Steve H
Member
45 cal. 230 gr. FMJ seemed to work pretty well in World War II
Yes, the U.S. Army did plenty of testing. Unfortunately, only FMJ can be used in either 9mm or .45 ACP. FMJ also isn't normally what one would pick if one could have something better.
...
I have a friend who not only fought in Korea, he wrote a book on the fighting ability of various foreign troops there. In the cold northern areas where the Chinese troops wore heavy clothing, there were many cases where they'd find bodies, pierced with machine gun ammo, but with multiple .45 ACP ammo lodged in the quilt-like coats. It was the machine gun fire that killed them, but it's the .45 bullets that didn't make it through that interested the military.
I've talked to, and read about, a number of soldiers who didn't feel that the .45 ACP ammo lived up to its larger-than-life reputation. And though I don't go so far as to worthless (which a lot of these guys unfortunately concluded), I will say there's a lot of BS that accompanies the .45 ACP folklore.
My friend (above) also told me that the Colt 1911s jammed repeatedly in cold weather. This was no fault of the gun or the ammo—just the fact that it was bitter cold and lubrication, being what it ain't, just wasn't doing the job.
Until recently, I thought all the military guys would have preferred .45 Colt autos, but a friend of mine who just got back from a third tour to Iraq, said that with a choice of firepower over stopping power, that it would be firepower every time. If they used their 9mm Berettas, they wanted full magazines and the ability to throw a lot of lead at the enemy.
So not everything's as clear cut as one might think. And as far as the military trials went, just remember that they were comparing FMJs against FMJs. Had they changed the 9mm to JHPs, the results could have been far, far different.
+1I think such accounts can be explained by extremely long range, indirect hits, and
Not to change the subject, but I have often wondered how ballistic gel compares to flesh, any idea?Anyway, a GI .45 ACP will penetrate between 19" - 21" of ballistic gel.
Which BTW is a couple three more inches then 9mm FMJ.
Or 250 yards away.Those North Korean coats must have been quilted with Kevlar!
FMJ works. Shot placement and training count for more than bullet design.
Ummm...yes...I read what the OP wrote. Did you not read what I wrote?ColtOriginal said:Did you read the question? The OP was asking about fmj vs HP in .45. You brought up the age old 45 vs 9 caliber war for what? you brought up quilted Korean's for what?
Well, it's certainly sufficiently saved a lot of people! I feel very comfortable relying on one. BTW, what would you suggest for self defense?mljdeckard said:No pistol round is sufficient for self-defense.
The reason we agonize and hypothesize over what handgun round is better, or what premium hollow point is best, is because THEY ALL SUCK.
Very few 1911s were actually in combat in Korea. They were issued to high-ranking officers and soldiers who were not expected to face combat, such as artillerymen and MPs. Tales of clothes loaded with .45 ammo are just that - tales.