A
generation ago American police were rocked to the core by what
became known as the Miami Massacre. Two well trained Federal
agents were murdered and others wounded by well armed felons.
Courage and audacity were not in short supply in the FBI, but
that day agents suffered. The deaths of the two felons was a
poor trade off. After the event all focus was on equipment and
what many perceived as equipment failure. There was a consensus
that better performance was needed from police handguns. At the
time both the .357 Magnum and .45 ACP cartridges were available
but were not used. The agents were armed with 9mm automatics and
.38 caliber revolvers. None of the agents were initially armed
with long guns although one would arm himself with a shotgun
after he was wounded. The felons were armed with a mix of
weapons but most of the damage was done with a .223 caliber
automatic rifle. There was along a six inch barrel .357 Magnum
in the felon’s hands. In short, the felons were better armed
than most modern criminals, and better armed than the police.
FBI
agents were not as well armed as agents of the 1930s, who often
carried the Colt .38 Super or Colt .45 Automatic and the
Thompson submachinegun. The pistol that stopped Baby Face
Nelson’s vehicle might have proven similarly effective in
Miami. There was much discussion of the events and we have to
look at any information that might help avoid a repeat of such a
tragedy. While the hardware must be considered, there are other
important issues. The two felons were ex-military men who by all
reports were good soldiers. They seemed to have adapted to
civilian life and proved capable of holding good jobs. There is
speculation, but no real clues as to why they turned to the dark
side. But they did so and chose to murder and rob on a big
scale. They were far from the average robber gang, but just the
same as any other group of thugs, they were murderous
cutthroats.
After
the incident was over it was determined that each felon had
taken about a dozen hits. While all were not solid shots, one
felon was termed a ‘dead man’ walking because of a 9mm hit
that would have proven fatal within minutes, but he did his
murderous deeds after this hit. The 9mm bullet stopped short of
actually hitting his heart. The other felon was hit by a .38
that cracked his skull. The best technical accounts are those
written by the FBI, but the most readable and accurate account
every published in the popular press is that by Dean Spier, a
formerly famous writer, now available at the Gun Zone. After
much experimentation, the FBI adopted a 10mm pistol with two
different power levels of ammunition available.
Since that date they have adopted a .40 caliber service
pistol and a .45 caliber SWAT issue pistol. The 10mm
outperformed the .45 in testing, but not by a considerable
margin. Today’s .45 ACP +P loads, notably the 185 grain Hydra
Shock +P and Gold Dot 200 grain +P,
are probably as good as 1990s era 10mm loads- but the
10mm does maintain an edge with the best modern loadings. The
.40 and .45 are more practical.
Caliber
and penetration are vital to effectiveness. A well designed
expanding bullet will considerably enhance the ability of a
caliber to produce wound volume. Wound
volume is simply a mathematical combination of the depth and
width, the total volume, of a wound. A bullet design adaptable
to several popular calibers was needed. Major police agencies
were transitioning from the revolver to the automatic pistol at
the same time, adding a requirement for good feed reliability as
well as performance.
The
Federal Hydra Shock was among the first new generation designs
developed. This bullet achieved a good reputation in the .45 ACP
230 grain version, setting a high standard for police bullets.
Speer / CCI considered the requirements of the FBI and developed
a bullet that has proven superior overall in weight retention
after meeting barriers such a plywood, glass, and heavy
clothing. The Hydra Shock is a fine choice for most duty but the
Gold Dot has a balance of expansion and penetration favoring the
Gold Dot in a worst case scenario. The Gold Dot was designed to
incorporate a bonded core bullet because Speer engineers
realized that a bonded core would be a great aid in maximizing
penetration. A conventional JHP bullet is comprised of a soft
lead core in a copper jacket. The bullet expands when the sump
or hollow point fills with fluid. A conventional JHP may work
adequately in most scenarios, but is subject to variations
depending upon the material it meets. At too high a velocity the
bullet nose may expand too quickly, producing under penetration.
The nose may even expand quickly and break off. The core and the
jacket may separate. When the bullet nose expansion or mushroom
is not maintained throughout the wound channel, the wound
potential of the cartridge and bullet is not realized. When the
Gold Dot expands properly, a gold dot is seen in the bottom of
the hollow cavity; actually the copper base is showing. A bonded
core bullet expands against the bullet jacket producing
controlled expansion. The bullet nose cannot simply blow off.
The bullet expands well at conventional velocity. If driven
faster at +P velocity the bullet simply expands more and may
even penetrate more deeply, an opposite reaction than expected
from conventional JHP bullets. Overall the modern bonded core
bullet is a considerable improvement in wound potential and the
Gold Dot among the best types. Marksmanship and shot placement
are most important, but the Speer Gold Dot is a top flight
bullet. The expansion data illustrated comes from a test of
standard pressure 230 grain Gold Dot ammunition in a short
barrel .45. Even though considerable velocity was lost in the
short barrel pistol, wound potential remains excellent. As a
bonus Speer ammunition is of premium quality, with excellent
accuracy potential and quality control. The Gold Dot is a winner
and should be seriously considered in any competition for a
personal defense loading.
Short
barrel .45 performance - Speer Gold Dot 230 grain (velocity
average 765 fps)
Expansion
/ Penetration Comparison
|
Expansion |
Penetration |
Bare
gelatin |
0.73" |
14.5 inches |
Heavy
Clothing |
0.752" |
14.5 inches |
4
Layers Denim |
0.73" |
14.5 inches |
After
penetrating steel |
0.51" |
15.8 inches |
After
penetrating plywood |
0.451" |
19.3 inches |
Velocity
Comparison
Load |
Gun |
Velocity |
.45 ACP, Speer
230 grain Gold Dot |
Colt Defender |
750 fps |
.45 ACP, Speer
230 grain Gold Dot |
Glock 30 |
765 fps |
.45 ACP, Speer
230 grain Gold Dot |
Kimber
Pro Carry (4 in.) |
790 fps |
.45 ACP, Speer
230 grain Gold Dot |
S&W
1911 PD (4.25) |
809 fps |
.45 ACP, Speer
230 grain Gold Dot |
S&W
1911 (5 inch) |
860 fps |
.38
Special, 135 grain Gold Dot |
S&W 442 (2 inch) |
844 fps |
9mm, Speer
Gold Dot 124 gr. |
Beretta 92 |
1134 fps |
9mm, Speer
Gold Dot 124 gr. +P |
Beretta 92 |
1201 fps |
9mm, Speer
Gold Dot 147 gr. |
Beretta 92 |
1001 fps |
Bob
Campbell
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