Here’s the 2nd book I clicked on from your home page.
It’s close to what I wanted to learn.
Terminal Ballistics as Viewed in a Morgue
Comments by Deadmeat2 (and a few others) found on the SW Forum
Archived on Mouseguns.com July 13, 2006
http://www.commonfolkusingcommonsense.com/files/terminal_ballistics_as_viewed_in_a_morgue.pdf
It’s a good read, being mostly a compilation of a bunch of empirical observations from someone who was a cop and has worked a lot of autopsies in the morgue. He does not have a lot of faith in the .22 to stop BG’s, which I presume to be Bad Guys. Even .38 or 9mm isn’t much in terms of stopping power, because he saw a lot of multiple hits on the gangbangers that proved they were still causing trouble after getting hit. He thinks the .44 or .45 round is the best, with single-stop capability.
He does think that hollow points cause a lot of damage. They tend to expend their energy inside the body rather than passing through it. He also thought that .357’s caused more damage than regular .38’s, probably due to the higher speed generated by magnum loads. He doesn’t talk much about shotgun wounds.
The physics behind this is probably the kinetic energy equation, 1/2 * m * V^2 , where the two important quantities are mass and velocity. A high powered rifle increases the velocity by adding more powder to the charge. A larger caliber increases the mass of the bullet.
The thing about shotguns is their range is only good to about 70 yards or so, though most bad guys don’t know that. And of course, if you have slugs loaded, they go much further. I don’t know how the shotgun pellets figure in any mass equations. It’s like a whole bunch of little 1/2mV^2 running around, causing individual path damages. From short range, devastating.
So, what about a .38 revolver with plenty of snake shot and speed loader rounds with regular bullets, maybe even with .357 magnum loads and frangible or hollowpoint bullets? I dunno. But the article was a good glimpse of what happens.
Maybe a bullet proof vest would be a good thing to consider as well.
I personally recommend if you can only have one firearm, you want a pump action 12 guage shotgun. Mossberg, Remington, and Winchester are all fine choices and won't set you back a months pay.
First Pistol? A revolver in .357 magnum. Ross, Taurus, Smith and Wesson, and Colt all make fine specimens.
First rifle? Here's where I part company with a majority of the posters on the board.
Bolt action rifle in .308 caliber with a four power scope. Savage makes a very good model for not a lot of money, so does CZ.
I'll tell you why I recommend this. They don't raise eyebrows or draw unwanted attention from the local anti-AW bedwetters.
Just my two cents, your mileage will surely vary.
L