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What Is 'Frangible' Ammo Good For? Opinions?

2K views 37 replies 22 participants last post by  SCmasterblaster 
#1 ·
I see this stuff and other than maybe (big maybe) good for use in an enclosed space or an air marshal, what is this stuff useful for? Shootin' cats and squirrels? I just can't figure why I'd want it.
 
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#4 ·
I loaded .38 spl. Glaser Safety Slugs in my S&W 686 when I lived in an apartment building that had standard 2x4 stud walls between units. I didn't want to hit the family in the apartment next door.
 
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#5 ·
There are basically 2 types of frangible ammo that is common for pistols. Frangible that will break up in soft tissue (like gel) and frangibles that only break up when they hit something hard.(like steel) The later helps to prevent ricochets when used on steel and as far as I know contains no lead.(green) The frangible bullets that break up in soft tissue tend to be used where shallow penetration is desired. I'm fine with frangible bullets for target ammo (though they are more touchy) but don't really have any use for them for defensive purposes.
 
#9 ·
I fired a Glazer silver slug from a g30 at two feet into a 5 gallon bucket crammed with wet newspaper and filled with water. Minimal penetration about 5 inches, but it moved the entire bucket over an inch, picked it up and scooted the thing.

I'd rather use a premium factory hollow point...YMMV.
 
#21 ·
The replies about frangible ammo supported what I pretty much expected: where you want NO penetration. Where the thread deteriorated into a 10MM discussion was just plain amusing! Nobody said 10mm would kill anything in a 10 ft radius, either! :headscratch: You guys are slippin'....:supergrin:
 
#23 ·
Frangible is my number one preferred round when I'm playing tacticool mall ninja showing off to random strangers and shooting at things that i don't want a bullet hitting, since the frangible won't penetrate anything it's shot at except the bad guy, right?

oh, wait, I don't own any frangible. silly me.
 
#24 · (Edited)
I do recall that the frangible loads did the very best in the old strasbourg (sp?) tests. But I do not know if magsafe still exists as a company. I read somewhere years ago that the founder of the company had sold it to someone else and that the loads were not as hot as they used to be.

Edited to add: Yes, the magsafe company still exists, or at least there is still a website. You might find this page interesting: http://magsafeonline.com/magnum_performance.html
 
#27 ·
so it won't over penetrate the bad guy. What about misses? more likely to miss than over penetrate. A good hollowpoint won't over penetrate. Anything designed to penetrate far enough to go into the human body to do damage is designed to go through a few layers of sheetrock with little difficulty.

Maybe someone can enlighten me but is there any round out there that's going to penetrate flesh but not a simple household wall? I haven't seen any tests that show that, and some of the mfg websites even say that it's to break up in a person and will pass through walls.

About the only way to keep a round from penetrating a wall is fill the wall with plate steel or kevlar blankets. Or I suppose making sure not to miss the bad guy also works.

My biggest drawback for frangible is that it's too expensive for me to buy enough to use in my personal firearms and do sufficient function testing to become confident in it. I know of no law enforcement agencies that use it, no professionals that use it. If there are agencies or companies that use it as their carry ammo I would also love to know who they are as well.

The only frangible I could possibly see using at this current time would be from a pump shotgun, or a revolver, as I can't afford to function test in semi-auto. I don't own a revolver, and my pump shotguns have PDX rounds (12ga) and #1 buck (20ga). Over penetration is not a concern for me as the only neighbors within range live in a log house with walls 12" at the small end of the logs. It's also in a direction away from almost any of my sight lines in my house.
 
#28 ·
Exactly, it's good when your kids or grandkids are in the next room.
In most cases there is high probability that any bullet that misses the target is going into the next room with your kids or grandkids regardless. After passing through a body it is far less likely a frangible (designed for expansion in soft tissue) OR a premium JHP that expands will go through the wall.

This is the Glaser safety slug, one of the most popular and better performing frangibles for self defense purposes.


For my money I'll stick with a reputable JHP and try my best to put all rounds in the intended target.
 
#29 · (Edited)
Dog breed Brown Dog Skin Vertebrate
If you have a family you should have a plan.This makes sense to me.If there is a break in they should know what the plan is.For one lay on the floor or under a bed.I have a protection trained Belgian Malinois.If there is a break in the dog will attack.Everyone in the house hits the deck.I back the dog right up with a gun or physical force.If the intruder has a weapon? And the dog is at risk i shoot them. But i fight with the dog and only shoot if i have to. MY point is have a known plan to the family !!!!!!!!! Than any shots going threw walls are much less likely to hit anyone. And best of all if everyone knows the plan they will be out of the way
 
#30 ·
my uncle's girlfriend has a Belgian Malinois. Nice looking dog, though she's a bit of a coward when it comes to people. I would not want to have her upset at me though. For those that don't know, one of the belgian version of the german shepard, a little thicker in the body that my german shepards were, and just a little bit smaller. she does like to chase any cats that run from her, but leaves the chickens, small dogs, horses, cows, and any cats that ignore her alone.
 
#31 ·
Thanks i lost her brother last week.Its been a very sad time for me.I am looking for another Male pup now to go with her and train.The police/Military and secret service uses them.Very smart fast and strong fighters.They train fast to.You may be very surprised what your uncles girlfriends dog would do if she thought her owner was at risk and in danger.Her Belgian Malinois will most likely fight to the death to protect her.
 
#33 ·
When i bought my shield the gun store tryed to talk me into 124 hydra shock.Which i told them wont work good with a short barrel.But they seemed clue less about 124 HST which is a great short barrel load.Just dont count on a gun store for ammo advice i guess in a lot of cases
 
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