Ballstic numbers.

[SomeKid]

Hello, I am wanting to now if anyone has a chart of the ballstic performence of various self-defense loads. (FPS, ft/lbs of energy, things like that.)

I was hoping it could be a chart that had for example

Federal 135gr 155 gr 180 gr

Speer Gold Dot 135 gr 155gr and so on with others as well.

I have seen some charts, but never very much and I cannot find what I am looking for, so maybe y'all can help. I am not wanting a war over which one is best, so I am not posting my current carry ammo. I just want the numbers so I can make a stab at which one would truly be the best to carry.

Thank you.

 

[sumpnz]

Most manufacturers will list the nominal velocity of their ammo on their website. From that it's easy to calculate the energy, since E=0.5*mass*velocity^2 (just remember to convert grains to slugs - divide grains by 225400).

Of course, those velocity numbers are really meaningless. They are usually obtained useing longer than typical barrels and the test barrels usually have much better chamber sealing than real guns. Both of those factors will increase MV. To know what they'd really do in your gun you'd need to chronograph at least 10 rounds (more is better) of each type you're interested in from your gun.

As far as finding a chart with all of those already in it, they be out there but I kinda doubt it.

 

[Polishrifleman]

Try looking here. It is a little tough when it keeps asking you to sign up but is very informative.

http://ammoguide.com/

 

[Bobo]

That would be some huge chart!

Kind of hard to do - the ballistics will vary with gun, model, and barrel length.

You can get a pretty good comparison by checking out the ammo manufacturer's web sites.

The best way is buy or borrow a cronograph, buy various ammo, and test it in your own gun.

 

[iamkris]

Go buy a reloading manual...it's the best $25 a gunnie with interest in ballistics (interior and exterior) can spend. Whether you reload or not...

 

[SomeKid]

Most manufacturers will list the nominal velocity of their ammo on their website.

Well, I checked a bunch of manufacturers websites. Federal, Winchester, Remington, CCI, Speer to name most of them. They all had ballistic tables, which were very useful.

Turns out, they are all very similar on the numbers, except Federal. Federal has consideerably less fps and ft/lbs and all the other numbers than the rest. Kind of funny, I have Hydrashoks, 180 grains loaded right now. They had the worst numbers, in regards to performance.

Oh well. If I did not have 500 of their Hydras stockpiled, I wouldn't feel so stupid. Live, learn, and make a new excuse to go to the range. Got to clean out the not quite as powerful ammo.

 

[EZ CZ75]

Wait just a minute...

REmember that the highest powered round does not always mean the best. If the hydrashok is what works in your pistol and you can hit what you aim at then you have a good round. If the power issue was the end all in semi autos then we would all carry a 10mm with fifteen rounds of Double-Tap ammo. They have rounds that produce over 700 ft/lbs of energy at the muzzle. But my 9mm does just fine. I don't know how fast they go nor do I know how much energy they pack, but I know they work and that is key.

Remember, any badguy would rather be missed by a 10mm than hit with a .22.

 

[Ol` Joe]

Oh well. If I did not have 500 of their Hydras stockpiled, I wouldn't feel so stupid. Live, learn, and make a new excuse to go to the range. Got to clean out the not quite as powerful ammo.

Don`t knock the Federal stuff. There is more to stopping power then velocity. The bullets wgt, and construction have a lot of impact on the results on game or people. The Hydra shock is a very respected bullet for self defence. I`d rather have a well designed 200 gr bullet @900 fps then a 230 gr RN @ 950fps.
That said, I also doubt anything under 75fps variance or so in handgun ammo with like bullets will change much or anything inre to the performance... JMO

 

[MachIVshooter]

Turns out, they are all very similar on the numbers, except Federal. Federal has consideerably less fps and ft/lbs and all the other numbers than the rest. Kind of funny, I have Hydrashoks, 180 grains loaded right now. They had the worst numbers, in regards to performance.

Oh well. If I did not have 500 of their Hydras stockpiled, I wouldn't feel so stupid. Live, learn, and make a new excuse to go to the range. Got to clean out the not quite as powerful ammo.

Hydra-shok's do tend to have lower energy than most other loads, but they have also proven very effective. It is my personal choice not to carry them (their perfomance in a 10mm loading is absolutely dismal), but many folks who carry .45's swear by 'em. In factory loads, I prefer Speer Gold Dots or Remington Gold Sabres. I carry handloaded Gold Sare 180 grainers in my 10mm Witness Compact. They leave the muzzle at 1342 FPS from the 3.5" tube for 720 ft/lbs and perform very well in ballistic clay.

I presume you have a .40 S&W, based on the loads you inquired about. You might check out the Gold Sabre factory loads.

 

[MikeHaas]

Try looking here. It is a little tough when it keeps asking you to sign up but is very informative.

http://ammoguide.com/

Dang pay sites.

Below is an example of AmmoGuide's free ballistic comparisons. You choose any of 400+ rounds, up to 8, and the site then calculates the average performance values of all the loads it knows about for the rounds you selected and displays the results like this (Shown: 45 ACP, .45 GAP, .45 Super, .45 Win Mag., .454 Casull, .480 Ruger, .50 AE and the .500 S&W Mag):

(BTW, clicking on this picture actually goes right into the comparison tool and runs this comparison for you. Give it a few seconds - it's doing a LOT of calculations.)

Wonder how the .308 stacks up against the .30-06 or even the .300 Win Mag? Or see how much difference there is between the .22 Long Rifle and the .50 BMG? Silly, yes, but if you can do that, you can compare ANYTHING in between. And it's as simple as 1) select the rounds 2) press "Run Comparison".

Sounds pretty much like what you were asking for?

Mike

(PS. The tool will allow you to compare individual loads too.)