Expansion

Hollow points have been around since TL5.

Modern hollow points are wonders.  The expand almost every time and don't typically cause feed problems.

TL5-7 hollowpoints reduce the malf by 1.

Pistol rounds have a chance of not expanding, roll 1d for TL - 3 or less to get expansion (2 or less at TL5, 3 or less at TL6, 4 or less at TL7, 5 or less at TL8 and they just always expand at TL9+).

If they don't expand, they revert to their ball stats.  2d+1(0.5) pi+ becomes 2d+1 pi, for example.

This failure to expand is part of the core argument for calibers which begin with 4.

Ball .45 ACP is 2d pi+.  That will do 3-18 (avg 10) to a torso all day.  HP increases to 2d(0.5) pi++ which does 2-22 (avg 12).

9mm ball is 2d+2 pi, which does 4-14 (avg 9).  9mm HP is 2d+2(0.5) pi+, which does 4-19 (avg 12) which compares favorably against .45 ball at the price of poor feeding and a chance that it doesn't expand costing you 25% of your damage.

But modern rounds feed just fine.  Since .45 and 9mm average the same, more beans is more damage.

But prior to TL8...  .45 ball shines because it cannot fail to expand and doesn't affect the malfunction rate.

Historical gamers take note.

With that history in mind...

.38 Super is 3d-1 pi, which is TL6 and does 2-17 (avg 9) in ball form.  HP ups this to 3d-1(0.5) pi+ and 1-24 (avg 12).

Revolvers don't have feed problems from HP.

.38 Special is 2d pi, also TL6 doing 2-12 (avg 7) in ball and 2d(0.5) pi+ in hollow point for 1-16 (avg 9)

.357 Magnum does 3d pi from ball, 3-18 (avg 10) and 3d(0.5) pi+ from HP, 3-25 (avg 14).

.44 Magnum is 3d+2 pi+ in ball for 7-30 (avg 18) and 3d+2(0.5) pi++ in HP for 8-38 (avg 23) but it comes with a "sharp but controllable" Rcl 4.