The data Ray is discussing will most likely be very limited if it is Sanow's report; simply because of the chances of one of the big bore revolvers being carried by a police officer on duty.

I would also suspect that data from the general civilian population is going to be limited at best, for the same reasons.

Regardless of the percentage ratings of one-shot stops, there I two things of which I am certain. One, if I am attacked and believe that I or my family are threatened, I will pick up the first firearm I can get my hands on. Two, a big bore revolver is tremendously more effective than a stick.

I've said it before somewhere in this thread, but since so few police officers ever carried a .44 magnum, and fewer fired it in service, there aren't many statistics to support its effectiveness as a stopper. I would suspect that if the LAPD was mandated tomorrow to carry nothing but Model 29s, we would see not only a lot of bad shooting and misses due to recoil, but that the bullets that found their target were one hellofalot more effective than any 9mm. I believe this is a safe assumption......

I know that I have shot a few head of game with a 44Mag, 45 Colt, 454, 475, 500 Linebaugh & JRH and one thing that is consistent and very commoen is large wound channels. A hit center mass of a human target is certainly going to leak and leak plenty with a round from a big bore revolver.

One of the nice things about the big bores is tactical penetration. Starting with full load .41s on up, car windshields, doors, bullet proof vets, sheetrock/wall studs all begin to loose their "cover" status and and are reduced to concealment.

With more and more badguys wearing body armor it is nice to have something that will penetrate. Last summer I was doing some training with some LEOs from Connecticut. One of them brought up an out of date but not very old Class III vest. A 400 grain Winchester Platinum Tip from a 4" M500 went through the first panel and then through the back side...9mm and .357 HPs stopped on the first panel.

Calibers under .40 are totally dependent on expansion for their stopping power...the bigger the number, the bigger the meplat the less expansion you have to have to be effective...

Bob

Ray

It was the 125gr Federal 357 Mag that had the good reputation on stopping power.

No doubt a big bore handgun with a hunting load would be effective against a man.

Under penetration seems to be a reoccuring problem when shooting man or beast.

Assuming adequate penetration, high speed and expanding bullets seem to have a better track record agains people. Problem is high speed/light bullets and expansion reduce penetration.

Like most things there is a happy medium. People argue about where that happy medium is.

While I carry heavy cast bullets in my 44 Mag when in the woods, if I go into the city I load up with lighter, faster, hollow points.

Follow up shots are faster and I reduce the chances of overpenetration.

Whe I carried my 475 Linebaugh in Africa I loaded it when traveling through cities with hollow points, again for the above listed reasons.

As Bob points out the big bores also possess advantages in tactical penetration.

He and I both carried big bore revolvers as work guns when it was still allowed.

IN the shootings I am aware of, involving big bore magnums, they worked pretty darn good.


45 ACP's have worked pretty good.
Of all the shootings I am aware of the 9mm has the worst track record, much worse than the 38 special.

I have shot deer with the 44 Mag, 45ACP and the 9mm.

The 44 Mag was WAY SUPERIOR. By a LARGE margin.

Chances are, you have more to fear from man in the woods than from animals.

The animals are a lot tougher to stop, the proper hardware for them will work for a man.

While I like my 475 Linebaugh as a "hunting gun" I feel it and the other "extra" powerful handgun calibres are too much of a good thing for protection.

A hard cast 41 Mag, 44 Mag, 45 Colt type load, that can be shot with one hand, from an awkard wrist position is to be perfered IMHO.

If I was to hut the big bears with my 475, I would still pack my 4" S&W 44 Mag for "protection", against 4 legs and 2 legs.

Speed loaders, used by a trained person, put the big bore Double Action revolver as the best tool for "woods" protection.

It allows you adequate power, with fast reloads.

What ever kind of Drama you have fast reloads just might make a difference in whether or not you survive.