quote:

Originally posted by smithnsig:
I always wondered about exploding projectiles. Say a 45 sized bullet that is longer and hollow with a shrapnel shell. The projectile when it impacts and penetrates, lights off a high explosive charge, which created a large wound.

Former explosives guy here. You can't get enough bang in a pistol bullet to do any real damage from a surface impact. Explosives are much more powerful when contained/tamped in, so if you could set it off inside the body you might have something...but it'd be awful pricey.

There are exploding bullets for the .50 (and I'm sure other large calibers, but I only have experience with the .50 version). They look like a grapefruit size ball of fire when they go off, and are for anti-vehicle use.

cslinger, no doubt researchers everywhere are conducting weird and wonderful less lethal research down the avenue you suggest. We don't have the technology for a Star Trek Phaser weapon quite yet, but of course we have the TASER. I have seen people TASED, and been TASED myself. I can report that the TASER technology is impressive and powerfully effective, to say the least.

Of course, the TASER's range is limited by the necessity for the wire leads, and there are the other issues indicated by slosig. Stand by though. Can you imagine how enthusiastically a practical Star Trek type Phaser would be received by the nations of the Western World? Efforts at gun control would be redoubled, as it would be touted that the Phaser saves lives, is more humane, that firearms would no longer be needed,etc. Of course, Phaser control laws would be immediately enacted to curb "Phaser violence". Moms Demand Action would be marching to protest "Phaser violence", there would be "Phaser buy backs" etc. I don't know when, but we'll get there......ymmv

I always thought this showed great promise: Gyrojet

I always found it hard to believe that, if sufficient resources hadn't been thrown at the problems the technology had, they could not have been overcome.

Talk about "flat-shooting" And the whole recoil thing just goes away entirely.

I'm waiting for hand held rail gun tech.

We need a caliber with the power of at least a 9mm and the recoil of .22. I gues the 5.7X28 is the close but ammo to expensive.

quote:

Originally posted by SSAreGreat:
We need a caliber with the power of at least a 9mm and the recoil of .22. I gues the 5.7X28 is the close but ammo to expensive.

.22TCM if it catches on fits the bill. It's a blast to shoot, almost no recoil.