wesnellans
Expert
I know this has probably been rehashed more times than anyone can count, but I don't find this angle in the search, SO.....
Quick math comparisons between 9mm and 45 lead me to believe that:
1 - Frontal area of 45 ACP is 60% greater than 9mm.
2 - Velocity vs mass only goes so far: a 135 gr (+p?) 9mm loading traveling at 1050 fps calculates to 141,750 gr/fps (whatever unit you wish to convert that to) in momentum , while a 230 gr 45 acp traveling at 750 fps calculates to 172,500 gr/fps in momentum.
So how on earth is it that the 9mm is even being brought up as comparable to 45 acp for "stopping power"? I'd have to think that 60% more frontal area (before any expansion, thinking that a similar load will expand similarly in each), plus 18% greater momentum, HAS to equal more damage to the target, hence more effective wounding.
I remember from years ago the matches I shot where a 45 guy would set up the pepper poppers. 9mm guys had to fire 2-3 rounds in the same areas to knock the poppers over, while the 45 guys needed one shot in the same area. How is this different than the damage inflicted on the bg?
See what I started?
Quick math comparisons between 9mm and 45 lead me to believe that:
1 - Frontal area of 45 ACP is 60% greater than 9mm.
2 - Velocity vs mass only goes so far: a 135 gr (+p?) 9mm loading traveling at 1050 fps calculates to 141,750 gr/fps (whatever unit you wish to convert that to) in momentum , while a 230 gr 45 acp traveling at 750 fps calculates to 172,500 gr/fps in momentum.
So how on earth is it that the 9mm is even being brought up as comparable to 45 acp for "stopping power"? I'd have to think that 60% more frontal area (before any expansion, thinking that a similar load will expand similarly in each), plus 18% greater momentum, HAS to equal more damage to the target, hence more effective wounding.
I remember from years ago the matches I shot where a 45 guy would set up the pepper poppers. 9mm guys had to fire 2-3 rounds in the same areas to knock the poppers over, while the 45 guys needed one shot in the same area. How is this different than the damage inflicted on the bg?
See what I started?