The most suitable weapon for self-defense is the weapon that you personally can keep under control during fire. Advocates of big and powerful calibers sometimes forget that a person actully have to shoot with these calibers.

Big and powerful calibers have certain advantages in a self-defense shooting scenario, but this new millennium brought a series of new small calibers to this planet. The old fashion ACP ( Automatic Colt Pistol) small calibers  have made place for new small calibers which all have PDW identities in function of NATO’s CRISAT demands. These new PDW small calibers can not be ignored anymore. A little bit advice in the use of these new small caliber weapons regarding to self-defense is appropriate.

The objective of this page is to provide the user of the 7.92x24 mm caliber weapons some technical advise to increase there efficiency in a self-defense situation against a lethal threat and to maximum the chance to neutralise there assailant. Small Caliber Defense Shooting is a new concept with a new type of ammunition, Small, Fast and Powerful...!!!

 

There exist different opinions about the efficiency and stopping power of handgun ammunition. In this section we like to give an overview about different opinions. In the world of International Wound Ballistic Association (IWBA) a lot of conflicting theories exist. We like to point-out  the significant values of each opinion which is in favour of the 7.92x24 mm caliber.

Marshall E.P., Sanow E.J.: Street Stoppers --

The opinions of Marshall and Sanow are very controversial and have caused a wave of critic, however, a lot of there opinions can be used in favor of the small calibers. In the table of one-shot-street-stoppers the .32 ACP caliber shows a 5 one-shot-stop rate. With exception of the .45 ACP (17 stop rate) the high scores go to the wide available and easy going calibers like the .380 and 9x19 mm ( 10, 12 stop rate). The 7.92x24 mm caliber is designed to play a function in a multi-caliber roll with the 9mm and .45 frames. This will increase the availability of the 7.92x24 mm caliber. The recoil of the 7.92x24 mm cartridge is at the level of the .380 which makes the 7.9x24 mm caliber an easy going caliber suitable for different persons with different physical conditions. The 7.92x24 mm caliber has the same bullet diameter as the .32 ACP but the energy level is twice so high. With this higher energy the one-shot-stop rate will increase to the level of the 9 mm’s.

Martin L. Fackler, MD: Wound Ballistic Review

The bullet evaluation method of Martin L. Fackler with his 10% gelatin as substitute for living tissue is international accepted as a scientific way to evaluate bullet effectiveness. Key functions are the minimum penetration depth of 12 inch, a big permanent wound cavity content and bullet placement. Remarkable conclusions are his opinion about the PDW calibers 4.6x30 and 5.7x28 mm, which are strait-out rejecting. The 7.92x24 mm caliber is designed to score better according the evaluation methods of Martin L. Fackler. At first the 7.92x24 mm caliber reaches more then the 12 inch minimum penetration depth. Different bullet configurations are under development to increase the content of the permanent wound cavity and the relative low recoil impulse increases bullet placement. Besides the minimum penetration depth, the core effectiveness of bullets are according Martin Fackler bullet expansion or fragmentation. The 7.92x24 mm bullets are just big enough for a practical usable expansion. The higher velocity of the 7.92x24 mm caliber assures that the .32 hollow point bullets expands under normal condition. Expectable useful expansion will be around the .40 or 10 mm diameter. However concerning standard big calibers, frequently shootings appear where bullets with a good Fackler evaluation value fail to perform well. This leaves new gates open for new technologies and improvements in bullet design like our 2-part fragmenting bullets.

Bullet evaluation according autopsy rapports.

According some autopsy rapports, hollow point bullets perform in the human body not so well as they perform in gelatin. Often bullets refuse to expand or collapsing, fragmenting or over-expanding or refuse to achieve the desired results. This is a serious flaw in the Martin L. Fackler theory. The human body is not a block of gelatin. Especially the torso fits in no way in Facklers evaluation method. The ribs and breastbone are serious obstacles which can not be ignored. According to some autopsy rapports even with a good bullet placement bullets fail to hit the vital organs of the victim. Some bullets ricochet at the sternum and change of direction. According some examiners the heavy weight bullets like the .45 and 10 mm bullets are less sensitive for ricochets at the sternum then the lighter 9 mm bullets. However, all examiners confirm that the majority of victim which end-up in the morgue are hit by multiple 9 mm bullets. The multiple-hit shooting technique is fare more efficient then the one-shot-stop technique. This asks serious questions about the practical usability of big and heavy calibers? The 7.92x24 mm caliber with his low recoil, allows fast following-up shots with a good bullet placement. However, the subject of bullet placement needs also more attention. The problem of good bullet placement and not reaching vitals organs confirms that the human body is not a 2-dimentional target but a 3-dimentional target. By shots under different angles even with a good bullet placement at the front of the torso it is possible to completely miss the vital organs like the heart and the spine. The objective self-defense training exercises must be adapted with 3-dimensional targets and not with standard 2-dimensional cart-boards targets or big steels. 

The energy of a handgun is much lower then the energy of a rifle or a shotgun. Don’t count on the advantage of a big caliber. If you are confronted with a lethal threat what ever caliber you use, don’t stop with firing until the threat is sufficient neutralized. The low recoil and the high magazine capacity of the 7.92x24 mm weapons are an advantage to neutralize the threat with multiple hits.

Eastern front World War II

There exist German rapports about the bullet failures of the 9 mm Luger at the Eastern front in the World War II. During the cold winter of 1945 Russian infantry men got a bottle of Vodka before they assault the German lines. According some German rapports it took an average of 3 rounds out there 9 mm pistol to stop a Vodka intoxicated Russian infantry men. It was even worse by some special assault companies which where used as canon fodder during the mean battles. The Russian army provided three bottles of vodka for each person. According the German rapports it took an average of 5 rounds out there 9 mm pistol to stop such an over-intoxicated Russian soldier.

Also the .45 Auto caliber is not free from efficiency failures. Police rapports exist form a shooting incident from a men armed with an ax which tried to assault a police officer. The men was highly intoxicated by alcohol and drugs. The police officer fired 8 rounds of .45 hollow point bullets to stop the assailant.

It is common known, that alcohol or/and drugs disturb the wound disabling mechanism. Expanded .45 hollow point bullets are BIG!!!! and if it takes 8 rounds of .45 Hollow points bullets to stop a intoxicated assailant, then the story of big bullet efficiency doesn’t survive.

Based on the fact of these rapports, bullet diameter is not so important as some big-bullet advocates try to clam.

Korea 1950-51

Although, the M1 Carbine was used in large numbers, there exist also rapports of inefficiency concerning the stopping power of the .30 M1 Carbine cartridge. During the Korea Winter of 1950-51 and according one Marine officer, ”there where a half dozen of my men, who swore they had fire three to four times and hit the men every time and he wouldn’t stop”.

These are important rapports because the 7.92x24 mm cartridge is a cut-down .30 carbine case provided with a .32 bullet. Also, for the .30 carbine a higher success is achieved by the use of multiple hits.

Battle of Mogadishu 1993

During the battle of Mogadishu it is noted that the Delta Force and Ranger would shoot Somali militiamen repeatedly using there M4 carbines loaded with the M855 (SS190) cartridges with little immediate results. Although they hit them repeatedly it was like sticking somebody with an ice pick. The bullet made a small, clean hole and unless it happened to hit the heart or spine, it was not enough to stop a men in his track.

The M855 bulled fired out the short barrel of a M4 Carbine acts like a small calibre bullet. Multiple hits where common to stop an assailant unless it happen to hit the heart or the spine. Even beyond alcohol and drugs the heart and the spine are the most important vital organs which determine if the assailant will be stopped at his track.

Relative Incapacitation Index.

Some years ago, a theory was launched where the place of the hit was the most important factor to incapacitate an assailant. The theory was called the Relative Incapacitation Index (RII). A three dimensional men-figure was provide with values of importance at the place of the vital organs. If a bullet hits a high score at the RII target, then the shot was considered as efficient. Today it is known that a lot the psychical condition plays a roll and also the use of medicines, alcohol and/ or drugs disturb the efficiency of the shot.

The effects of a shot-wound depends of a lot of different factors.

 

• At first the mental state of the victim is important, his willingness to keep on fighting can delay the incapacitation. 

• As second, the cardio circular incapacitation can be caused by a big blood loss. This by the use of big hollow-point bullets or multiple hits. A big blood loss drops the blood pressure to zero and starves the brain of oxygen. The whole incapacitation mechanism of a circular incapacitation is rather slow and appears within minutes and not within seconds. This is not an immediate incapacitation!

• As third, incapacitation by a hit in the central nerve system. A hit in the brain or the spine will stop a men immediately regardless the caliber which is used. Therefore, the minimum penetration depth must be big enough to hit the spine. The FBI minimum penetration demands of minimum 12 inch are the absolute minimum.

 

The VBR Relative Incapacitation Index test.

With the VBR Relative Incapacitation Index test we like to investigate the ratio multiple shots compared to the ratio hits in the vital organs.   

The target dimensions are comparable with a life target at 20 meters. We don’t consider a head shot as a realistic option. A head shot by stress and a moving target at a distance of 20 meters are not realistic. Our target zone for immediate incapacitation is the heart and the spine. Everything else gets no points!

Test 1 : 10 x 1 shot.

Assume that you are in a combat situation and a targets jumps-up. Draw, aim and fire immediately 1 shot. Average shooter, no expert!!!

Testresults of the first series: only 3 bullets hit the spine. This means that only 30% of the targets are imediatly incapacitated.

Test 2 : 10 x 2 shots.

Assume that you are in a combat situation and a targets jumps-up. Draw, aim and fire immediately 2 shot. Average shooter, no expert!!!

Testresults of the second series: from the 10 attempts to fire 2 rounds at the target,  7 rounds hit a vital organ. This means that 70% of the targets are immediatly incapacitated.

Test 3 : 10 x 3 shots.

Assume that you are in a combat situation and a targets jumps-up. Draw, aim and fire immediately 3 shot. Average shooter, no expert!!!

Testresults of the third series. from the 10 attempts to fire 3 rounds at the target, 7 rounds hit a vital organ. Although, more bullets hit the target, there was no increas in the amount of vital organs which where hit. Aim and fire 3 rounds does not increase the efficiency!!!

Test 4 : 10 x 4 shots.

Assume that you are in a combat situation and a targets jumps-up. Draw, aim and fire immediately 2 shot in rapid fire, aim again and fire again 2 shots. Average shooter, no expert!!!

Testresults of the fourth series, From the 10 attempts to fire 2x2 shots at the target, in 9 of the 10 attempts where the vital organs hit. In 4 attempts the vital organs where hit twice! The 4 rounds hit has an immediate incapacitation of 90 %!!!

Conclusions of this test.

According different bullet failure rapports where multiple hits where needed to struck the opponent we notice that 4 to 5 rounds where needed to stop a men on his track. The aim of this VBR Relative Incapacitation test was to investigate how much the chance for immediate incapacitation increases by the hit of multiple rounds. The chance for an immediate incapacitation with a one-shot-stop is only 30 %. A double tap shot increases the chance for an immediate incapacitation to 70 %. As results of the fourth test series, we can conclude that with 4 rounds (double tap - aim - and double tap again) the chance to hit the heart or the spine of the opponent increases with 90%! Immediate incapacitation will appear in 90 % of the cases regardless the diameter of the bullet or the use of alcohol or drugs by the victim.

By the use of the 7.92x24 mm caliber, the cardio circular incapacitation will take a little bit more time, The 7.92x24 mm cartridge is designed for a deep penetration to hit the spine. In a life and death shooting scenario, follow the advice of your shooting instructor and still fire to until the thread is sufficient neutralized. You may assume that 4 rounds can be needed for an immediate incapacitation by hitting the central nerve system. We recommend to exercise and using targets which recognize the importance of the hit in the central nerve system. Our FSDIP targets are special designed for that!!!

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