jkh@ucbjade.BERKELEY.EDU (Jordan K. Hubbard) (12/18/85)
Article: 12:20
I didn't know such a group on the net exsisted. I don't know much
about S&W .45, or for that matter much about most weapons, (except my
S&W 357, model 66).
I think the reason I have never seen this group, is that it shows
up in our 'junk' group. How high is the readership? If it is warranted,
perhaps a group should be made (I.E. a newgroup message put out).
As to the stopping power of ANY round of ammo, short of testing
the various ammo myself (expensive), I would have to use the old tried
and true formula of Force = Mass * Acceleration (F=MA) from physics. I
don't have my re-loading manual with me, but awhile ago I did some comparasons
of .38 ammunition, and the 'stopping power' involved, and I decided that
light semi-jacketed hollow-points (about 125 grains) at nearly maxed-out
velocity was good (I.E. a .38+P specification) The reason? My dad has
a S&W .38 and wanted a bullet that could stop a person, if he had to. In
my reloading manual, I took the amount of force that a bullet produced
at various velocities, and multiplied it by the number of grains of the
bullet. Then, based upon the type of crosssection of the bullet (I.E.
round nosed, wad-cutter, jacketed, etc.) I decided that a semi-jacketed
hollow-point at a high velocity would do the trick.
Good shooting,
Ken Brown
PS. I know that you were not asking about .38 ammo, but it (at least
in theory) should be the same for *most* ammo. I have never
fired a .45 or any weapon that uses .380 (isn't .380 for rifles?)
Hope that at least this little bit on .38/.357 stuff might be
of assistance.
uucp: ...{!trwrb!scgvaxd,!glacier!oliveb}!felix!birtch!kenjoe@dual.UUCP (01/05/86)
Article: 1:8 Hi. I know just a little about guns and ammo, but there is an aspect of a slugs stopping power that isn't taken into account by your formula: the amount of energy the slug imparts to its target and the speed it does it in. That aspect is hard to quantify exactly, with ammo ranging from teflon-coated to rapid expanding soft hollow points, but I think, for an example a small slug that goes right through a target gains relatively little in stopping power for any energy beyond that needed to push it through the target. However there is a slug designed to impart all its energy to the target so quickly and in so little a penetrative depth that hits outside vital zones still knock down their victim. These are legal ammo for a variety of calibers. "Glaser Safety Slugs". They are a thin outer slug filled with tiny shot that spread out immediately on contact and owing to the vast surface area they stop soon, transfering all their energy. They are safer than normal bullets because they don't riccochet. I've heard that .38 Glasers stop like .44 Magnums. And you only have the recoil of a +P .38 round! I suggest you ask your local dealer for them. [ Or make your own glasers at home with large cavity hollowpoints, some wax/paraffin and mercury! -jh ] Joe Weinstein