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New Gunny question: 9mm or .40 cal? - law dawg - 11-23-2006

tooleman Wrote:Spray and pray? Sure; if the shooter is too afraid to keep his or her eyes open or is completely inept. A high capacity magazine in the hands of a moderately competent shooter with nerve, who’ll keep his or her head in a gun fight, has a devastating advantage. In the hands of an individual like Jack it is just deadly plain and simple.
What about a backstop?


New Gunny question: 9mm or .40 cal? - Ken Valentine - 11-23-2006

tooleman Wrote:A high capacity magazine in the hands of a moderately competent shooter with nerve, who’ll keep his or her head in a gun fight, has a devastating advantage.

If he truly has nerve and can keep his head, he doesn't need 25 rounds -- unless he's attacked by 12 people.

Quote:In the hands of an individual like Jack it is just deadly plain and simple.

Unlike your hypothetical individual, Jack knows how to reload.

Ken V.


New Gunny question: 9mm or .40 cal? - tooleman - 11-23-2006

Ken Valentine Wrote:If he truly has nerve and can keep his head, he doesn't need 25 rounds -- unless he's attacked by 12 people.



Unlike your hypothetical individual, Jack knows how to reload.

Ken V.
Whatever...........


New Gunny question: 9mm or .40 cal? - Ken Valentine - 11-23-2006

tooleman Wrote:Whatever...........

If you think high capacity is the answer, then go right ahead.

For me, it's speed and accuracy.

Ken V.


New Gunny question: 9mm or .40 cal? - Ken Valentine - 11-23-2006

law dawg Wrote:What about a backstop?

If you mean knowing what's behind your target . . . you betcha!

Ken V.


New Gunny question: 9mm or .40 cal? - mitch - 11-23-2006

I have a stupid question. I was under the impression that the slower a bullet moves, the more damage it does to a target because, rather than going straight through, it would tend to tumble and deform once it hit its target. However, my knowledge of ballistics is rudimentary. Can someone clear this up?


New Gunny question: 9mm or .40 cal? - Ken Valentine - 11-23-2006

mitch Wrote:I have a stupid question. I was under the impression that the slower a bullet moves, the more damage it does to a target because, rather than going straight through, it would tend to tumble and deform once it hit its target. However, my knowledge of ballistics is rudimentary. Can someone clear this up?

It's not a stupid question, but the answer is really involved.

The tendency of a bullet to tumble depends for the most part on how well it's gyroscopically stabilized. This stabilization depends on how fast it is spun by the rifling in the barrel. A slow bullet with a high rate of spin will be more stable -- have less tendency to tumble -- than a fast bullet with a low rate of spin.

There are other factors involved as well:

How the bullet is constructed.

The shape of the bullet.

The length to diameter ratio of the bullet.

Lots of things.

You mention deformation. That depends on the construction of the bullet. Some bullets have thick jackets which resist deformation, and others have very thin jackets and are easily deformed. That's jacketed bullets.

How well cast bullets deform -- or resist deformation -- depends on how hard an alloy the bullet is cast from.

It's late, I'm tired, and I'm starting to ramble.

I'll see if I can give you a better answer later.

Ken V.


New Gunny question: 9mm or .40 cal? - law dawg - 11-23-2006

mitch Wrote:I have a stupid question. I was under the impression that the slower a bullet moves, the more damage it does to a target because, rather than going straight through, it would tend to tumble and deform once it hit its target. However, my knowledge of ballistics is rudimentary. Can someone clear this up?
Well, remember physics : power = massXspeed

If you lower one you have to raise another. Damage is also something you really shouldn't pursue. What you're looking for isn't damage per se, but stopping power.

The bad guy dying three days later doens't do you much good. Stopping him instantly, however, regardless of whether he lives or dies, is much better.


New Gunny question: 9mm or .40 cal? - mitch - 11-24-2006

thanks to Ken V. and law dawg for clearing that up