.45 auto hollowpoint penetration?

Question

Will the .45 acp hollowpoints still be very effective against a person wearing a heavy winter coat, thick leather, many layers of shirts, etc....?

Answer 1

The stories you've heard where thick outer garments fill the opening of the hollow point thus decreasing expansion is anecdotal at best or an all out myth.

Obviously, the more material that any round passes through slows the round, reducing kinetic energy, and penetration - but non-ballistic clothing will have next to no effects on the round. With handgun rounds you're talking velocities of 900-1300 ft/sec...

Like wise on the idea of a handgun round knocking a person back/down as suggested in an earlier response. There's just not enough foot pounds exerted to move a human body - simple physics. Mythbusters actually did a really good job of debunking this myth.

Two rounds to the torso, one to the head!

Answer 2

I saw a man shot with the Federal Hydrashoks. They did expand.  

Answer 3

Yes. The 45 will knock a person down as well as punching a big hole in them. Even if the person is wearing body armor, the 45 can break ribs and bust internal organs.

Answer 4

Yes. Hollowpoints are loaded to a much faster velocity than hardball. The stories about hollowpoints not expanding was not a myth. Winchester Silvertips when first made would not expand reliably, but that has been fixed. I dug a .45 hollowpoint out of a cottonwood log, reloaded it and fired it again.

Answer 5

Forget the 45acp hollowpoint.  It was designed as a 230 fmj slug that travels at 900 fps and does its job.  It does not move at a speed that enhances expansion capability; it just smashes its way to victory in its original mode.  

Answer 6

Yes, the .45 cal hollow pointt will be effecting on a personwearingg a winter coat, many layers of shirts, etc.

Will the hollow point expand... maybe ... maybe not. But it will still be a .45 cal bullet at that point. Traveling at 850 FPS...it's gonna hurt something awful.

There is a saying... while a 9mm may expand to .45 cal... a .45 cal will not shrink.