The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Can a small caliber be as powerful as a big one?

CDW4ME · January 18, 2020, 01:42 PM

I'll use my chrono averages and KE to compare power, all Federal HST.
Glock 32 (357 Sig): Federal HST 125 gr. @ 1,358 fps / 512# KE
Glock 23 (40 S&W): Federal HST 180 gr. @ 1003 fps / 402# KE
Glock 21 (45 acp): Federal HST 230 gr. @ 863 fps / 380# KE

In this comparison the smaller caliber (357 Sig) produces more KE (power) than the larger calibers.
Whether 357 Sig has better "stopping power" ... lets call it incapacitation potential than 45 acp is debatable.

However, given equal shot placement, lets get that disclaimer out of the way

...
Its not debatable that any of those calibers have better incapacitation potential than 380 or less.

January 18, 2020, 01:42 PM	#15
CDW4ME Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2009 Posts: 1,321	I'll use my chrono averages and KE to compare power, all Federal HST. Glock 32 (357 Sig): Federal HST 125 gr. @ 1,358 fps / 512# KE Glock 23 (40 S&W): Federal HST 180 gr. @ 1003 fps / 402# KE Glock 21 (45 acp): Federal HST 230 gr. @ 863 fps / 380# KE In this comparison the smaller caliber (357 Sig) produces more KE (power) than the larger calibers. Whether 357 Sig has better "stopping power" ... lets call it incapacitation potential than 45 acp is debatable. However, given equal shot placement, lets get that disclaimer out of the way ... Its not debatable that any of those calibers have better incapacitation potential than 380 or less. __________________ Strive to carry the handgun you would want anywhere, everywhere; forget that good area bullcrap. "Wouldn't want to / Nobody volunteer to" get shot by _____ is not indicative of quickly incapacitating.