The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Could the Desert Eagle in 50 AE Hollowpoint constitute true stopping power?

Socrates · February 16, 2008, 02:02 PM

I've got sort of the same opinion, also with very little fact.

Friend ham shot a deer with a 400 grain, XTP .475 Linebaugh, at 1350 fps. The bullet hit nothing vital, but cut about a 5 foot long, near 2" hole, ham to bow, and exited. Deer went about 5 yards, and piled up dead. No heart, no CNS, nothing vital hit, yet dead deer.

Here's a shot of asian buffalo, around 1500 pounds, meat damage by the .500JRH, a 440 grain lfn, at 950 fps:

It was not a one shot stop, but, buffalo went a bit before piling up. I'd sure like to see what a Hollowpoint that weighs 400 grains looks like shot into similar animals.

Guys on another forum asked the same question. 400 grain 475 XTP has gone through both shoulders on an elk, and exited, dead elk. While I think 325 grain .50 caliber bullets are adequate for deer size criters, some perfer heavier, 350 grain to 450 grain HP's in .50 caliber. The AE is a bit bullet weight limited, IIRC.

I forgot Dustin Linebaugh shot a cub, ok, maybe it was about 800 pounds, at 160 yards with a short barreled .475 LFN, and did it in as well.

While I realize deer, elk, asian buffalo, and my friends have shot a lot of bison, beefalo, etc. with the .500JRH, and with excellent results, that still doesn't mean that that particular bullet is going to do that bad guy in with one shot. Still, there appears to be a rather LARGE difference when you take a bullet that's supposed to be THE manstopper, the 125 grain HP in .357, and increase the bullet weight and size to .500 and 350-450 grains, at the same or higher velocity.

Actually the only in print shooting I've ever found about the 44 magnum on a human was an Arizona DA that came back from handgun hunting rabbits, to find a BG trying to shoulder, and chamber a round in his rifle, and, was starting to point the gun at him. The DA shot the guy in the head with a 180 grain bullet at about 1800 fps. Result was similar to hitting a ground hog with a .223 rifle. The BG lacked about a 7" circle where his brain departed the back of his head. But, since it was based on a CNS, we don't count that as a 'one shot stop', do we?

I've always felt that a 230 grain 45 Caliber HP, at about 1800 fps might be just as effective, and, used to have my home gun loaded with such. If I missed, the flash and bang from the 45 Colt/454 case was both blinding, and deafening.

However, I'm sure others will now chime in how 9mm has done similar such stunts, and, they will probably be right, since far fewer people shoot game with heavy caliber handguns then carry 9mm.

February 16, 2008, 02:02 PM	#9
Socrates Junior member Join Date: January 5, 2005 Location: East Bay NorCal, People's Republik of Kalifornia Posts: 5,866	I've got sort of the same opinion, also with very little fact. Friend ham shot a deer with a 400 grain, XTP .475 Linebaugh, at 1350 fps. The bullet hit nothing vital, but cut about a 5 foot long, near 2" hole, ham to bow, and exited. Deer went about 5 yards, and piled up dead. No heart, no CNS, nothing vital hit, yet dead deer. Here's a shot of asian buffalo, around 1500 pounds, meat damage by the .500JRH, a 440 grain lfn, at 950 fps: It was not a one shot stop, but, buffalo went a bit before piling up. I'd sure like to see what a Hollowpoint that weighs 400 grains looks like shot into similar animals. Guys on another forum asked the same question. 400 grain 475 XTP has gone through both shoulders on an elk, and exited, dead elk. While I think 325 grain .50 caliber bullets are adequate for deer size criters, some perfer heavier, 350 grain to 450 grain HP's in .50 caliber. The AE is a bit bullet weight limited, IIRC. I forgot Dustin Linebaugh shot a cub, ok, maybe it was about 800 pounds, at 160 yards with a short barreled .475 LFN, and did it in as well. While I realize deer, elk, asian buffalo, and my friends have shot a lot of bison, beefalo, etc. with the .500JRH, and with excellent results, that still doesn't mean that that particular bullet is going to do that bad guy in with one shot. Still, there appears to be a rather LARGE difference when you take a bullet that's supposed to be THE manstopper, the 125 grain HP in .357, and increase the bullet weight and size to .500 and 350-450 grains, at the same or higher velocity. Actually the only in print shooting I've ever found about the 44 magnum on a human was an Arizona DA that came back from handgun hunting rabbits, to find a BG trying to shoulder, and chamber a round in his rifle, and, was starting to point the gun at him. The DA shot the guy in the head with a 180 grain bullet at about 1800 fps. Result was similar to hitting a ground hog with a .223 rifle. The BG lacked about a 7" circle where his brain departed the back of his head. But, since it was based on a CNS, we don't count that as a 'one shot stop', do we? I've always felt that a 230 grain 45 Caliber HP, at about 1800 fps might be just as effective, and, used to have my home gun loaded with such. If I missed, the flash and bang from the 45 Colt/454 case was both blinding, and deafening. However, I'm sure others will now chime in how 9mm has done similar such stunts, and, they will probably be right, since far fewer people shoot game with heavy caliber handguns then carry 9mm.