The efficacy of a hollow point bullet in home defense

The relevance, use and misconception of a hollow point bullet as a type of ammunition in self-defense are all serious matters to consider.

Consider the Lord of War introduction. Ammunition, although not a hollow point, is created in the heart of a warehouse and carried along its veins among others just like it on a conveyor belt. The cartridges are scrutinized by the analytical gaze of a factory worker and later poured into a wooden crate, pounded shut and shipped to its final home — not the barrel of a gun, but the target it is aimed at.

It is critical to consider which bullets — the portion detached from the cartridge and expelled from the barrel of the firearm — the gun owner utilizes and why. Hollow point ammunition functions distinctly different from types the layman normally takes into consideration, but this type of bullet can be a useful addition to any home defense arsenal.

What is a hollow point bullet?

First, let’s consider the difference between a few types of ammunition. A full metal jacket has greater penetration and is covered with an alloy to decrease lead residue in the barrel after firing. A soft point bullet has exposed lead in the tip to expand on impact and is partially jacketed, which protects the barrel. A semi-wadcutter bullet has a broad flat tip that slams a hole in the target.

And then there’s jacketed and non-jacketed hollow point ammunition.

Whereas typical FMJs are rounded at the tip and penetrate all the way through soft tissue in a target, hollow points have a concave depression, or inward opening, at the tip. This means when striking the target, the pressure forces the bullet to expand and “mushroom,” or drastically widen the nose at the end of the cylindrical base, creating the mushroom shape.

This creates a wider frontal surface area that limits penetration, but widens the path of the bullet in the target, causing substantial, messy damage. The bullet can expand up to three times its size, widening the crushing diameter of the bullet.

Bullets crush. They do not cut. When they crush through a target, they create cavitation, or permanent or temporary tunnels depending on the bullet type as it slips or slams through the target. Hollow point cavitation is thicker and is intended to stop the target with its increased damage.

It’s effective in self-defense

Hollow point ammunition does more damage in less shots fired, more quickly neutralizing an attacker in home defense. Besides the specified cavitation, hollow point ammunition is less likely to penetrate all the way through the target, which is why many police forces are utilizing this type of bullet.

Although, make no mistake, it is not an option in military settings. This is based on The Hague Peace Conferences of 1899 and 1907, specifically in the Laws of War: Declaration on the Use of Bullets Which Expand or Flatten Easily in the Human Body; July 29, 1899.

“The Contracting Parties agree to abstain from the use of bullets which expand or flatten easily in the human body, such as bullets with a hard envelope which does not entirely cover the core, or is pierced with incisions.”

If they’re barred from international war, does that make it immoral for peace officers and everyday carriers to make use of them? Absolutely not.

It’s important to consider not only what a bullet is striking, but what may be behind the target that the bullet will penetrate through. Bullets go through what they hit. A favorite Hollywood action movie may not always accurately represent that a bullet will penetrate through a thin wall or through someone’s entire body and keep moving to another target at a decelerated, but still considerable, speed.

“But because the hollow point bullet expands and loses its casing on contact, it rarely ricochets or penetrates an object, thereby lessening the possibility of hitting anyone other than the target,” stated a 1997 report from the New York Times.

According to the NY Times report, over the past two years in New York City when the article was printed, seven of the bystanders shot by police were because the ammunition passed through the target, walls or doors, an occurrence not prone to happening with hollow point projectiles.

Choose the right means of home defense

By no means is this an exhaustive, influential guide on hollow point ammunition and home defense strategy. Think of this as a starting point for your own research on how to best protect yourself and your loved ones. Consider every type of ammunition and think about how it may penetrate your target, how many rounds you may have to expend and how much damage you need to distribute to an attacker.

Gun ownership is protected by the Second Amendment in part because American civilians have the rationality and appropriate responsibility to critically consider the best method of defense for themselves and those around them.

Do the right thing and consider the best type of home defense that fits your lifestyle, needs and environment. The hollow point bullet is a preferred option in this category for many.