Stopping Power

[Adam Helmer]

Trapper7,

You made several points that caused me to have reflective thinking. In 1970, I was hired by a police department that allowed "Any Carry" of any handgun an officer could qualify with that was 9mm or larger. As "Badge 231" I went to the gun shop and paid $105.00 for a new S&W M28 4-inch .357 Magnum. Back at the station, I was told I could ONLY use Round Nose 158 grain .38 Specials in my M28!

Fortunately, six weeks later I was called to go to the 12-week training to be a federal agent. I still have that M28 Smith, but it is not stoked with Roundnose .38 Specials.

Adam

[Mad_Jack]

My thoughts on stopping power is that it's important for those who can't shoot accurately. If the shot is placed where it goes, down goes the target. If a military 50 cal hit a hip at 1200 yards the upper body usually leaves the lower body. If a .22 short goes in the eyeball and finishes in the brain, at that point life in that target ceases to exist. Any game animal I've placed a shot to the head, ended on the ground before the recoil ended. Humans are a form of animal in life's circle. The best defense is awareness, to not let yourself get into those situation. Regardless, practice.....a lot. Tactical training readies one better than stand up range time. But put rounds out in different situations; seated, kneeling, forward, backwards, upside down, on your back, right and left handed, or any position you might find yourself in. Just buy the ammo that makes you comfortable and shoot it. .02

[VaRedneck]

Please forgive if I've posted this in the past.

http://www.thegunzone.com/quantico-wounding.html

Conclusions
Physiologically, no caliber or bullet is certain to incapacitate any individual unless the brain is hit. Psychologically, some individuals can be incapacitated by minor or small caliber wounds. Those individuals who are stimulated by fear, adrenaline, drugs, alcohol, and/or sheer will and survival determination may not be incapacitated even if mortally wounded.

The will to survive and to fight despite horrific damage to the body is commonplace on the battlefield, and on the street. Barring a hit to the brain, the only way to force incapacitation is to cause sufficient blood loss that the subject can no longer function, and that takes time. Even if the heart is instantly destroyed, there is sufficient oxygen in the brain to support full and complete voluntary action for 10-15 seconds.

Kinetic energy does not wound. Temporary cavity does not wound. The much discussed "shock" of bullet impact is a fable and "knock down" power is a myth. The critical element is penetration. The bullet must pass through the large, blood bearing organs and be of sufficient diameter to promote rapid bleeding. Penetration less than 12 inches is too little, and, in the words of two of the participants in the 1987 Wound Ballistics Workshop, "too little penetration will get you killed." 42,43 Given desirable and reliable penetration, the only way to increase bullet effectiveness is to increase the severity of the wound by increasing the size of hole made by the bullet. Any bullet which will not penetrate through vital organs from less than optimal angles is not acceptable. Of those that will penetrate, the edge is always with the bigger bullet.44