10MM - FBI Papers(1989) Caliber Choice - Polar Bear?

Handgun Wounding Factors And Effectiveness - & The FBI's 10MM Pistol

I spotted this (disappointing) publication in the Kindle Bookshop and leaped on it, expecting some deep inner secrets of the FBI selection process - mind you, why I expected revelations of any significance for $3.50 somewhat does reveal my wishful thinking! ( Well - it did show the FBI Seal on the cover!).

The author claims that he had to file a Freedom of Information Act request and appeal a denial before getting his 'official' copy, but I'm not wide-eyed with wonder at the content. The report by Special Agent Urey W Patrick  is at pains to point-out the dearth of proper research into "stopping power' and it seems to me, mainly goes over a lot of  'old ground' - particularly, - he dismisses temporary wound channel effects as less than significant.

 

                                                                       .40"S&W

The report really states that of the various factors relating to stopping any offensive action, -penetration is the most critical  - stating ".. a handgun bullet MUST reliably penetrate 12 inches of soft body tissue at a minimum, regardless of whether it expands or not."

-On the fear of over penetration, the report said: "the concern that a bullet would pass through the body of a subject and injure an innocent bystander is clearly exaggerated. Any review of law enforcement shootings will reveal that the great majority of shots fired by Officers do not hit any subjects at all. It should be obvious that the relatively few shots that do hit a subject are not somehow more dangerous to bystanders than the shots that miss the subject entirely."

Regarding the 'stopping power' studies available to that writer, the study states that they are all based on "myths such as knock-down power, energy transfer, hydrostatic shock, or the temporary cavity methodology of flawed work such as RII."

 One last quote: "Penetration less than 12 inches is too little, and in the words of two of the participants in the 1987 Wound Ballistics Workshop, "too little penetration will get you killed"."

                                                 (Not my wife - I'm separated)

They were really trying to decide and select which ammunition was best between the 9MM and the .45"ACP - but the answer that they came-up with was a 10MM loaded with a 180gn hollow-point at 950 feet per second! - Of course that developed into the (then) new .40"S&W cartridge.

On further thought, it's not bad value reading and does tell the official story so..

Anyway - The latest "scuttlebuck" rumour between decks says that the Feds are going to drop the .40 S&W in favour of the 9MM round. - Supposedly this is not due to any particular "fourty-failing", - but recognises that ballistic advances in projectile type / design are enhancing the 9MMs function.

We'll just have to wait and see eh.

P.S. - Wikipedia says that the Government of Denmark has issued the Glock 20 to the Slaedpatruljen Sirius ( Sirius Sledge Patrol)  based in Daneborg Northeast Greenland  as a defence against polar bears that the unit encounters during patrols. I'd say that the all-black Glocks would show-up nicely if dropped in the snow, or photographed laying on a white furry body!. - And, if the 10MM is good enough for polar bears ...

Marty K