[RBid]

ScotchMan,

You're correct, with regard to terminal effect. 1/7 handgun incidents prove fatal, but most end somewhere between "missed the CNS, but hit" and "bleed to death". With the stated goal of stopping a threat as quickly as possible, as opposed to killing the threat, round selection does come into play a little more.

Ultimately, we need our round to be capable of stopping the threat...
A) through terminal effect (worst case)
-or-
B) by sending a clear signal to the brain that the body has been damaged

"Equipment" is certainly not as important as mindset, training, or skill, but it is still a worthwhile consideration. If it weren't, we would be sending our troops into the field with better training, funded with the money saved by arming them with single shot .22 rifles.