An Alternate Look at Handgun Stopping Power | Buckeye Firearms Association

I've read comments on this paper of the single shot stopping power of some relativity weak calibers. One comment that made me smirk and nod my head in approval. "It appears that most people who get shot, don't want to get shot again" ☺

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Just hanging with my dogs

I like this one better.

And this one.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

I have read that article multiple times and it still makes sense to me. In addition, it occurs to me that those bad guys who are not stopped with a couple of hits...those needing to be shot with the big calibers...are not the ones civilians like me are apt to be dealing with. Consequently I feel pretty safe (perhaps foolishly) with my Kahr 380 in my back pocket...unless I'm up in the mountains.

Ed

These articles reminded me of something I read on the Web that went something like:

"You can't miss fast enough with a .45 to end the fight".

I tailor what I carry or have on hand to what I can shoot well. I shoot big heavy guns better and faster than I shoot light ones in the same caliber. That's physics.

In the house I have the biggest, highest capacity pistol I can buy in a caliber that won't kill my hearing too badly. That knocks out 44 Mag and 357 Mag.

For CCW it depends on what I am wearing. I'll carry a 9mm when I can, but I don't feel uncomfortable with a 32 I know I can shoot at speed.

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Release the Kraken

It is wrong to say that a larger bullet will have more recoil. Recoil is a function of momentum and momentum is a combination of mass and velocity: p=m*v where p=momentum, m=mass and v=velocity

Recoil is a function of force. The formula is the same though and f=m*v where f=force. Newton's third law of motion states, "For every action, there is an equal and opposing reaction."

So, a 230gr .45ACP with a muzzle velocity of 850fps will have the same recoil as a 115gr 9mm with a muzzle velocity of 1,700fps. Change that to a 200gr .45ACP at 850fps and the 9mm only has to go 1,478fps to have the same recoil.

Felt recoil (what the shooter actually perceives) is a whole other subject. In the end, the recoil is not really that much different. Follow up shots are just as easy with either caliber.

Shot placement is everything.

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Freedom isn't free.

I've seen both of these comments before and the one thing that is left out is the gun .. how well does it fit your hand .. I have a 40c which I shoot very well 10 shots in 1 3/4 inches at 30 feet ..

A friend has a Springfield XD® MOD.2™ – 3″ Sub-Compact in 40S&W and I don't shoot it worth a darn at the same distant .. 3-6 inch 10 round groups .. almost 3 times the grouping size .. different gun .. different feel .. different results ..

I've been shooting since I was 12-13 years old so in no way a new shooter that's in over 54 years of shooting .. Just because you shoot one pistol well doesn't mean another make or size you'll have the same results ..

Where your round hits makes a huge difference.. being off just 3 inches can mean the difference between stopping someone and them being able to reach you ..