I received an e-mail from a good friend from Missouri. He is only marginally firearm savvy (he's got his CCW - ahh to live in free America) and was pretty excited by this, as you can see. Here's his e-mail...

 

I just met an interesting sales person for solar. In passing he told me about this invention he and his brother came up with. See this link. Look at #1 video and #4 video for starters. I think every cop in the world would want to use these bullets. They are in the process of getting funding to go to production. I want some of these bullets for home defense.

 

http://abcmi3.com/index.html

 

 

So I went to the linked website, watched the videos and read their propaganda. Here is what I replied to my friend...

 

 

 

I'm no ballistician, but this looks like it has FAIL written all over it. Consider a standard .45 ACP bullet weighing 230 grs.and with a velocity of 865 fps. This generates 382 lb-ft of energy. Given the momentum and aerodynamic shape of the bullet, it will shed velocity more slowly than that pinwheel contraption. Now taking that 230 gr projectile and make three projectiles of appx 76 grs., which only generate 126 lb-ft of energy each - this is only slightly more than a typical .22 LR (40 grs @ 1150 fps = 117 lb-ft). These are calculated at the muzzle. With a separating bullet, tethered to a core and rotating, you have now added another factor - the lateral air resistance caused by the spinning tethered projectiles - which will cause this configuration to shed velocity - thus energy - at a much, much faster rate than a single projectile. Penetration and a large permanent wound channel, generated by a single projectile moving at a good velocity, are what is needed to stop a threat - this ammo gives you neither. It was telling that there were no tests conducted in ballistic gelatin - which in itself is not a great medium for extraploation to performance in flesh and bone, but a hell of a lot better than a paper target. This a gimmick - a potentially dangerous one to the user who is trying to defend their life. Learn to hit what you are aiming at, with good, single projectile, self defense ammo and leave the gimmicks to the mall ninjas.

 

Interested to hear your thoughts.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

I agree - no ballistics gel test. It's fine cutting paper but I doubt it will penetrate as needed.

I agree with your assessment 100%. Unfortunately most people seem to think that all a bullet has to do is hit someone to permanently incapacitate them.

They should shoot a winter coat with it. I'll bet it just bounces off.

Looks great on an animated computer mock-up right? So, this is advanced grapeshot for a handgun?

 

Agree, gimmicky for a real-life situation.

I wouldnt trust these rounds to penetrate anywhere near enough to be effective. And if I need to put multiple holes in a target, Ill just pull the trigger a few more times.

The problem is that it has no consideration for anything other than hitting the target. So what if I had to take a head shot on the BG. I cant because my "bullet bolo" has a 10" radius . Not to even mention all the valid concerns of penetration etc etc. Frankly there are few things I will just call retarded but this is one of them. They better find a niche of bird hunters that like to hunt birds at close distance with handguns!

Notice how all the videos are of them shooting paper? Where are the ballistic gelatin tests? Why not show how the round ranks by the FBI protocols?

 

 

 

 

Complete gimmick which may cause some injury but unlikely a catastrophic fight ending wound channel.

 

 

My inner trouble maker would buy a box just to start the rules lawyering at whatever USPSA match that I don't run. In fact I think I may go start a thread on benos to see if I can get the rules lawyers stirred up.

Interesting, and I like thinking out of the box BUT I need to see these rounds in action.

If you need three pieces of something to hit the target, you're better served with a shotgun shooting buckshot rather than this vaporware. Until I see this on "box of truth" or the like where this stuff is GOING THROUGH wood or ballistic gelatin or sheetrock or something more substantial than paper, I doubt greatly the effectiveness of this ammo. I found it interesting that the cables holding the three pieces to the center hub cut holes through the paper as well - I want to see what that does "in real life". If it's good then I'm ordering a case of it for the next 2x4 shoot at CR so I can take the magic brothers title from their hands like a cheap thief.

People will always be interested in the proverbial "magic bullet" (sorry for the pun) because they are conditioned to believe there is always some product you can buy to solve any problem. In this case, the problem is lack of shooting skill and marksmanship. Training is hard and takes time, so it's damned tempting to be able to but a gimmick product to avoid the work.

You guys are ludites. You need to enbrace technology. Even if it is fron the 16th century....

What if those projectiles were connected with some sort of razor wire then things could be awesome!

What if those projectiles were connected with some sort of razor wire then things could be awesome!

 

Don't care what it is made out of. If you increase surface area, you increase friction. You have to increase mass, velocity, or both to not lose penetration.

I think this is a HORRIBLE idea, for several reasons. In a cops shoes, what if they've got the hostage situation, man using an innocent bystander as cover? You can't shoot his arm, leg, or head with that crap. What if someone is hiding behind some light cover, like a car door? Yea in a face to face shootout from 7 feet away, that ammo may work in stopping the threat. That's about it. Any other situation, it's going to put them at a disadvantage. I hope he doesn't get funding for this.

What if those projectiles were connected with some sort of razor wire then things could be awesome!

I wonder if that Dragon's Breath ammo is NJ legal..... probably not.

I want some Dragons Breath!! Did anyone else catch the large hay bale on the left caught on fire as well?

Dragons Breath - seems like the ideal home defense load.

Dragons Breath - seems like the ideal home defense load.

 

What, to burn your own house down???

 

Harry

Dragons Breath - seems like the ideal home defense load.

 

I like the piano wire round, very mobster-ish.

THOSE ARE REAL!!??

 

(Runs and grabs credit card)

What, to burn your own house down???

 

Harry

Since you will be run into bankruptcy from legal fees and lawsuits in a defense shooting, you might as well just burn your house down along with the bad guy.