Maximum expansion and penetration deep enough to damage vital organs without over penetration will also cause a large amount of blood loss.
So, how do you control the amount of penetration when you can possibly meet varying amount of resistance to bullet penetration? In other words, a shot below the rib cage would find only soft tissue and little bullet resistance. You design a bullet that will penetrate in that environment without exiting and then use it for a shot that say hits a rib or the humerus, and you have a bullet that probably won't reach vital organs. On the other end, since most serious self defense ammo has a hollowpoint bullet, the clothing worn by the target can plug up the hollowpoint not allowing it to expand and basically turning the bullet into a solid with enhanced penetration. The fact is, you can't have the same amount of penetration in all circumstances. All you can do is ensure that you will have adequate penetration in a worst case scenario, which is something the FBI learned after the Miami Shootout and is why they set a standard for the amount of penetration, which in many cases will result in an exit wound.
Yes, missed shots could result in hitting unintended
Targets. But isn't it the responsibility of the shooter to minimize the possibility. Especially buy not intentionally using ammo that will over penetrate.
Of course it's the responsibility of any shooter to minimize the possibility of missing the target, but in the heat of an active shooting situation with adrenalin flowing, it's easier said than done. Witness the 20% hit ratio in the police shooting I referenced in my last post. Police typically qualify twice a year with little to no shooting in between, so you can't expect much. Please explain how by "not intentionally using ammo that will over penetrate" you reduce the possibility of missing the target? Cheapshooter, while your sentiment about over penetration is noble, the plain fact that you cannot control the amount of penetration leaves you with this basic question: in a self defense situation with your life on the line, what are the possible consequences of a bullet that fails to penetrate adequately .vs a bullet that completely penetrates? Again, just MHO.
Don