.357SIG: What’s the point of this cartridge?

[Glorfindel]

Calling a hole by a .357 Sig round catastrophic is just stupid. Anyone remember Aloha Airlines Flight 23? It took an approximately 10" square hole torn by stress and fatigue on a worn out airframe to cause the entire front fuselage to ripped be off. The aircraft landed safely. One death and 65 injuries. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloha_Airlines_Flight_243

Given the changes made after this accident and how aircraft are built today (unless it is by Boeing ) I seriously doubt a couple of .357 sig rounds will cause an explosive decompression.

It would take quite a hole in the fuselage of the aircraft plus gross negligence on the part of the pilot to not immediately descend to lower altitude.

 

[Ken Ford]

Seems to me most missions are situational in almost every LE agency, so I don't see how they can know exactly what they may need at any given time. Same with us as armed citizens, and literally any other walk of life. I do believe an officer should have more than one option, though.

Never know exactly what would be best for all situations, but someone that primarily guards in a crowded opera house (just made up not specific) might want a bullet that doesn’t go through and hit a few innocents. While a border guard that primarily checks vehicles might need a bullet that penetrates farther.

 

[cmshoot]

Worst damage would probably be if a hydraulic line or cable was damaged.
I do see the point, and I noticed you didn’t address the issue of over penetration on humans. I’ve read somewhere that the faster bullet expands and stops in flesh faster even with the increased velocity?
But I know for a fact that’s the same issue with quite a few 9mm as well. Once found the bullet involved in a murder that went through a bigger than average size man, continued about 25-30’ bounced off a concrete wall and continued about 40-50’ where if hit another concrete wall and landed in a pile of swept up cigarette butts, took us hours to find it.
Was not a decent SD ammo... Amazing no one else was injured.

It’s only called over penetration when you’re not trying to shoot through stuff. When you are, it’s perfect.

The minute you issue a magic bullet that only does one thing well, you’ll run into a myriad of issues elsewhere.

Not all FAMs work in an airplane. We have folks in the airport, at various “travel” centers (cruise, metro stations, bus depots, AmTrak, etc), and assigned to groups such as the Joint Terrorism Task Force.

 

[cmshoot]

Never know exactly what would be best for all situations, but someone that primarily guards in a crowded opera house (just made up not specific) might want a bullet that doesn’t go through and hit a few innocents. While a border guard that primarily checks vehicles might need a bullet that penetrates farther.

......and the minute a bad guy in the opera house finds some decent cover, you’re screwed.

 

[Ken Ford]

......and the minute a bad guy in the opera house finds some decent cover, you’re screwed.

And at the same time, when the one goes through the perp, (or misses) and goes through the pregnant college bound minority...
Or as often taught, the van driven by grandma, with a load of kids going to church...LOL Can’t really win in LE.

BTW decent cover will stop all handgun and rifle rounds, if it doesn’t it’s only concealment.

 

[MRH]

Never know exactly what would be best for all situations, but someone that primarily guards in a crowded opera house (just made up not specific) might want a bullet that doesn’t go through and hit a few innocents. While a border guard that primarily checks vehicles might need a bullet that penetrates farther.

All hypothetical. That's the point. We never know.

 

[Inatree]

I don't care if FAM wanted to carry bonded fmj .
They are riding on and defending a very desirable guided weapon. Give them what ever they want.

 

[cmshoot]

And at the same time, when the one goes through the perp, (or misses) and goes through the pregnant college bound minority...
Or as often taught, the van driven by grandma, with a load of kids going to church...LOL Can’t really win in LE.

BTW decent cover will stop all handgun and rifle rounds, if it doesn’t it’s only concealment.

What I’m saying is that if you use a highly frangible round, it will be stopped by some forms of cover that a bonded core HP would not be.

I’m less worried about through-and-through shots than I am by a round that won’t penetrate sufficiently.

There are levels of cover. Cover is whatever will stop the round that the other guy is using, not what will stop EVERYTHING. If I’m in a fight with a guy with a handgun or shotgun, I would use objects for cover that I wouldn’t use if the other guy had an M4 or AK. It’s still cover.

 

[Sneakypete]

125grn Speer Gold Dot

 

[Jambo]

I don't care if FAM wanted to carry bonded fmj .
They are riding on and defending a very desirable guided weapon. Give them what ever they want.

The only problem I see with FMJ's would be if the FAM has to shoot at the bad guy who is between him or her and the cockpit. Super penetrating rounds heading toward the only people who can land the airplane. A little armor plating behind the cockpit might be in order...