Previous.

The first Paralight cartridges in the .45 AP 6 mm.

In the late nineties when the Paralight Ammunition technology was at first used in the 9x19 mm caliber, we investigate also the possibilities to use the same technology in the .45 Auto caliber. The penetration results of the .45 AP 6 mm bullet where very much promising. Deep penetration and a big permanent wound cavity. At that time the evaluation of the bullet was only done according the CRISAT demands of the years nineties. Of course our .45 caliber bullet has a much bigger permanent wound cavity content then this of our competitors with there small caliber PDW ammunition, but at that time in Europe stopping power was less relevant. The hot topics at that time where the PDW’s and there small caliber ammunition.

Currently

The PDW’s and there small caliber ammunition are already in use by some special intervention teams, but some ammunition failures have occurred under typical law enforcement conditions. This has caused a distrust in the small caliber PDW ammunition. Later investigations have proven that the PDW ammunition has done exactly where it was designed for in function of the NATO CRISAT demands. It is not only the cases to condemn the PDW ammunition for his failures, but also to condemn the poor descriptions concerning the expected performances of the NATO CRISAT demands.

 

Future of the .45 Auto / ACP cartridge. 

The operation demands are currently more specified, It is not so much the question if the .45 caliber can satisfy the CRISAT penetration demands, We know already that it can do more then that, The question is can the .45 Auto caliber satisfy to the wide range of conditions in which law enforcement officers are engaged in shootings if the opponent caries a CRISAT bullet proof vest?

 

To find an answer on this question, The .45 Armor Piercing cartridge must be investigated in a much more objective way then the NATO CRISAT demands. The new .45 Armor piercing ammunition must be evaluated according the conditions where law enforcement officers are involved in shootings. The typical FBI Ballistic test protocol covers a wide range of conditions where law enforcement officers are involved and the minimum penetration demands are still dominated by the NATO CRISAT demands.

 

It is Cristal clear that the penetration demand on 1.6 mm titanium and 20 layers of Kevlar are not the only important demands also the performances FOR and AFTER the penetration of the CRISAT body armor are important. We at VBR-Belgium have set-up a new ballistic test protocol based on a merge of the FBI and the CRISAT demands.

The new .45 Armor Piercing bullets intend for the .45 ACP / .45 Auto caliber and which can satisfy the (VBR)-FBI-CRISAT ballistic test protocol have a future especially in the United States where the .45 caliber is very popular.

 

If S.W.A.T. agents are faced in poor light conditions against an assaulting big bad opponent which has a serious overweight problem and is tripped on alcohol and PCP, we can surly understand that the stopping power of a small caliber PDW bullet is insufficient and that a bigger stopping power is demanded.

According the F.B.I. Ballistic test protocol : " Given minimum penetration, the only means of increasing wound effectiveness is to make the hole bigger. This increases the amount of vital tissue damage, increases the chance of damaging vital tissue with a marginally placed shot, and increases the potential for quicker blood loss. This is important because, with the single expectation of damaging the central nervous system, the only way to force incapacitation upon an unwilling adversary is to cause enough blood loss to starve the brain of oxygen and/or drop the blood pressure to zero"

The ballistic demands of law enforcement agencies are complete different then the CRISAT demands. To prevent mission failures with armor piercing handgun ammunition under typical law enforcement condition, the VBR-Belgium armor piercing bullet in the .45 Auto caliber are designed to comply with the VBR-FBI-CRISAT ballistic test protocol. This new approach to design armor piercing handgun ammunition in function of law enforcement needs is complete different then the approach of the PDW small calibers 4.6x30mm and 5.7x28mm.

VBR-Belgium .45 Auto Armor Piercing cartridges.

The VBR-Belgium bullet technology can be used in the .45 Auto caliber. Our armor piercing technology is based on the use of a sabot and a penetrator. According the requested technical demands we can change the identities of the sabot or the penetrator. Each change on the sabot or the penetrator provides the bullet with different identities. By the combination of certain identities from the sabot and the penetrator we can compose a bullet to satisfy with our VBR-FBI-CRISAT ballistic demands.

The VBR-B .45 AP 7 Auto cartridge.

The VBR-Belgium .45 AP 7 Auto cartridge is on of these cartridges which dispose about some interesting identities which can satisfy to the VBR-FBI-CRISAT ballistic test protocol.

9x19 FMJ    .45AP7 cartridge     .45AP7 bullet    7x25.2mm penetrator     SS190    5.7x28 mm

9x19 FMJ

The standard 9x19 FMJ is known all over the World as the 9x19 mm NATO cartridge. While the 9x19 mm FMJ is a reliable military personal defense cartridge a lot of Law enforcement agencies consider this cartridge as a too low stopping power because of a too small wound cavity content.

.45AP7 cartridge.

The .45 Auto or .45 ACP caliber is specially in the United States considered as the only reliable personal defense caliber. With his 11.48 mm bullet diameter it causes a bigger permanent wound cavity content then this of a 9 mm bullet.

The VBR-Belgium .45AP7 Auto Armor Piercing cartridge is special suitable for the use in the double stack magazines from a lot of new .45 ACP pistols which are recently appeared on the international market.

.45AP7 bullet.

The .45 AP7 is a VBR-Belgium designed Armor Piercing bullet and disposes about a 11.48 mm brass sabot and a 7x25.2 mm hardened steel penetrator

7x25.2 mm penetrator.

The 7x25.2 mm hardened steel penetrator has much bigger dimensions then the known PDW small caliber bullets. Not only the dimensions are much bigger but also the penetrator weight. This causes a much deeper penetration then the known PDW small caliber bullets and these performances are much more in the line of the FBI penetration demands of minimum 12” penetration in bare gelatin.

SS190 bullet.

The SS190 bullet was a revolution in the nineties but operational combat experience has proved that  this bullet tumbles and flips-over as soon it hits an obstacle. According the FBI ballistic test protocol which contains a few test compositions whit different obstacles, like a wallboard obstacle, a plywood door, a car door and a car glass.  the SS190 bullet performs resolute bad in this test evaluations. Once the bullet starts to tumble in a slant position it has no drill performance at all.

5.7x28 mm cartridge.

The 5.7x28 mm cartridge used in the Five-Seven pistol makes am impressive big destruction channel in bare gelatin, but bare gelatin is not a human tissue! The effective bullet path in human tissue is smaller then this of a 9 mm bullet and more important the 5.7x28 mm cartridge fired out a Five-Seven pistol does not satisfy to the minimum FBI penetration demands of minimum 12” in bare gelatin. This is the first and unbreakable rule out the FBI ballistic test protocol.

According the FBI ballistic test protocol impact at bare gelatin.

"The gelatin block is bare and shot at a range of ten feet measured from the muzzle to the front of the block. This test event correlates FBI results with those being obtained by other researchers, few of whom shoot into anything other than bare gelatin. It is common to obtain the greatest expansion in this test. Round which do not meet the standards against bare gelatin tend to be unreliable in the more practical test events that follow."

The objective to obtain bullet expansion up to 60% of the original bullet diameter is a complete other demand then bullets intent for military use. The disadvantage of bullet expansion is that these bullets have only a poor drill performance at bullet proof vests. This makes that bullet expansion can not satisfy to the VBR-FBI-CRISAT penetration demands. The VBR-Belgium Armor Piercing bullets can dispose about a core/jacket separation by impact at bare gelatin. This also increases the content of the permanent wound cavity just like expanding bullets doe. Eventually, these VBR-Belgium Armor Piercing bullets can satisfy to the FBI demands to obtain the greatest expansion (damage) in bare gelatin.

Gelatin Block calibration.

Block calibration 58 mm @ 460 fps.

A lot of tricks can be played with gelatin impacts. Credibility can only be obtained if the composition of the gelatin is given. This gelatin composition falls within the limits of calibrated ordinance ballistic gelatin.

Impact of a VBR-Belgium .45AP7 Auto cartridge at bare gelatin.

This VBR-Belgium .45AP7 Auto cartridge is fired at close range out a standard 1911 Colt Government .45 caliber with a 5” barrel on the above mentioned block of bare calibrated gelatin.

The VBR-Belgium .45AP7 bullet fired out a 5” barrel enters the block of calibrated gelatin. At a depth of 110 mm the 11.48 mm sabot separates form the 7x25.2 mm penetrator. The .45 (11.48 mm) big sabot makes his own bullet path to a depth of 295 mm (11.61 inch). The 7x25.2 mm hardened steel penetrator starts to tumble and yaws to a distance of 330 mm (13 inch). At 340 mm the penetrator left the calibrated gelatin block.

 

The penetration depth of this sabot is 295 mm (11.61 inch). By the fact that the .45 propellant load was not to his maximum pressure, we assume that the .45 sabot is able to achieve the 12 inch penetration depth. This should mean that the .45 sabot at his own is able to satisfy the minimum FBI penetration demands of 12 inch in bare gelatin. This performance at his own is already better then this of the SS190 bullet. The extra wound cavity content caused by the 7mm penetrator increases the total wound cavity content and brings this up to the level which is demanded by the FBI.

The bleu impact is the trajectory of the 11.48 mm sabot.

The red impact is the trajectory of the yawing 7x25.2 mm hardened steel penetrator.

The separation of the .45AP7 bullet increases the content of the permanent wound cavity and doubles the chance to hit a vital organ!

This is even more efficient then an expanding hollow point bullet!!! 

Test composition 2x1 mm steel + level II body armor + gelatin.

We satirize the publicity stunts here the SS190 bullet is fired at an obstacle and behind the obstacle they put a balloon our a cardboard target. At first I thought that armor piercing bullets where designed to penetrate body armor and not to penetrate a balloon our a cardboard target? If we see that after the penetration of the obstacle the bullet hit the cardboard target in a 90° tumbled position then we take the conclusion that this bullet is not able to penetrate not even the lightest level of soft body armor!

As a result of some failures for the SS190 bullet at a car door, we have set-up a test out the VBR-FBI-CRISAT ballistic test protocol to investigate the behaviour of the VBR-Belgium .45AP7 bullet.

This is a preliminary test composition derived of the FBI test protocol. The 2 x1 sheets of 20 gauge hot rolled steel test. The set-up is don’t with the materials which where available at the time.

2 sheets of 1 mm thick galvanized steel .

Set-up of 75 mm between the two sheets of 1 mm galvanized steel. 79.88 mm oversize dimension. This is a simulation used in the FBI ballistic test protocol to simulate the impact at a car door from a pick-up truck. Behind the obstacle we leave a space of 150 mm then we put a level II body armor.

Impact of the .45AP7 bullet at the first 1 mm thick steel plate.

The .45AP7 bullet penetrates the first 1 mm thick galvanized steel plate and causes a round impact hole with the dimension of the .45 caliber. (this is also efficient to shoot at tires).

Exit of the .45AP7 bullet at the second 1 mm thick steel plate.

This exit hole caused by the .45AP7 bullet is round which proves that the VBR-Belgium .45AP7 bullet not tumbles after the penetration of the first steel plate. There is a distance of 75 mm between the first and the second steel plate. This means that the VBR-Belgium .45AP7 bullet still in a straight position after the penetration of the FBI car door simulation of (0.9mm x 2). galvanized steel.

Impact of the .45AP7 bullet at 22 layers of Kevlar.

After the penetration of the 2x1mm thick galvanized steel plates the .45AP7 bullet travels 150 mm in open air an hits the level II Kevlar packet in a straight position. The 7 mm penetrator drills through the 22 layers of Kevlar and the .45 sabot stays at the Kevlar packet. 

Exit of the 7mm penetrator out the level II Kevlar packet.

After the penetration of the 2x1mm thick galvanized steel plates and after the penetration of 22 layers of Kevlar the 7x25.2 mm penetrator leaves the test composition. Which the performances will be of the 7x25.2 mm penetrator at calibrated gelatin after the penetration of this test composition must be further investigated. One thing is already clear that the bullet loses a lot of energy at the 2x1 mm steel +22 layers of Kevlar. The penetration performances of the 7 mm penetrator will depending of the propellant charge. A .45AP7 Auto +P cartridge will perform better the a standard load.

Quoted from the internet

“...North hollywood? If i'm thinking of same incident of robbers wearing armor- LA police had the vehicle piercing ammo taken away about a month before the incident because of a law suit from a over penetrate case- bullet went through body of suspect and hit innocent bystander? Sherrif dept in area had the armor piercing ammo in seperate clips on their belts for use in roadblocks or fire at vehicle times, didn't get called to scene as LA city police were responding quick. Supposedly a fireing test was done 2 months after incident- the Sherrif dept ammo did pierce the armored vest. Ammo restricted as 'cop killer', lot of paper work to get it, has to be ordered dept only and a state authority has to co-sign order before shipped.”

The core / jacket separation prevents over-penetration!

VBR-Belgium .45 AP 7 Auto cartridge

Core / Jacked separation => big wound cavity / reduced drill performance.

One of the advantages of the VBR-Belgium .45AP7 Auto cartridge is that the bullet separates by impact at bare gelatin. While the most types of armor piercing bullets stay intact if they hit a person. They still have enough high drill performance after penetration of a human body to hit an innocent bystander. The separation of the VBR-Belgium bullet increases the wound cavity but also reduces the drill performance. The bullet energy gets divided over the sabot and the penetrator. After separation though a human body, nor the sabot nor the penetrator have enough energy to cause serious wounding at a bystander. 

Doctrine now says that first responders should engage the shooter not wait for SWAT, but that does not mean SWAT has no role to play in ending the carnage.

Article Blackwater Tactical Weekly. author: Robert O'Brien

"A less publicized incident occurred several years ago at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. In this incident, a heavily armed male, wearing body armor and a helmet, smashed his way into a college building, killing one person and wounding two. University officers responded quickly, immediately exchanging fire with the suspect. Their fast actions bought time for city police to respond. SWAT was on scene in 10 minutes, ironically after conducting active shooter first responder training. SWAT then engaged the suspect in a seven-hour cat and mouse series of gun battles before finally wounding and capturing him."

The new U.S. doctrine now says that first responders should engage the shooter not wait for SWAT. The discussion of immediate intervention by first responders acting alone calls also for a discussion about standard ammunition. Body armor belongs more and more to the standard outfit of the criminals. The hollow point bullets with there big stopping power and low drill performance call frequently there impotence against body armor. While in the past armor piercing bullets where unsuitable for daily use because of there low stopping power, the VBR-Belgium bullet chance this situation. The high stopping power at bare targets make the VBR-Belgium AP bullets suitable for general personal defense? The VBR-Belgium bullets gives a big part of there energy to the target and are more safer regarding collateral damage.

 

Body armor will up-pear in the future more and more in de hands of criminals. Is the first responder on the seen provide with the right ammunition to engage targets with- or without body armor?