I have read the Thompson LaGarde tests(not just excerpts).Livestock were shot in a Chicago stockyard and dead cadavers were shot(apparently to see how much the body would move when hit).The conclusions were "non conclusions".They had a very VAGUE impression and if you read the reports,(you will see just how vague the impression was)that the larger bullets SEEMED to hit a bit harder.Livestock was shot repeatedly with various calibers and they noted how long it took before the animal would finally fall.On several tests,the smaller calibers won in the comparison.

For anyone to even suggest that there was something conclusive about the Thompson LaGarde tests is pretty comical.After reading the reports,my impression was that they were trying to avoid the embarrasment of not reaching a conclusion at all.

I do not have an axe to grind and I don't have a horse in this race.I am pointing out that a lot of what are considered TRUISMS in the gun world are actually little more than myths.

I can remember when Jeff Cooper was writing that 45 hardball dropped a man 95% of the time when hit ANYWHERE in the torso.That's 19 times out of twenty.REALLY???...He got away with saying it for a long time until he discovered that some people were keeping records.

I actually agree with these men on many things.I consider the 38 special to be abysmal.So,yes,I agree with Keith,Cooper,etc on a number of things but NOT when their ideas prove to be fallacies when under scrutiny.

It's occured to me since my post that someone may get the idea that I'm trying to preach about what to carry and use for protection.Such is not the case at all.

Carry and use what you want.If someone makes it necessary for you to shoot them,most of the ballistic minutiae will drop down the pole of priorities pretty quick.