THE STOPPING POWER OF DIFFERENT HANDGUN CARTRIDGES

2/22/2003

[2nd_Amendment_Defender]

General Julian Hatcher, a noted forensic pathologist, in the early 1900’s developed a good formula to determine the theoretical stopping power of a firearm cartridge. His formula has withstood the test of time and validation from other studies and data related to stopping power.

You want a handgun cartridge that has a Hatcher value of over 50 for the most effective stopping power. Values over 55 have diminishing returns in that you don’t gain any significant increase in stopping power for the extra recoil and control you must cope with. Handgun cartridges that don’t make a value of at least 50, should not considered for self-defense. If the rating of your handgun cartridge is under 30, it only has about a 30% chance of producing a one shot stop. Hatcher Ratings of 30 to 49 raise a one shot stop to approximately a 50% chance. Ratings of 50 or higher produce a one shot stop about 90% of the time.

Handgun Cartridge Type ..................... Hatcher Rating

.45 ACP full metal jacket 230 grain .......... 49.1

.45 ACP jacketed hollow point 230 grain ...... 60.7

.44 Magnum full metal jacket 240 grain ....... 92.3

*.44 Magnum lead wad cutter 240 grain ......... 136.8

.44 Special full metal jacket 240 grain ...... 51.6

*.44 Special lead wad cutter 240 grain ............. 76.5

.41 Magnum full metal jacket 230 grain ............. 54

*.41 Magnum lead wad cutter 230 grain .............. 80

10 millimeter full metal jacket 180 grain .......... 50.3

10 millimeter jacketed hollow point 180 grain ..62.1

.40 S&W full metal jacket flat nose 180 grain ...... 53.4

.40 S&W jacketed hollow point 180 grain ....... 59.4

.38 Special full metal jacket 158 grain ...... 26.7

*.38 Special lead wad cutter 158 grain ............. 39.7

**.357 Magnum full metal jacket 158 grain ..... 32.7

**.357 Magnum lead wad cutter 158 grain ............ 48.5

.357 SIG full metal jacket 147 grain ................ 36.6

.357 SIG jacketed hollow point 147 grain ..... 45.2

9 millimeter full metal jacket 147 grain ............ 32.3

9 millimeter jacketed hollow point 147 grain ... 39.9

.380 Auto jacketed hollow point 95 grain ..... 18.3

.32 Auto jacketed hollow point 71 grain ...... 11.1

.25 Auto jacketed hollow point 50 grain ...... 3.7

.22 Long Rifle jacketed hollow point 40 grain ... 4.2

* Jacketed hollow points will have the same rating as wad cutter bullets if the bullet hollow tip is greater than 1/2 of the caliber of the bullet.

* .357 Magnum ratings are taken from a firearm with a 3 inch barrel. Longer barrels will raise the rating of the round.

[spodefly]

After reading thru this thread, I suspect that no one would think a weeny little 9mm Beretta 92F loaded with Cor-Bon +P 115 gr. JHP's is sufficient. You're all a bunch of size queens. ;)

[Shooter 2.5]

The single gun isn't the only thing.

My son mentioned that he wanted to make sure that he never changed the way he drew a pistol. We use the same holster for all occasions. A Galco Royal Guard "In the Waistband".

I talked to one guy last week and he mentioned that he uses a shoulder holster, an ankle hoster and a differnt style of holster that he uses under a shirt.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

It's not for military use so if you take care of the varmint, 2 or 4 legs, with a few shots you won't need to worry about it warming up.

Good question though. I'll ask them if they designed it themselves from scratch (I doubt it) or if they "borrowed" design from an existing design?

[Tijeras_Slim]

Excellent point. My favorite saying about shooting is "Practice may not make perfect, but it sure does make permanent."

If we get CCW in New Mexico (it passed the Senate last week), I'm going to need to research the trade offs between concealability and accessability, and concealability and firepower. I'm wondering what I could successfully carry, being that the "Slim" part of my screename is accurate and the Southwest is not always partial to bulky clothing.

[crude77]

I'd like to ask your opinion on the 9's if I might. I have a Beretta 92FS and load it with Federal Hydra-Shocks. I have read a couple of post suggesting the 115 grain rounds and noted that I have one box with 124 grain and one box with 135 grain. Is the 115 grain a better choice than these?
Also, can anyone reccomend a website with info on Texas Concealed Carry info.

Thanks-Greg

[Tijeras_Slim]

Also, can anyone reccomend a website with info on Texas Concealed Carry info.

A this fellow could benefit from your input Ping.

[Mr Rogers]

Based on this article, a jacketed 9mm sounds like the best bet. Combines good penetration with minimal kick & lots of extra rounds. I have a .357 and a .45, but arguably my best bet would the .22/32 that I've fired thousands of rounds through. I don't have to concentrate much to hit the target with it.

For home defense, I prefer the 12 gauge in the bedroom defense. Wandering around the house at night gives the other guy a shot for free. Some one coming up the stairs to our bedrooms is dangerous - but not as dangerous as I am with a shotgun, clear line of fire, and the resolution to use it!

[Squantos]

LOL....Understand that well. Back before I knew better I decided that I had to have an HK P7M13. I had been issued a P9S in 45ACP and thought I needed at least 2 HK's in my paperweight collection aka Gun Safe.

One thing I could never master was the weird squeeze cocking action. Lot's of embarrassing technical pauses in the shoot house per se. Albeit the P9S is an outstanding handgun and shoots very well the P7M13 is now an investment gun.

Stay Safe !!

[Squantos]

As to 9mm ammo I highly suggest the cor-bon 115 gr JHP for personal defense use. Peter Pi has his ducks in a row on the little pill.

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administration/crime_records/chl/chlsindex.htm

That Texas CHL web site is official.......

Stay Safe !

[Tijeras_Slim]

I've shot the squeeze cocker, and found it very accurate, but it was during a period of life where financial realities probably saved me from similar "paperweight" acquisition.

I'm in pursuit of the "perfect" three gun battery for bullseye/target shooting right now. Thoreau's phrase "Simplify, simplify..." is looking attractive.

Looks like we might get CCW in New Mexico soon, if so, I'll be in touch to pick you brain.

[Squantos]

Any word of reciprocity with Tejas in that New Mexico version of the CHL-RKBA rental agreement ?

Stay Safe !!

[crude77]

Thanks for the input and the website-am checking it out now. I had been one that felt I did not need a license to carry (still feel that way), but have decided I would prefer not to have to convince a Judge.

Greg

[Tijeras_Slim]

Don't have all the details yet, but you know politics here...

[Atlas Sneezed]

If you like the Para LDA, be sure to check out Glocks and the HK USP LEM .40 (which comes in two trigger weights, so be sure you know which you are trying.)

[no-s]

CCW in New Mexico?

New Mexico moves up on the list of "move-to" states. I want to escape California, but it didn't seem reasonable to trade one communist country for another.

[Tijeras_Slim]

it didn't seem reasonable to trade one communist country for another.

Well, time will tell. We do have Clinton-crony Bill Richardson for Gov right now, but he cut the top tax rate last week as well. Clearly, he knows that what makes a Gov palatable for national office aspirations and what makes a Dem aparatchik are two different things.

[TC Rider]

Wow, I was thinking I wanted a revolver in .38 special, but after reading this, I think I'll see what's out there in .40 S&W.

I carry a 38spl Taurus Mdl 85 as backup to a glock 23. It also works when I can't carry the Glock.

I load it with Federal +p 158gr Gold Dots semiwadcutter hollow points with the Nyclad coating. Didn't see this load in the table, but would think it would be closer to the magic 50.

The snubby fills a special niche. In very close quarters, the snubby can be jammed into an adversary's torso, delivering a devastating wound, literally pumping clothing, powder, etc. into a torso. Automatics are not suited for this maneuver, since they could be pushed out of battery.

Visit the range, try em out, carry as much gun as you can.

[TC Rider]

Travis, have you seen that new rifle Kel-tec is coming out in .223. It's the SU-16.

I have the Kel-Tec Sub 2000. Lots of fun in 9mm. Plus it will take high cap magazines. Under $300.

[Shooter 2.5]

www.packing.org is the bible of the concealed weapons websites.

My son is about your built and we always use that holster for everything. Start with a loose colored t-shirt untucked. As it gets cooler, tuck in the t-shirt and then put on a flat bottomed shirt, again untucked. As it get colder, tuck in the shirt and put on a sweatshirt. When it's cold, take the sweater off and use a winter coat. The coat can't have the type of liner that hangs down without stitching. If that happens, you're grabbing the coat up and leaving the liner. If possible, you could sweep the unzipped coat open from the front.

When you draw, use the three fingers without the index finger to lift the material upward and use the thumb to jam behind the pistol. Keep a loose hold on the pistol as you draw because you could be grabbing material. As you come up, enclose the fingers tighter. When the two hands slam together, flip the safety off, not before for a tight hold. Put the trigger finger in the guard as you center on the target and not before. The tips of your weak hand fingers should be on your strong hand knuckles[common mistake for small handed people] If you're using a 1911, the strong hand thumb should be on the safety[NOT UNDER IT].