BTW, this is another good point to bring up about firearms and PCCs in particular;
For fun/plinking/shooting paper, there's less consideration for the ammo used (i.e. the criteria veers towards either cheap/available, or accurate).
The issue is with terminal ballistics. There are many options available nowadays for either defensive or hunting rounds, but they definitely aren't all equal. The best options have been refined in design and construction to provide consistent terminal performance.
The thing is, that consistency (especially with JHPs) is highly dependent on average projected muzzle velocities.
For instance, 2 of the most widely spec'ed 9mm JHPs for LE departments, are Federal's HST, and Speer's Gold Dot G2. They both perform very consistently in the FBI tests that spec expansion, and a minimum and maximum penetration depth in 10% ballistics gelatin when tested through 4 layers of denim, and through auto glass etc.
Likewise, Federal's HST offerings are perhaps, the industry/LE standard in all issued pistol calibers (eg. 9mm, 40S&W, .45ACP etc.), due to their consistent performance.
What folks have discovered though, is that factory-loaded Federal HST in .40S&W and 10mm are actually pretty close in muzzle velocity and energy, and it appears to be because Federal didn't think it was worth the investment to design and test a specific full-bore 10mm capable bullet.
When reloaders have loaded the HST bullet for full 10mm velocities/muzzle energy, they discovered that the bullet's construction wasn't made to handle the higher velocities. Where it showed excellent expansion (and penetration right in the ideal range), when loaded to .40S&W or weak 10mm specs, the 'petals' of the hollowpoints either folded back, or broke off in the ballistics gelatin, at full-bore 10mm velocities.
This produced inconsistent results, with bullets that had smaller expanded diameters, and some which showed overpenetration due to the smaller diameters and reduced resistance.
The longer barrels (and velocities) with PCCs potentially mean that this would be an issue for use other than plinking.
Hardcast bullets, that aren't meant to expand won't have those issues, but then hardcast bullets were made to maximize penetration on dangerous animals, when fired from handguns, which again, makes the PCC use moot. If you're going to carry something bigger than a handgun in bear country, a shotgun with slugs is a better option.
with my flintlock black powder longrifles.
