http://www.rathcoombe.net/sci-tech/ballistics/wounding.html

had this link.....thought someone could benefit

It's an interesting article. Takes a lot of time to read and digest. I spent a while on it last time, got to the beginning of Section V and had to go to bed. I certainly agree that none of the previous "stopping power formulae" have any validity, but I doubt that he's going to come up with anything better after all this verbiage.

After reading and skimming this whole thing it pretty much boils down to shot placement over power. Nothing new just better proof that there is no formula to predict bullet performance

Right about shot placement. It is nice to see emphasis on what happens when the BULLET hits the target, instead of what cartridge it is fired from.

I think many times the industry pushes Cartridge performance w/o realistic considerations for how that affects ones ability to HIT where they want. Flat trajectory helps but flinching does not.

He points to a lot of data showing that bullets' terminal performance is often better at LOWER impact velocities, and even suggests that with some of the magnums the shooter may be advised to designate a "do not engage zone" from the muzzle out to some range where the bullet's velocity drops to an effective level. Interesting idea. Not one that many present pushers of magnumized rifles would support.

For those of you with a life, I plucked some interesting data from the report. 444 Marlin sure looks good here!!


Reported Data for Large-Bore Rifle Bullets
Caliber / Cartridge Bullet Type / Mass Impact
Velocity Expanded
Diameter Depth of
Penetration Retained Weight Ref
.444 Marlin 240 gr Remington Softpoint 2350 fps
13 in 204 gr / 85 % 5

250 gr Nosler Partition 2315 fps 0.627 in 20 in 242 gr / 97 % 5

265 gr Hornady FP 2253 fps
17 in 229 gr / 86 % 5

270 gr Speer Gold Dot 2240 fps 0.707 in 17 in 204 gr / 76 % 5

280 gr Speer Gold Dot 2310 fps
21 in 246 gr / 88 % 5

300 gr Speer Plated Soft Point 2201 fps
20 in 293 gr / 98 % 5

300 gr Hornady XTP HP 2205 fps
18 in 226 gr / 75 % 5

315 gr RCBS Cast SWC 2041 fps
32 in 301 gr / 96 % 5

335 gr Buffalo Bore Cast LBT FN 2078 fps
36+ in 318 gr / 95 % 5
.45-70 Springfield 300 gr Barnes Original FN 1992 fps 0.458 in 30 in 293 gr / 98 % 1

300 gr Hornady HP 2173 fps 0.710 in 11.5 in 208 gr / 69 % 1

300 gr Sierra HP 2001 fps 0.740 in 10.5 in 228 gr / 76 % 1

300 gr Federal HP 1653 fps 0.700 in 10 in 232 gr / 77 % 1

300 gr Remington HP 1868 fps 0.700 in 10 in 193 gr / 64 % 1

300 gr Winchester HP 1696 fps 0.670 in 15 in 264 gr / 88 % 1

300 gr Barnes X-Bullet 1400 fps 0.790 in 9.9 in 300 gr / 100 % 6

300 gr Barnes X-Bullet 1930 fps 0.635 in 13.5 in 222 gr / 74 % 6

350 gr Trophy-Bonded Spitzer 1750 fps 0.760 in 16 in 347 gr / 99 % 2

350 gr Trophy Bonded FN 1765 fps 0.852 in 15 in 336 gr / 96 % 2

350 gr Hornady Interlock RN 1942 fps 0.670 in 18 in 284 gr / 81 % 1

350 gr Hornady Interlock RN 1765 fps
14.5 in 215 gr / 62 % 2

350 gr Hornady Interlock FN 1400 fps 0.702 in 13.8 in 332 gr / 95 % 6

350 gr Hornady Interlock FN 1900 fps 0.871 in 12.1 in 327 gr / 93 % 6

350 gr Speer Hot-Cor FN 1400 fps NA 20.3+ in NA 6

350 gr Speer Hot-Cor FN 1930 fps 0.644 in 16.3 in 310 gr / 89 % 6

350 gr SAECO FN 2250 fps 0.458+ in 25 in
7

400 gr Speer FN 1758 fps 0.950 in 11 in 364 gr / 91 % 1

403 gr Trophy Bonded RN 1730 fps 0.850 in 15.5 in 401 gr / 99 % 2

403 gr Trophy Bonded RN 1900 fps 0.936 in 15.5 in 400 gr / 99 % 2

405 gr Remington SP 1103 fps 0.458 in 28 in 406 gr / 100 % 1

405 gr Remington SP 2000 fps 0.87 in 13.8 in 390 gr / 96 % 8

415 gr LBT LFN 1850 fps 0.458+ in 23 in
7
.458 Winchester Magnum 350 gr Speer Hot-Cor FN 2400 fps 0.721 in 14.5 in 256 gr / 73 % 6

500 gr Hornady Interlock RN 2000 fps 0.770 in 20.2 in 437 gr / 88 % 6
.450 Ackley Magnum 400 gr Barnes X-Bullet

23 in
4

465 gr A-Square Dead Tough 2340 fps
25 in 419 gr / 90 % 4

500 gr Hornady Interlock RN 2370 fps
23 in 425 gr / 85 % 4

500 gr Barnes X-Bullet

28 in
4
.460 Weatherby Magnum 350 gr Hornady Interlock RN 3000 fps
10 in 113 gr / 32 % 3

500 gr Hornady Interlock RN 2550+ fps 0.950 in 24 in 365 gr / 73 % 3

600 gr Barnes Soft Point RN 2300+ fps 1.265 in 22 in 440 gr / 73 % 3
.460 Weatherby Magnum 350 gr Hornady Interlock RN 3000 fps
10 in 113 gr / 32 % 3
.470 Nitro Express 500 gr Woodleigh RN 2125 fps
23.6 in 493 gr / 99 % 8
.500 A-Square 570 gr Woodleigh RN 2500 fps 1.625 in 14.5 in
7



1 -- Rick Jamison, "Big Power at Close Range", Shooting Times, May 1997.

2 -- John Wooters, "Premium Big-Bore, Big-Game Bullets", Guns & Ammo, December 1984, pp. 61,91.

3 -- Bob Hagel, ".460 Weatherby", Big Bore Rifles and Cartridges, Wolfe Publishing, Inc., 1991, pp. 328 - 332.

4 -- Independent testing by Øyvind Hannisdal

5 -- Brian Pearce, "The Underrated .444 Marlin", Handloader, Wolfe Publishing, Inc., No. 206, August-September, 2000, pp. 62 - 67.

6 -- Independent testing by the author

7 -- Kent M. Batchelor, "Penetration Test at the Linebaugh Seminar", http://www.sixgunner.com/linebaugh/penetration_test.htm.

8 -- Independent testing by Michael Strandberg