Stopping Power vs. Speed

[Sam]

I won't vote on this because the correct choice is not there.
#1 as many have said placement is the most important criteria.
Only a CNS disconnect is 100%.
Which can you shoot well enough to guarentee a CNS disconnect?

#2 when you fail to make a CNS disconnect then caliber becomes a factor.
Power is an illusion. If you think that the "paper power" advertised by an
ammunition manufacturer means anything other than marketing hype, study
some physics.
What is relevant with a less than CNS disconnect hit is how quickly you can
lower blood pressure to zero.

A good 9mm can do a decent job of making the BG leak out.
A good 45 can do it too.
Which can reliably do it faster? Bigger holes pass liquid faster, more holes pass liquid faster.

By the way I would discount many of the so called studies. Until we can scientifically shoot identical BG's in identical places under identical distances, angles, clothing, circumstances and states of adrenalization (is that a word?) they are not reliable predictors of outcome. They can make some general reccomendations but those are expressed above.

Sam

 

[sarge48]

Yikes

Location, location, location! The round doesn't matter as long as you do what you're supposed to do.

 

[wildehond]

I choose the 45 ACP as my personal defence round. I base my decision on what work on the local real bad boy, the Cape Buffalo. The PH en field guide all use rilfes in calibers with relatively heavy bullets that travel at moderate speed for a rifle. There a couple of .30 cal rifles with about the same mussle energy as the 375 H&H Mag, but I am not going after a cape buff with the .30 cal rilfe. A cape buff only stops when it cannot carry-on anymore and then the burning in its eyes still seem to attack your soul. The heavier bullet seems to give good penatration under real world circumstances.

Therefore a choose the heavier 230 gr bullet of the 45 ACP.

wildehond

 

[victory]

For the 9mm it isn't fair to compare 115gr practice ammo (such as Win White Box) to whatever +P or +P+ load you might carry. A 124gr 9mm at ~1250fps from a Glock 17 has just as much muzzle flip and recoil as a 1911 firing hardball (which is similar to what many people carry in .45 in terms of recoil).

My carry load is winchester ranger talon 127gr +P+. Testing my glock 26 for the load, it was a little bigger kick, but not bad. in the heat of the moment i can promise you won't even notice.