Shooters,
No, I'm not going to give my personal opinion. Just wanted to offer more data points for the debate.
1. The Box O Truth has his conclusions:
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/edu143.htm
Backed-up by some actual experiments:
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot1.htm
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot3.htm
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot12.htm
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot14.htm
2. NAVSEA (Naval Surface Warfare Division at Dahlgren VA) did its own weapons penetration tests:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKhMOfaYwvE
Alas, the posted video doesn't have the results of the shotgun test, but the following rounds are tested:
at 3:43 in the video, 9x19mm FMJ (fired from M-9)
at 4:06 in the video, 7.62x39mm FMJ (fired from AK-47)
at 4:37 in the video, 5.56x45mm FMJ (fired from M-16)
Two limitations:
a. I'm assuming that they're using FMJ and not JHP rounds
b. The NAVSEA mannequins are woefully inadequate in terms of representing "real" bodies (they look like thin sheets of something)
Because of these limitations, I don't find the NAVSEA results conclusive in any way, but they are interesting. Just more fuel for one of the endless fires here at TFL. Flame away!
very respectfully,
Moose