammo, banned as 'cop killers', the only realistic way to get inside a dumpster with a firearm is a rifle.

Deaf
 
One of the points I think we are missing is that the OP was considering having FMJ in "one of my speedloaders". Since we have pretty much beat to death the fact that most pistol rounds have virtually no chance of penetrating a dumpster, I would like to address the fact that doing a tactical reload on a revolver while under the stress involved in a life and death struggle may not be the best time to have the question bouncing around in your head "Which speedloader do I grab?" or "Did I load the right one?"
Most often the best answer is the KISS method (keep it simple stupid), do your homework, pick the load that most suits your purposes, and go with it.
+1 R1145 - Pick one load, stick to it and practice.
 
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