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122334NCJRS.Pdf If you have issues viewing or accessing this file contact us at NCJRS.gov. ,. - - -----r ,,- - -: : , - - . • • ~- ~" "1" M~ N ~ , ~ ~'" , ,.'~'~ • • " November 1989 m Volume 58 Law Enforcement Bulletin Number 11 Features 2 The FBI's 10mm Pistol By John C. Hall Job Task Analysis I 2,. z. J J..5 9 By Thomas J. Jurkanin 16 Ammunition Selection: Research and Measurement Issues By N.J. Scheers and Stephen R. Band The Judicial Sealing Requirement in Page 9 24 Electronic Surveillance: A Matter of Immediacy By Robert A. Fiatal 122334- U.S. Department of Justice 122337 National Institute of Justice This document has been reproduced exactly as received from the person or organization originating It. Points of view or opinions slated in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the National Institute of Justice. Permission to reproduce this copyrighted material has been granted by FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin s to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS). Page 24 Further reproduction outside of the NCJRS system requires permis­ sion of the copyright owner. ~Law EpfOfCamonr Bullo"" United States Department of Justice Editor-Stephen D. Gladis Federal Bureau of Investigation Managing Editor-Kathryn E. Sulewski Washington, DC 20535 Art Director-John E. Ott Assistant Editor-Alice S. Cole " ",,: William S. Sessions, Director Production Manager-Andrew DiRosa ....--. - . The Attorney General has determined that the publication of this periodical is necessary in the transaction of the public The FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin business required by law of the (ISSN-0014-5688) is published monthly by Department of Justice. Use of funds for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 10th and Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, The C6v~r; Th~ 10mrh.is~miautomatic printing this periodical has been approved by the Director of the Office of DC 30535. Second-Class postage paid at pistol has been selected as the standard Washington, DC. Postmaster: Send issue firearm for all FBI Agents. See article Management and Budget. address changes to Federal Bureau of on.!pafj'e "2.;'AfJ .WtJajJJJrf:tJfiptos;in this issue Published by the Office of Public Affairs Investigation, FBI Law Enforcement are courtesy of Larry Wallery and Dennis Milt Ahlerich, Assistant Director ' Bulletin, Washington, DC 30535. Keener. ISSN 0014-5688 USPS 383-310 "·11'**8 *4¥ffA+M t The FI3/'s 10mm Pistol By or several decades, FBI easier to shoot quickly and accu­ JOHN C. HALL Agents carried the .38 cali­ rately due to the self-cocking oper­ ation of the slide following each Special Agent F ber revolver as a standard Firearms Training Unit firearm. Now, after extensive test­ shot and the more efficient trans­ FBI Academy ing and evaluation, the FBI is con­ mission of recoil. What is most Quantico, VA verting to a new semiautomatic important, however, is that pistols pistol. The new pistol, built to FBI have proven to be durable and reli­ specifications and chambered for a able. new cartridge-the 10mm, will be Undoubtedly, interest in pis­ issued to all FBI Agents to replace tols intensified when innovative existing revolvers. This article designs of the weapon began to describes the process that led to appear on the market during the this decision. early 1980s. Whereas the basic revolver design remains much as it BACKGROUND was at the turn of the century, the The authority for FBI Agents pistol has been virtually refash­ to catTY firearms was first granted ioned in recent years, providing a in 1934. Although pistols were wide range of such innovative fea­ sometimes issued or permitted on tures as double-stacked large ca­ a limited basis, the revolver pre­ pacity magazines, double-action dominated as the FBI sidearm. triggers, ambidextrous controls, The first significant shift OCCUlTed multiple safety devices, and end­ in 1981, when Special Weapons less varieties of shapes and sizes. and Tactics (SWAT) teams were Meanwhile, other events en­ equipped with large capacity 9mm tered into the picture. Instances pistols. Since then, 9mm pistols where law enforcement officers have also become the issue were confronting more violent, weapons for the FBI's Hostage heavily armed subjects appeared to Rescue Team (HRT) and special be on the rise. The increasing use surveillance teams. of semiautomatic and even fully For the general Agent popula­ automatic weapons by certain seg­ tion, however, revolvers remained ments of the criminal element -, the issue weapon, though the began to raise concerns about the .. ". ,.,.' increasing use of pistols reflected adequacy of law enforcement - . a growing recognition that the armament. modern pistol provides certain advantages over the revolver. Pri­ SELECTION OF A marily, pistols are generally more NEW HANDGUN compact and portable and provide In 1987, new impetus was a larger ammunition capacity. given to the FBI's ongoing evalua­ They are also quicker and easier to tion of firearms and ammunition. reload. Moreover, experience has The Firearms Training Unit, shown that pistols are generally located at the FBI Academy in ____________________ November 1989 I 3 M Special Agent Hall that goal. And, although the semi- . nar was unsuccessful in con­ clusively resolving the caliber question, it did identify the desir­ able performance criteria of an effective bullet. Incapacitation, in the law The best performing enforcement context, may be sim­ " round within the ply described as bringing about the parameters of the FBI's immediate cessation of hostile or test protocol was the threatening activities. Incapacita­ 10mm. tion may result from psychological or physiological factors. Psycho­ logically, some individuals are predisposed to fall down at the " sound of gunfire, while others may continue to fight even though they are seriously-even fatally­ Quantico, VA, set out to identify quacy of some weapons but also wounded. Because a particular the best possible handgun for FBI about the wounding effectiveness person's psychological response to Agents. Firearms training experts of some ammunition. Case a gunshot wound cannot be pre­ undertook a major testing project accounts of shootings document dicted, ammunition performance to evaluate a variety of 9mm and the fact that subjects receiving must be viewed from the perspec­ .45 caliber pistols then on the mar­ fatal, but not incapacitatina b' tive of physiological incapacita­ ket. While several of the pistols wounds have been able to return tion. tested were effective, none pos­ fire and inflict further damage. The seminar participants sessed all of the features desired in unanimously concluded that phys­ a general issue FBr weapon. The iological incapacitation can be challenge was to develop a pistol Wound Ballistics that met the needs of the FBI. As a means of resolving the accomplished in one of two ways-damage to the central nerv­ In the mean ti me, as a re­ l 1 t'oblem. the FBI convened a ous system (the brain or upper spi­ sponse to a growing perception Wound Ballistics S~minar at the nal column) or significant loss of within Agent ranks that a pistol FBI Academy in September 1987. blood. Because the placement of a was preferable to the revolver. the The participants included noted shot in the relatively small, highly Director of the FBI authorized individuals from the scientific mobile target area of the brain Agents to use personally owned and medical communities from cannot be counted upon in an pistols, either 9mm or .45 caliber throughout the Nation who pos­ armed confrontation, a bullet must as long as the weapons were of sessed relevant expertise in the therefore be capable of penetrating approved manufacture and design field of wound ballistics. One of the body sufficiently to pass and the training and qualification the primary purposes of the semi­ through major arteries and blood­ standards were met. nar was to identify the perform­ ance criteria of a bullet most likely bearing organs to ensure timely to inflict an incapacitating wound physiological incapacitation. A Question of Caliber on a human target. Without adequate penetration, The most critical. and contro­ A second purpose of the sem­ physiological incapacitation can­ versiaL issue relating to the selec­ inar was to determine, if possible, not be attained. Given adequate tion of a new FBI handgun was which of the two calibers, the penetration. the only reliable way that of caliber. Questions have 9mm or the .45, was likely to be to increase the effectiveness of the been raised not only about the ade- most effective in accomplishing wound is to increase its size, thus 4; FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin ________________________________ p. , - .. ii increasing the amount of tissue Director of the Army's Wound validity and standardization, damage and the rate of hemor­ Ballistics Laboratory, at the Let­ clothing manufacturers were con­ rhage. Thus, the FBI's test pro­ terman Institute in San Francisco, sulted to determine the average gram was designed to evaluate 10% ballistic gelatin was selected thread count in typical under­ bullet penetration and wound size. to simulate soft human muscle clothing, shirts, and jackets. tissue. Eight separate penetration Other factors were then con­ Ammunition Test Design tests were conducted by firing bul­ sidered. Because FBI Agents fre­ With the performance criteria lets into this substance. quently confront subjects in ve­ acquired from the Wound Ballis­ hicles, behind doors or walls, and tics Seminar, the next step was to at various distances, clothed gela­ design and construct a series of tin was placed behind windshield ammunition tests to measure the ... the FBI's test glass, car door metal, plaster performance of different rounds board and plywood. Again, man­ against those standards. For that "program was designed ufacturers in the construction and purpose, the Firearms Training to evaluate bullet automobile industries were con­ Unit established a working group penetration and wound sulted to assure that the materials which included personnel from the size.
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