I’m fortunate enough that I’m able to own and test out a wide variety of handguns and ammunition types that are generally marketed toward self-defense. Most people out there know that when it comes to matters of self-defense, higher-quality ammunition is par for the course and the last thing anyone wants is an ineffective cartridge when their life is on the line. However, with a lot of new firearms owners and concealed carriers coming into the market, few people realize just how important their barrel length matters when it comes to the performance of their carry ammo.
A normal “ball round” usually a Full Metal Jacketed design is intended to do one thing and one thing only - poke holes in things. Concealed carry ammunition, on the other hand, is designed much differently and is intended to often expand inside of its target, therefore increasing the overall cross-section of tissue it damages as it travels throughout its intended target. However, hollow points, which are often marketed for self-defense applications, really only do their job when fired at targets of a specific density, and even then only when traveling at the appropriate speed.
Most ammunition has a specific velocity at which it travels out of a set barrel length. This is referred to as its muzzle velocity. Generally, at the speeds listed on the box, a hollow point bullet will expand to its intended width and also penetrate to a sufficient enough depth. The standard often used to measure this effectiveness is the FBI Gel Test which prescribes a minimum penetration depth of 12 inches. However, there is no standard for expansion - if you get an expanded projectile that’s a huge bonus.
The problem that has come up more recently is that most defensively oriented handguns don’t have full-length (4” or 5”) barrels capable of pushing the projectiles up to the appropriate speeds. This is why it is paramount that you select and test out ammunition that will perform as advertised when shot out of the barrel length you’re carrying with you. If you’re carrying a full-sized or standard compact handgun, most defensive handgun ammunition should be fine. For micro-compacts, there are lots of great options already on the market and new ones coming out every year. Some good examples of this are Federal Personal Defense HST Micro and SIG Sauer’s P365 ammo both of which are optimized to reach the desired velocities out of much shorter barrels.
Concealed carry can be a fairly complex subject, especially with our rapidly expanding options. That’s why I always suggest that no matter what you’re carrying, you should not only be a proficient shooter with it, but you should probably also have some practical hard data to pair with those skills so you’re getting optimal results.
