This may have been posted elsewhere but I have not seen it. A friend of mine in the northwest sent it to me and I found it to be most interesting. Some of you may find it more interesting that I have a friend.

It makes good reading from an unbiased source and seems to be fairly in-depth.

An Alternate Look at Handgun Stopping Power

If it has been posted before, I apologize.

Some will just find it grist for the mill and dismiss it if it doesn't support the pet theories.

I found it pretty interesting and went along lines I long suspected. With modern bullets and good marksmanship there isn't one that stands out head and shoulders over another. I do find it telling that although the percentages were small, it seems the venerable 357 magnum was consistently better across the board.

Velly Intalesting!

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Dick

Yes, but it was also interesting that the .380ACP was almost as effective.

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Dick

According to that, the .22 is as effective as any handgun round and all are trumped by shotguns and rifles at least 2 to 1. Joe

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Wisdom chases me; I'm faster

People get too caught up in this whole thing. Any round will work and any round will fail. The key is to get the biggest gun you can comfortably carry and shoot well, and load it with good modern bullet designs. Then practice.

Very interesting report. I may have missed it, but curious as to whether or not the data had suicides included.

He did not study any rimfire rifle data. Wonder how the .22lr rifle statistics would have rated in comparison to centerfire rifles.

It's hard to cover every possibility in this kind of study. One thing that didn't seem to be considered was time of year, having to do with amount of clothing being worn that would have definately slowed down and/or deflected some of the rounds in question.
One light comment made by some, and verified by surgeons, is that the reason a .22 LR has no stopping power is that it doesn't actually stop right away, it keeps on looking for a vital organ while bouncing of bones, etc., inside of the victum.

In spite of the flaws which the author freely admits i found the article very interesting and informative.

I don't think he is far off base. i believe that it shows the wisdom of being prepared to shoot an attacker more than once.

BTW, one poster asked if self inflicted gunshots were included. He specifically says they were not.

NKJ nut, thanks for catching that detail for me. I found the posting very interesting, and entirely agree with your sentiments about being prepared for multiple shots in order to stop the threat.

I see just what I would expect: If there is going to be trouble, best to get your rifle.

That's certainly a different sort of study, and I guess all information is good if not manipulated, but there are factors so much more important than the caliber of gun used that it is almost a waste of time to consider - as long as the gun is something reasonable. Better to dwell on the effectiveness of its use, which is a function of the will to use it, and the level of speed and accuracy obtained.

I think the most telling fact is that pretty much across the board all performed about the same. I'd say that it is pretty much more about shot placement than stopping power. While I will readily admit that there is no substitute for hydrostatic shock when the adrenaline is pumping the only thing that will ensure a quick end is a heart/head shot.

Really good post

Interesting article. If I'm reading this right the 40 s&w had more impressive numbers than the 45 acp and the 357 had even more impressive numbers. Good reading, thanks for posting it.

Just guessing, but I'd say that most all incidents in which the .40 was used involved hollow points while a good percentage of the .45 rounds were hardball. Lot's of folks seem to still carry hardball in the 45's . . . . . That could certainly account for a difference.

Very interesting! Thanks for the posting.

I think most people will stop aggression when shot when any firearm.

There is a difference between stopping aggression and incapacitation. I tend to think the author was interchanging the two words. Having seen many people struck with a .22 round, I have only seen one that was incapacitated.