Posted on 02/22/2003 8:34:22 PM PST by 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.
More like .73” @ 10 yds, or, the bore size of your trusty 12 gauge. Like shooting a slug gun. Which is why many folk are under the false assumption that they can just point that thing in the general direction of the bad guy and stop him cold, while the truth is that you are simply shooting a very large ‘rifle’ caliber @close range. The individual diameter of those 9 balls in a 00 12 gauge buckshot is much larger than .22, actually .33 caliber each! Those BIG holes you see shotgun nimrods blowing through doors and walls in the movies are pyrotechnics, not reality!
Also, 10 yards is, according to my old school math, 30 feet. If you are a ‘mansion’ type owner, you may have several areas inside that would give you that much distance - in my case, only my hallway all the way across my living room qualifies! Try making any rapid movements with a 30” weapon of any type inside your home(?), not an easy task. I also like the 12 for home defense; however, mine is compact, and I don’t plan on stalking the house with it....It is charged to repel boarders through a ‘locked’ door, once the lock is breeched!
For later.
self ping,
Got 2, Taurus 689 6in blued with hogue grips
and Ruger Blackhawk Stainless 4 5/8
SW model 28 my first pistol I ever bought
From a Mississippi highway patrolman
His service revolver
He was buying a model 19
1975
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