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Old April 30, 2010, 10:33 AM   #34
BillCA
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Join Date: November 28, 2004
Location: Silicon Valley, Ca
Posts: 7,117
re: officer's tactics...

Many officers get ambitious to make a stop and contact the driver. You can see a little of it here, where others called out his fidgeting with the radio and flashlight. Normally, you'd adjust the radio (put on your hat, adjust your belt, etc) upon exiting the patrol car then grab the flashlight. But the primary principle is to keep observing the vehicle.

How often have you seen the car ahead of you in traffic is missing it's trunk lock? Or has a broken rear window or rear "vent" window? To the cops, these are indicators that the car may be stolen.

Quote:
There is a video out there somewhere showing some penetration tests of cars. Even rounds that pass through the front end (but miss the engine block) will likely penetrate the cab completely and often exit the sheetmetal of the trunk. There are exceptions, certain reinforced pieces of the subframe or whatever you call those thicker areas of the unibody.
For most automobiles, penetration front to back is poor due to the engine and numerous components under the hood (radiator, pumps, brackets, electronics, etc). Penetration from rear to front is generally better since the trunk is open space and the rear seats often lack a bulkhead behind them.

Side penetration is iffy at best. You have to contend with not only the side-impact "I-beam" in the door, but the window crank (manual) or power window supports. Doors usually have an outer panel and an inner bulkhead to mount armrests, handles and controls, then a decorative trim panel. Interior metal anti-theft baffles near the window sill area can deflect or stop many rounds. Penetration is certainly easier on most cars today than those that are 20 years or older. Without a Magnum round, I would not bet on perforating both doors or sides of the car. If taking cover behind a car, position yourself with the wheels & tires between you and the threat.

.41 Magnum really is an unusual caliber for someone to use. First, they are not that common compared to the .38/.357 or .44s. Ammo can be hard to find as well. It is a difficult gun to fire using the typical full hunting loads (a 210gr JSP @1300 fps) and it generates a lot of noise and recoil. My guess is that Davis bought a stolen gun and perhaps some ammo to go with it.
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