Steven_Seagal
New member
Anyone ever used it? Ever heard of it? Is it really ideal for home defense?
check it out at http://magsafeonline.com/index.html
check it out at http://magsafeonline.com/index.html
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Tell me about Mag Safe Ammo
- Thread starter Steven_Seagal
- Start date
Any ammo sold 8 to a package makes me nervous! And part of my resistance is the fact that at 8 to a box you are being discouraged from practicing with them, which is insane. How do you know your auto will feed and eject them? How do you know they'll properly extract from your revolver? The 20-per-box packaging allows you to put half through the gun at the range and still have a loaded clip ready for defense.
I like Hornady Critical Defense (and their other defense rounds), Federal Hydro-shock and the Cor-Bon +P series, all of which have good data on penetration and expansion (and generally are testing to FBI standards). For larger calibers I avoid standard JHP that are not designed for personal defense as they tend to be either too hot or too slow to expand.
Where these fully-disenigrating rounds like the Glaser might make sense is if you're trying to avoid full penetration with a caliber that's basically too big for personal defense, like a 44 Mag or a hot 45 Colt, since a fully-expanded bullet is generally more lethal than a fully penetrated one, and the risk of collateral damage is eliminated. In some states defending yourself with an inadequately expand large caliber round that fully penetrates and hits a bystander is de facto negligence, as well as impolite.
I like Hornady Critical Defense (and their other defense rounds), Federal Hydro-shock and the Cor-Bon +P series, all of which have good data on penetration and expansion (and generally are testing to FBI standards). For larger calibers I avoid standard JHP that are not designed for personal defense as they tend to be either too hot or too slow to expand.
Where these fully-disenigrating rounds like the Glaser might make sense is if you're trying to avoid full penetration with a caliber that's basically too big for personal defense, like a 44 Mag or a hot 45 Colt, since a fully-expanded bullet is generally more lethal than a fully penetrated one, and the risk of collateral damage is eliminated. In some states defending yourself with an inadequately expand large caliber round that fully penetrates and hits a bystander is de facto negligence, as well as impolite.
Silly gimmick... kinda like Glasiers. Stick to a good defensive load. Gold Dot, T-series, etc.
This.
Mag Safe and Glasser have been around a long time. For most any "regular" self-defense caliber it would be better to use effective non-frangible ammunition, Hydra Shocks, Gold Dots, Critical Defense, Power Ball etc. There are issues with shooting through hard targets like car doors etc. that make them less than ideal. Mag Safe uses larger "pellets" but this article from Brassfetcher is a good read (9mm Glasser) "Brassfetcher Ballistic Gelatin Testing Evaluates The Glasser Silver Safety Slug +P+ http://www.brassfetcher.com/Brassfetcher_evaluates_9mm_Glaser_Safety_Slug.pdf
"First, the penetration of the tested round against a bare gelatin block is wholly inadequate when viewed in light of the FBI minimum penetration depth of 12" in calibrated ballistic gelatin."
and
"Perhaps the point of greatest interest is the failure of the bullet to reduce penetration when fired through
interior walls, as might occur in the event of a complete miss during a defensive shooting event inside a
structure lethality of the round is actually increased by the presence of an intervening interior wall."
And here is link to Firearms Tacrtical Institute Tactical Brief # 5 entitled "Prefragmented Bullets: Dangerously Inadequate for Personal Defense"
http://www.firearmstactical.com/briefs5.htm
"First, the penetration of the tested round against a bare gelatin block is wholly inadequate when viewed in light of the FBI minimum penetration depth of 12" in calibrated ballistic gelatin."
and
"Perhaps the point of greatest interest is the failure of the bullet to reduce penetration when fired through
interior walls, as might occur in the event of a complete miss during a defensive shooting event inside a
structure lethality of the round is actually increased by the presence of an intervening interior wall."
And here is link to Firearms Tacrtical Institute Tactical Brief # 5 entitled "Prefragmented Bullets: Dangerously Inadequate for Personal Defense"
http://www.firearmstactical.com/briefs5.htm
Carried with them for years. Even visited on the phone with the old man that invented them, Joe Zambone. Heck of a guy, and may he rest in peace.
Then one single post on a gun forum enlightened me with its logic:
"If anything obstructs a clear shot at a vital 'stopping' organ, say, a forearm or door frame, most of the MagSafe energy can be absorbed. The round might become relatively powerless."
I unloaded them from my guns and have them stashed neatly in their original blister packs in my misc. ammo box.
Will never carry with them again.
I only carry now with Barnes Bullets and/or Speer Gold Dots.
Then one single post on a gun forum enlightened me with its logic:
"If anything obstructs a clear shot at a vital 'stopping' organ, say, a forearm or door frame, most of the MagSafe energy can be absorbed. The round might become relatively powerless."
I unloaded them from my guns and have them stashed neatly in their original blister packs in my misc. ammo box.
Will never carry with them again.
I only carry now with Barnes Bullets and/or Speer Gold Dots.
Ticonderoga
New member
gimmick
It seems that these types of rounds often "plug up" when hitting dry wall, much akin to hollowpoints that fill full of denim. The result is that when you miss your target, your round acts like a wad cutter and certainly penetrates to the next room but if the round hits soft material it fails to penetrate effectively.
A common concern for people when trying to decide which caliber to choose for self defense is overpenetration inside the home. Many believe that pistols calibers would automatically penetrate less than rifle bullets, or that light fragmenting bullets will allow you to not be concerned with overpenetration. In regards to the latter - this is a false assumption. Take, for example, the Glaser Safety Slug. It is a pre-fragmented bullet with very shallow and completely penetration in bare gelatin. When fired through drywall, the bullet fails to expand and behaves as a FMJ solid. Another example would be using a lightweight varmint bullet in an AR, thinking that the shallow penetration in tissue would be sufficient to not worry about persons in adjacent rooms in case of a miss. The question I would ask is this: If you knew that there is a person in a room behind the bad guy and you're only separated by drywall, would you really risk taking a shot and rely solely on the bullet to not hurt or kill someone in case of a miss?
Perhaps the best write-up I've seen on the "best" defensive ammo (rifle, shotgun and pistol) is this study:
best ammo for self defense
I'd recommend giving it a good read and check what you put into your weapon versus the conclusions of this study.
I was quite impressed that some of the 9mm rounds performed as well as .40 and .45 rounds so far as wound channels and penetration. All said, when you look at the gelatin blocks of .38, 9mm, .40 & .45, and you look at the overall diameter of the expanded bullets & then consider that they all penetrate about the same, you begin to see the advantages of the .45
As for myself, I will pick up a .45 and it will probably replace my .40 when I get home.
It seems that these types of rounds often "plug up" when hitting dry wall, much akin to hollowpoints that fill full of denim. The result is that when you miss your target, your round acts like a wad cutter and certainly penetrates to the next room but if the round hits soft material it fails to penetrate effectively.
A common concern for people when trying to decide which caliber to choose for self defense is overpenetration inside the home. Many believe that pistols calibers would automatically penetrate less than rifle bullets, or that light fragmenting bullets will allow you to not be concerned with overpenetration. In regards to the latter - this is a false assumption. Take, for example, the Glaser Safety Slug. It is a pre-fragmented bullet with very shallow and completely penetration in bare gelatin. When fired through drywall, the bullet fails to expand and behaves as a FMJ solid. Another example would be using a lightweight varmint bullet in an AR, thinking that the shallow penetration in tissue would be sufficient to not worry about persons in adjacent rooms in case of a miss. The question I would ask is this: If you knew that there is a person in a room behind the bad guy and you're only separated by drywall, would you really risk taking a shot and rely solely on the bullet to not hurt or kill someone in case of a miss?
Perhaps the best write-up I've seen on the "best" defensive ammo (rifle, shotgun and pistol) is this study:
best ammo for self defense
I'd recommend giving it a good read and check what you put into your weapon versus the conclusions of this study.
I was quite impressed that some of the 9mm rounds performed as well as .40 and .45 rounds so far as wound channels and penetration. All said, when you look at the gelatin blocks of .38, 9mm, .40 & .45, and you look at the overall diameter of the expanded bullets & then consider that they all penetrate about the same, you begin to see the advantages of the .45
As for myself, I will pick up a .45 and it will probably replace my .40 when I get home.
Ticonderoga
New member
practice
Forgot to mention, Mes227 makes an excellent point: you should never carry any ammo that you haven't thoroughly tested in the weapon you place it in. Personally, I would not put rounds into a pistol that I hadn't test (practice) fired 100 rounds through - and without stoppage. If one type of round gives 10% more stopping power but does not feed reliably, what's the point? Select a good hollow point, feed two boxes through your gun, and if it feeds well, you'll be confident that the second and third rounds will cycle when you're under stress.
Forgot to mention, Mes227 makes an excellent point: you should never carry any ammo that you haven't thoroughly tested in the weapon you place it in. Personally, I would not put rounds into a pistol that I hadn't test (practice) fired 100 rounds through - and without stoppage. If one type of round gives 10% more stopping power but does not feed reliably, what's the point? Select a good hollow point, feed two boxes through your gun, and if it feeds well, you'll be confident that the second and third rounds will cycle when you're under stress.