Spear gun and pole spear as a self defense weapon?

[GrumpyOldGuy]

The FBI standard, which was derived from ballistics gel testing and forensic evidence from real wounds, is 12-18 inches of penetration.

The Critical Defense and Duty are identical except for bullet weight. In 9mm they are 115 and 135 grain, respectively. Penetration tests are identical.

The nature of guns is if you have 10 gun nuts in a room, there are 20 different opinions

The FBI standard is 12-18 inch, I should have qualified my statement. The FBI also adopted the 10mm round(jumping up from a .38 special if I recall), then later realized it was too powerful for many agents to handle and dumped it. Their needs are not that of self defense and they have a spotty track record, but admittedly are a source of objective information.

The Beloved 10mm ? Too Powerful Even For The FBI | Off The Grid News

As for Critical Defense vs Critical Duty, here is a link to the manufactures site where they claim enhanced barrier penetration for the latter. In the absence of facts to the contrary, I believe them.

The difference between Critical DUTY® & Critical DEFENSE® - Hornady Manufacturing, Inc

 

[Dirty-Dog]

The nature of guns is if you have 10 gun nuts in a room, there are 20 different opinions

The FBI standard is 12-18 inch, I should have qualified my statement. The FBI also adopted the 10mm round(jumping up from a .38 special if I recall), then later realized it was too powerful for many agents to handle and dumped it. Their needs are not that of self defense and they have a spotty track record, but admittedly are a source of objective information.

The Beloved 10mm ? Too Powerful Even For The FBI | Off The Grid News

As for Critical Defense vs Critical Duty, here is a link to the manufactures site where they claim enhanced barrier penetration for the latter. In the absence of facts to the contrary, I believe them.

The difference between Critical DUTY® & Critical DEFENSE® - Hornady Manufacturing, Inc

And then abandoned the .40 cal because they learned that the caliber is essentially irrelevant with modern defensive ammo. The damage is the same with anything from a .380 to a .45. In the ER, the OR or the Morgue, the only way to tell the caliber of the bullet is to find it and measure it. You can't tell from the damage.
That is essentially why the FBI is going back to the 9mm. They're cheaper to buy, cheaper to maintain, cheaper to fire, have the largest capacity and do the same real world damage.

As for Hornadys site... that's advertising. I've seen people shot with both, and I've seen ballistics testing. There's no significant difference between the two as far as I can see.

In any case, it's true that the only way to prevent over penetration is to hit your target. If you shoot the wall, you'll shoot whatever is on the other side, regardless of the ammo.

 

[agilis]

I find it interesting that with all this talk about deadly weapons of defense and such no one has mentioned the petard. Cue balls are also an extremely effective weapon if thrown with force and accuracy.

Another alternative might be offering the intruder a cookie that has been laced with cyanide, or tossing a bag a marbles on the floor causing the malefactor to slip and fall.

 

[Dirty-Dog]

I find it interesting that with all this talk about spears and such no one has mentioned the petard, once the choice of those whose duty it was to protect the king. You still see a few around the Vatican in the hands of the Swiss Guard.

What you won't see, is the Swiss Guard (I assume that's who you're referring to...) using those polearms to actually defend anyone. They are well supplied with modern arms for that.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

You're not actually a shooter, are you?

Mostly hunting with shotgun / bows - but I have a 9mm in the bedroom - very interesting video - I have hollow points for the Glock and have been told that they should not go through the walls... I need to rethink my defensive shooting position now - top of the stairwell and down - away from the bedrooms.

 

[phlegm]

this thread is terrifying

 

[dmoore19]

No really, unless of course you have designs on breaking into somebody's home uninvited.

this thread is terrifying

 

[Storker]

Some times I'm very, very, VERY happy to live on the east side of the pond where every neighborhood isn't a war zone. This is one of those occasions.

 

[danvolker]

Some times I'm very, very, VERY happy to live on the east side of the pond where every neighborhood isn't a war zone. This is one of those occasions.

I bet there are some people in France that would love having a Carry Permit for a handgun about now....

 

[phlegm]

no seriously you guys are earnestly discussing different ways to murder people in your hypothetical violence fantasies and see absolutely no problem with keeping lethal weapons strewn about the house it's actually mind boggling

only in America

---------- Post added January 10th, 2015 at 11:50 PM ----------

not having a go I've just never interacted with Gun Culture directly before