Hey, I've posted one or two threads regarding my plan to CTB by shooting myself in the heart with a pistol. I've settled for jacketed hollow point ammo, but I want to know what's the best caliber? (9mm, 45 acp, etc...)
This is a copy/paste from a thread I replied to earlier. Disregard anything not relevant to you. I apologize for the wall of text, but I am actually educated on the subject and wanted to provide as much information and data points as possible. That being said it is best to, and would reassure you more to do your own research, I would just argue that this is a good starting spot.
~I'm going to do it in the car in a remote area (it is not uncommon for folks to find suicide or drug overdose deaths in this area, so whoever finds me will likely be a first responder, and well-equipped to deal with the situation), one to the chest, two if needed. I don't imagine any cleanup will be involved as they would just scrap the car, that being said they may clean out all the blood and resell it in today's crazy auto market. (Don't buy any Subarus in Colorado for the next little while) I'm using my XD9 Sub compact, 3" barrel, 9mm jacketed hollow point, 135 grain, PDX 1 to be exact. Check out tnoutdoors9 on YouTube, dude is a wealth of information. Your post reminds me of the suicide hotline skit in The Great Milenko. 'if you're going to do it, do it outside or something'.
Additionally there is a lot of misinformation about gunshot wounds here. Entry wounds are quite small and unspectacular, regardless of the caliber used, exit wounds are a different story. This is why you want to use a jacketed hollow point, full metal jacket will increase the likelihood of a through and through shot, and your chances of surviving. Again check out the dude on YouTube I suggested. JHPs expand after entering the target (you) not before, it is the combination of high velocity and the hollow cavity being filled with material that causes expansion, typically anywhere from one and a half to three inches this occurs. Expansion decreases penetration into the body, you want the round to hit vitals and stop, luckily for you this is how modern JHPs are engineered.
And the caliber debate is always ridiculous, particularly in this context. 22lr has killed more people than any other round (this is mostly due to availability, and the number of firearms chambered in this caliber, nonetheless this caliber has more 'street cred' than any other round, if you will.) Folks will indeed debate caliber endlessly, that being said I have yet to find a volunteer to step in front of 22lr. And I'll wrap this up by providing a little context, farm animals (and large ones at that cows, horses etc.) Are euthanized using .32 acp. Shot placement is what matters. 10mm or 5.56 will do the job. To sum it all up have you ever considered shooting yourself in the chest instead? Multiple NFL players have taken this route (they wanted to preserve their brains so as to study the effects of concussion and TBI) I imagine that these individuals were a lot larger than you are now, if it worked for them, it will work for you. It's still not pretty, but you're unlikely to get an open casket funeral if you shoot yourself in the head, just saying. Cheers.
