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What Happens at a Firearms Training for Teachers

bostonreview.net

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Re: What Happens at a Firearms Training for Teachers

#2
While there is valid critisism to be leveled here, the elitist, yet doom-filled language of the author does more to inflame than to inform, dispite the detail. I dislike the militarization of police. I think modern traning instills cowardace and shooting first and thinking later, and it condones murder in the line of duty. But to paint a voluntary action, that the author mentions nothing of fighting against as evil, is disingenous at best, and manipulative as I read it.

Re: What Happens at a Firearms Training for Teachers

#3
"hollow points, rounds designed to swell upon impact to ensure maximum harm."

My understanding is that hollow points were designed to prevent over-penetration rather than to harm more. How does the author know it was designed to "ensure maximum harm"? I can't help but think it was intentional.

Edit: Of course now that I read the rest of the article after initially writing this comment, I see that quote is also highlighted in a text box (side note, what is that called when they do that?).

Re: What Happens at a Firearms Training for Teachers

#4
post #3

"hollow points, rounds designed to swell upon impact to ensure maximum harm." My understanding is that hollow points were designed to prevent over-penetration rather than to harm more. How does the author know it was designed to "ensure maximum harm"? I can't help but think it was intentional. Edit: Of course now that I read the rest of the article after initially writing this comment, I see that quote is also highli…

They're designed to prevent going straight through by expanding inside of soft tissues. One of the effects of that is increased tissue damage. So they maybe they weren't "designed to cause maximum harm" but that's certainly one of the effects over a full metal jacket round.

Re: What Happens at a Firearms Training for Teachers

#5
post #3

"hollow points, rounds designed to swell upon impact to ensure maximum harm." My understanding is that hollow points were designed to prevent over-penetration rather than to harm more. How does the author know it was designed to "ensure maximum harm"? I can't help but think it was intentional. Edit: Of course now that I read the rest of the article after initially writing this comment, I see that quote is also highli…

[deleted]

Re: What Happens at a Firearms Training for Teachers

#6
post #3

"hollow points, rounds designed to swell upon impact to ensure maximum harm." My understanding is that hollow points were designed to prevent over-penetration rather than to harm more. How does the author know it was designed to "ensure maximum harm"? I can't help but think it was intentional. Edit: Of course now that I read the rest of the article after initially writing this comment, I see that quote is also highli…

They're designed to prevent going straight through by expanding inside of soft tissues. One of the effects of that is increased tissue damage. So they maybe they weren't "designed to cause maximum harm" but that's certainly one of the effects over a full metal jacket round.

Yes, designed to expand in order to stop, not designed to expand in order to harm.

I do feel for the teacher; the situation is not ideal and I wouldn't want to have to shoot someone I'm supposed to take care of either.

I think it's good that this teacher sounds like someone who doesn't want to use his gun (not "trigger-happy"), I just hope in the unlikely situation where he would have to use it, that quality doesn't prevent him from stopping a threat before more harm is done.

Re: What Happens at a Firearms Training for Teachers

#7
post #3

"hollow points, rounds designed to swell upon impact to ensure maximum harm." My understanding is that hollow points were designed to prevent over-penetration rather than to harm more. How does the author know it was designed to "ensure maximum harm"? I can't help but think it was intentional. Edit: Of course now that I read the rest of the article after initially writing this comment, I see that quote is also highli…

How do you increase stopping power? By having a bullet do greater damage to the target. That's what they are designed for. You can argue that there's a legitimate interest for doing so, but it doesn't change that it is about damage. They're banned by the hague conventions for warfare, seen as unnecessarily harmful, so they only see civilian use (although some military designs follow similar ideas, as far as I know none are exactly hollow point due to at least lip-service to these rules)

Re: What Happens at a Firearms Training for Teachers

#8
post #7
post #3

"hollow points, rounds designed to swell upon impact to ensure maximum harm." My understanding is that hollow points were designed to prevent over-penetration rather than to harm more. How does the author know it was designed to "ensure maximum harm"? I can't help but think it was intentional. Edit: Of course now that I read the rest of the article after initially writing this comment, I see that quote is also highli…

How do you increase stopping power? By having a bullet do greater damage to the target. That's what they are designed for. You can argue that there's a legitimate interest for doing so, but it doesn't change that it is about damage. They're banned by the hague conventions for warfare, seen as unnecessarily harmful, so they only see civilian use (although some military designs follow similar ideas, as far as I know no…

I edited "stop" to "prevent over-penetration" before I saw your reply. I meant about the bullet not going through anything and hitting someone unintentionally.

Re: What Happens at a Firearms Training for Teachers

#9
post #8
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you increase stopping power? By having a bullet do greater damage to the target. That's what they are designed for. You can argue that there's a legitimate interest for doing so, but it doesn't change that it is about damage. They're banned by the hague conventions for warfare, seen as unnecessarily harmful, so they only see civilian use (although some military designs follow similar ideas, as far as I know no…

I edited "stop" to "prevent over-penetration" before I saw your reply. I meant about the bullet not going through anything and hitting someone unintentionally.

Ah, I misunderstood that. True, that might play a role in selecting them for use there.

Re: What Happens at a Firearms Training for Teachers

#10
post #3

"hollow points, rounds designed to swell upon impact to ensure maximum harm." My understanding is that hollow points were designed to prevent over-penetration rather than to harm more. How does the author know it was designed to "ensure maximum harm"? I can't help but think it was intentional. Edit: Of course now that I read the rest of the article after initially writing this comment, I see that quote is also highli…

They are absolutely designed to prevent over-penetration. That's how the FBI tests ammunition. They fire it into a block of ballistic gelatin and ammunition that penetrates far enough to have a high chance of incapacitating the target but not so far as to carry through completely gets the highest marks. The only real way to accomplish this is with hollow points. There's a reason every law enforcement agency in the country uses them.
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