Modern hollow point bullets expand mostly due to hydraulic pressure exerted on the hollow cavity from the inside when striking living tissue or a medium that contains a large percentage of water. This can be demonstrated by firing a hollow point bullet into a deep pool of water. Thats one of the reasons why wet phone books, ballistic gelatin, and sealed bags of water are used for testing purposes. One of the reasons hollow points can fail is when the nose gets plugged on entry. The plug blocks out the body fluids that would cause a hollow point to expand.
The mercury is nothing more than a durable hydraulic medium sealed in the bullet cavity to initiate expansion milliseconds before it comes in contact with the liquid part of living tissue. The mercury's poisonous properties are a moot point.
Filling and sealing a bullet with mercury probably has more of a detrimental effect on terminal benefits than any perceived advantages, and is unnecessary with todays premium defensive bullets.
The mercury is nothing more than a durable hydraulic medium sealed in the bullet cavity to initiate expansion milliseconds before it comes in contact with the liquid part of living tissue. The mercury's poisonous properties are a moot point.
Filling and sealing a bullet with mercury probably has more of a detrimental effect on terminal benefits than any perceived advantages, and is unnecessary with todays premium defensive bullets.