martialcomp,

Those 'one shot stop' percentages are based on statistically unsound methodology (like disregarding data that did not 'fit'). No weapon that can be hand or shoulder fired by an individual (except for rocket assisted and/or explosive warheads) will reliably stop an assault with a generic torso hit. Even the 12 ga. shotgun with full power loads will sometimes fail to produce the desired results.

Human beings are not computer models or bags of generic jelly. Like most other vertebrates, they have large areas that contain no mechanisms that are immediately required to sustain life or purposeful action. Hits in such places, even with the afore-mentioned shotgun, will depend far more on psychological factors than on actual physically causal effects for 'stopping'. Purposeful activity can be maintained for short periods of time even without a functioning circulatory system. You may have just inflicted a fatal wound, but failed to prevent the dying assailant from finishing his immediate business.

As I mentioned previously, there is no real difference between the permanent wound channels created by good bullets in any of our standard 'service' calibers. The only exception to this might be the .357 magnum using true 'full power' loads and even it fails far too often (in one case, a petite female was able to kill her ambush assailant after he nearly destroyed her heart with a .357). The full power .357 should not be included in a consideration of 'service' calibers because its blast and recoil make it difficult for the average person to shoot well under stress in a revolver of 'normal' size and weight.

The controllable 'service' cartridges all have 'power factors' of between 130 and 180 or so and produce muzzle energy levels in the 350 to 450 foot-pound range. This is far too little momentum or energy to reliably do the job. Consider the rifle cartridge recommendations for hunting deer. Deer are about the size of human beings and are usually no threat to the hunter, yet most people who have extensive experience will recommend nothing less than the .30-30 WCF (or its equivalent) for deer. Even the lowly .30-30 dwarfs any of our 'service' pistol cartridges in power.

We carry pistols because rifles or shotguns are inconvenient. We should focus our attention on becoming proficient with a pistol that we will actually carry - every day. We should choose that pistol for reliability, controllability and 'availability'. As long as we can put the bullet where it belongs (accuracy and penetration), caliber considerations are irrelevant. Is your chosen cartridge 'inadequate'? Yes, but so are all the rest...