So what makes one load better than another? There are two schools of thought on the subject.
One school believes that light, fast bullets with high muzzle energy are best. These tend to produce higher temporary stretch cavities. The theory is that such bullets create more disruption inside the target and lead to more rapid incapacitation. These bullets tend to expand more (or even fragment), and therefore have less penetration than slower, heavier bullets.
The other school of thought tends to favor slow, heavy bullets … usually in larger calibers such as .40 S&W and .45 ACP. The bullets tend to penetrate deeply and cause longer (wider and deeper) wound channels. The theory is that such bullets are more likely to strike a vital organ because they are more capable of passing through intervening barriers as well as protective tissues such as bone.
These are very broad generalizations, of course, and a lot of people fall somewhere in the middle. Nevertheless, they define two different approaches to choosing defensive ammunition. Not surprisingly, in most calibers there are three popular bullet weights … a light fast bullet weight, a slow heavy bullet weight, and a middle ground. http://greent.com/40Page/general/defammo.htm
I couldn't vote. I am camped in between the two choices. I load and shoot slow heavy bullets and I load and shoot light fast bullets. I guess I'm stuck in that middle ground!
Depends..........talking hand guns. Weighing only effectiveness of a hit from a single round fast light, 357 mag 125grain specifically. Weighing other factors, blast flash, recoil.............45 acp is no slouch being almost as effective as the 357 looking at a single hit, with less blast, recoil with the ability to get off accurate multiple rounds a bit quicker.
Depends.....field gun with longer shots out side 357 Mag fast/light. Closer range perhaps indoors 45 acp slow/heavy.
I kinda enjoy the 22 magnum/velocitor 22lr./.223 high speed stuff.Another round that interests me is the 22-250,that really smokes down range.
The 7.62x54 is kinda the best of both worlds but in a rifle a 30cal at around 3000 ft.per.second.
Carver you mentioned you have a 44-magnum lever gun,I bet that let's that heavy bullet gain some speed and probably sends targets flying in the air pretty good!
The real reason I own a .44 magnum rifle is due to sight radius. The rifle is more accurate than the pistol because of this. The .44 magnum pistol will take deer out to what ever distance you can hit them. Elmer Keith shot deer at 500 yards with his S&W .44 magnum pistol. The rifle just gives folks like me the ability to make those distant hits a bit farther, and a little easier. I do believe that the longer barrel will give that bullet a little more speed, but that's not the reason I chose it.
I do have a Ruger .44 Magnum carbine that I have to load some pretty hard shooting cartridges just to get them to cycle that action. That is about the only real hot loads that I do.
I dunno, I've got a .375H&H magnum on one end of the spectrum and I just bought a .243, so I guess I'm riding the fence too. The .375 works wonders on big elk & moose. The .243 is pure poison on antelope. Handgun-wise, I have a RSRH in .454 Casull and a Colt Diamondback in .22 LR.
If I have to pick I guess light and fast, but I too have both... umm ...soon all, lol. I like my 9mm's for carry, the .40cal's are fun at the range, and I'm gonna take my .45LC with me hog hunting next time to see if I can hit the broad side of a pig.
Let me suggest some ideas from a different approach. What bullet would I most not want to get shot with. A .22 short? A 125 grain .357 Magnum JHP? A .44 Magnum in any form bullet. A .20 gauge slug? OO buck in any gauge? Thinking........
OK, I don't want to be shot with a .22 CB much less anything else. Anyone who points a gun at me, be it a Freedom Arms .22 to a .454 Casul has pretty much convinced me to take their advice on anything. If I have a choice of weapons to convince them to not shoot me I would prefer a long gun, with all my friends with their long guns. Barring that, I would fall back on "the weapon of convenience." That is what ever gun was convenient for me to carry at the time. Swim suit: .22
Freedom Arms. Shorts no belt: .380 in the pocket. Jeans with belt: Glock 27, or 4" S&W .357, or S&W Sigma in .40. Winter Jacket, pants and belt: All of the above and a knife.
Discussions like this demonstrate that both sides can get the job done. When it comes to handgun calibers I like ones that start with a 4. I have .40 S&W, .45 acp, and .45 Colt. Last year I had the opportunity to shoot a S&W .460XVR. That comes close to being a big and fast handgun caliber but wow, it sure is a boomer.
OMG, It's 4:45 AM, of course I had to go to the bathroom, and of course Max the cat decided it was play time, and of course I'm now awake. To boot, I have more opinions.. (Did I hear a groan?) Not to worry, I am thick skinned (and headed). If I lived in Florida I would run to the local Wal Mart and purchase their Field Line, Pro Series, pouch made to attach to their back packs or carry separate.
I would then make sure I had a LCP .380 (Ruger) or a clunky Kel Tec what ever they call it in .380 (P something). I would then take the pouch and stuff it with wallet, pocket knife, extra clip, cell phone, key fob with heart attack pills, and attach my car keys to the outside (spring type gripper clip for keys).
In your bathing suit, dripping wet, out of ice, grab your little hit kit and run to the 7-11. It has straps on the back to attach to a belt, or you can do as I do, just hook a couple fingers through it and sashay anywhere you want, fully armed. JUST DON'T LEAVE IT SITTING IN A SHOPPING CART! And I don't care my wife calls it my little man purse! Because in it is my CCDW lic., my emergency meds, a fully loaded weapon and an extra clip - plus cell phone. AND MY SHORTS AREN'T DRAGGING AROUND MY KNEES from the weight of all that crap!
I have been known to carry a .45. No purse, or anything like that. Plus a spare 10 rd. mag, a knife, and a LCP as a BUG, a spare mag for the BUG, and a cell phone.
I can't cast a vote here, Carver, because in all honesty I load BOTH ways.
I guess I could sum it up by an example. In the .44 Mag revolver, I load to .44 Special levels for 2 reasons: a 245 grain lead slug will ruin a bad guy's day and she can be certain of positive hits. For the wife's Winchester .44 Mag carbine, the loads are much hotter (not maximum) because she can handle the recoil better in the carbine, and the shots would be longer distance. Both loads are 245 grain cast lead, but the .44 Special loads are round nose while the carbine loads are Kieth SWC.
I'm in the heavier slower camp since my go to round is .45 ACP, no +P or anything like that either. Plenty of penetration without worry of over penetration.
I'm in the slow heavy camp. I carry either a .357 with 158 grain Gold Dots or a .45 with 230 grain Gold Dots. I figure that my possible target weighs between 145 and 350 pounds, is aggressive, angry, possibly under the influence, and intent on ruining my day. If he forces me to defend myself I plan on increasing his weight by several hundred grains..
OK, you guys on the fence. Get of the fence! You were given only 2 choices, and "on the fence" ain't one of them! You gotta make a decision, which camp are you in. Small, and fast? Or big, and slow?
I quess I can't vote. I prescribe to neither.
I come from the group that goes for accuracy and not much else.
I use the most accurate bullet weight for any of my rifles. When I have reached the accuracy level I'm comfortable then I stick to that weight and use different bullet compositions to do the job that needs to be done. For example, my 243 performs best with 85gr bullets. If I take it hunting then I use one type of 85gr and if I'm shooting targets then its another type of 85gr and if I'm shooting varments then I will use still another type of 85gr . The bullet always weighs the same, only bullet's composition changes.
This has worked for me for the past 35 years and I have no wish to mess with a good thing.
So you actually lean towards the heavier bullets for the .243, is that correct?
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