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It is not so much heavy vs. light projectiles (I think) as much as choice of the right projectile construction for the specific velocity?
Disclaimer: Some generalizing below
I saw some SS198LF 27 gr. "LE only" ammo for sale at SGAmmo.com - not a super price, but okay (60 cents per round). I already have some of the SS197SR and the federal 40 gr. FMJ, so since this "red box" ammo is supposed to be "hot stuff" I thought I would look at the gel tests for the different ammo types - including the "Elite" ammo (I think that is their name).
The SS198LF reportedly relies on tumbling, doesn't expand, and from either Five Seven or P/PS90 has limited penetration (less than 10"). This may be okay for LEO use but not for civilian personal defense usage in my opinion. It seems that the faster you drive light projectiles the less they penetrate (although, to a degree, at a certain velocity limit, so do heavier projectiles) - i.e., beyond a certain velocity, for a given projectile, not only do you seem to get diminishing returns in penetration, you may actually get less penetration the faster you drive the projectile.
Looking instead at the 40 gr. V-Max, above a certain velocity, it will expand well, below that it doesn't. No surprise there, but it does penetrate beyond 12", sometimes up to 16" - so about right there. From the Five Seven it seems to be at its lower range of velocity where it will expand, from the PS90 it is almost 400 fps faster which IMO means you have some leeway with range (i.e., out to about 100 meters or so - which would be about what I would expect for a PDW) before the projectile ceases to expand when penetrating. So minimal in the pistol, fine in the rifle for the ranges I would employ it at.
There was one ballistics test where a 50 grain VMax was used with a hotter load, albeit lower velocity, and from the rifle it did okay in the gel, except when the gel was faced with denim. Again, not so much about velocity as choosing the right projectile for the purpose and velocity. More penetration, more expansion (except with denim) with less velocity.
Not saying that a lighter projectile couldn't be made to work - but the construction of the projectile has to match the velocity range, and not just at the muzzle.
In short, I think the blue box 40 grain VMax SS197SR load is probably the right one for the PS90 for what I intend to use it for (SHTF PDW in my GHB while away from home - once based at home, then a heavier rifle would be employed/used as appropriate - maybe still use the PS90 for working outside).
Disclaimer: Some generalizing below
I saw some SS198LF 27 gr. "LE only" ammo for sale at SGAmmo.com - not a super price, but okay (60 cents per round). I already have some of the SS197SR and the federal 40 gr. FMJ, so since this "red box" ammo is supposed to be "hot stuff" I thought I would look at the gel tests for the different ammo types - including the "Elite" ammo (I think that is their name).
The SS198LF reportedly relies on tumbling, doesn't expand, and from either Five Seven or P/PS90 has limited penetration (less than 10"). This may be okay for LEO use but not for civilian personal defense usage in my opinion. It seems that the faster you drive light projectiles the less they penetrate (although, to a degree, at a certain velocity limit, so do heavier projectiles) - i.e., beyond a certain velocity, for a given projectile, not only do you seem to get diminishing returns in penetration, you may actually get less penetration the faster you drive the projectile.
Looking instead at the 40 gr. V-Max, above a certain velocity, it will expand well, below that it doesn't. No surprise there, but it does penetrate beyond 12", sometimes up to 16" - so about right there. From the Five Seven it seems to be at its lower range of velocity where it will expand, from the PS90 it is almost 400 fps faster which IMO means you have some leeway with range (i.e., out to about 100 meters or so - which would be about what I would expect for a PDW) before the projectile ceases to expand when penetrating. So minimal in the pistol, fine in the rifle for the ranges I would employ it at.
There was one ballistics test where a 50 grain VMax was used with a hotter load, albeit lower velocity, and from the rifle it did okay in the gel, except when the gel was faced with denim. Again, not so much about velocity as choosing the right projectile for the purpose and velocity. More penetration, more expansion (except with denim) with less velocity.
Not saying that a lighter projectile couldn't be made to work - but the construction of the projectile has to match the velocity range, and not just at the muzzle.
In short, I think the blue box 40 grain VMax SS197SR load is probably the right one for the PS90 for what I intend to use it for (SHTF PDW in my GHB while away from home - once based at home, then a heavier rifle would be employed/used as appropriate - maybe still use the PS90 for working outside).
