i used to think that M193 was pretty devistating due to it's large permanent wound cavity compared to most other rounds...

then, i saw this test of winchester .308 soft point:




damn, that's DEVASTATING!  compare to the (relatively) lesser damage from NATO 7.62 mm:







ETA: images from http://www.firearmstactical.com/

Too bad we follow that stupid treaty (Hague, not Geneva) that prohibits the use of expanding ammunition.

That "stupid treaty" works both ways… Incoming!

except for the fact that US troops have armor, so COM hits from a SP or HP bullet would actually do LESS damage.

How many countries that we would be fighting do you think follow the Hauge Convention?

Iraq?
Iran?
N. Korea?
China?
France?


....Well the French might follow the rules, but we all know they wouldn't fire a shot.

Well it doesn't matter if they don't follow it.  We still do for some reason, even though we don't have to.  I guess we are too afraid of being labled barbaric by the Europeans again.

You want to know what soft points do? Ask a hunter.

For example a deer shot through the liver and a lung with a 8mm 170 grain Hornady Round Nose soft point at impact velocity of 2500ish FPS.  The liver had a "hole" that was about 1 1/4 inches. By hole I do not mean a empty void I mean an area where the the tissue was about like ground beef only looser.  From that hole radiated 4 or 5 fissures (cracks) that measured about 2 inches long and ran completely through the organ.  The lung was in similar condition.

The "temporary" wound cavity ain't so temporary with a full power rifle round and soft points.

yeahh...

aint that the truth.

i am astonished at the number of shooters who have never killed anything with a large bore highpower rifle..or hell a small bore highpower either.

a 30 caliber softpoint..like nosler..or winchester old school silvertip is a wicked tool on an animal.

the exit hole sucks out stuff  that isnt completely shredded and attached to the chest wall...most of the stuff inside is shredded...blown up by the cavitation.

you find chunks of lung, heart..liver..and lots of GOO..for 5-10 ft..blown out behind.
i've seen a exit spray on a whitetail shot at 25 yards on tree limbs 8 ft tall..10-12 ft behind the deer.

i am a medical professional that has assisted on autopsies..and there are times when i take a 2nd look at something in the gut pile and wonder to myself .....what that piece was..

for a real change..
notice the different affects a black powder round does..in difference to a highpower.
totally diffferent damage.

internal organs will usually be intact but a .50 caliber hole thru some parts.

the blood spray will not be there.. the velocity is much lower..