Foot pounds is not the end all... Calculations, Momentum and Taylor KO.

[swampratt]

So I was busting some bowling pins a while back with my 357 mag and my 45acp.
The 357 mag with 170gr cast
The 45 acp with 260gr cast and 200 gr cast.

The 357 mag by calculations has more foot pounds of energy, and this I would think should pound the pin much harder and move it through the air farther.

Did not happen that way at all.. the heavy lead moving much slower moved them farther and faster.
Then I stumbled upon this calculator.

http://handloads.com/calc/quick.asp

It calculates momentum and Taylor KO.
With those 2 calculations the heavy slower 45 acp is ahead in momentum and KO.

Which I understand Momentum.
Punch your loads into the calculator and compare them.

Yes the 260gr cast is excellent in my 45acp supposed to be 255gr , but my softer stuff comes out to 260-262gr.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/57...lt-long-colt-452-diameter-255-grain-flat-nose

 

[zghorner]

I remember watching a documentary on the tommy gun where John T. tested various calibers of ammo on sides of beef and concluded the heavier, slower 45 acp was the most destructive. That's all I got

 

[Okie4570]

45-70 vs 300 win mag always amazes people when the see the gong swing at 100y. Taylor Ko isn't discussed much IMO because most of the web articles, write ups and reviews are from bench rest shooters where the KO doesn't really apply. IIRC my .458 Lott was around 75 TKO.

 

[swampratt]

very good information guys.
I was amazed at what happened to the first deer I shot with my 295gr Hp in my .50 cal muzzloader. It picked it up off the ground and thumped it back down hard.
1 dollar bill worth of hide left keeping the head attached to the shoulders. hanging by a thread almost.. was an eye opener.

Every deer shot with that gun died just as quick... pow. dead.

 

[Sanford]

Where did you find load data for that bullet in .45 ACP? I've looked a variety of places without success.

 

[swampratt]

I researched and did some math and some more math and found a start load and worked up.
Not every load I use is in the book.
In fact I do not see any H4350 for 170gr cast gas checked in a 30-30 but that was my most accurate powder under a cast bullet in the 30-30.

I will throw the kitchen sink at it to find an accurate load.

The data for the 30-06 that is published today does not take advantage of a modern well built 30-06.
There are a lot of published loads that are a huge safety factor load..it is a CYA thing you know.

I surpassed 3200fps in my 30-06 with a 155gr sierra palma bullet and H4350 the gun has a 22" barrel. but i got sticky bolt lift up there .

I backed the load down a bit to 3176fps ..accuracy was great and no more sticky bolt lift.. tested in the hot sun in 90+ degree heat.
Buddy made a 230gr cast load with longshot powder i think it was Longshot, it was in 45acp reloaded into steel cases.
It was 1270fps.. use a strong gun!,, i shot a couple in my 45 and no issues.. I think with some tweaking 1300fps would be possible .
But that is usually not where accuracy is at.

Funny thing one time shooting 25 paces at paper.. I had some fast loads(45acp) that made my bullets tumble and tear paper and leave sideways bullet prints on paper.
The same powder and bullet with less powder in them kept the bullets straight,, BUT the funny part here was the tumbling bullets grouped over 2X tighter.

So I shot and recovered some of the tumbling bullets. looked like you sanded them with 36 grit paper.. no rifling marks or grooves.. just sand marks from skidding instead of spinning.
I even cast some harder ones and those did the same.. they skidded.

What I came away with is perfect non traceable tumbling projectile that was sort of accurate.
Scary ain't it.

yea as you know i don't always go by the book

 

[Sanford]

I researched and did some math and some more math and found a start load and worked up.

That's where I'm at now ... just looking for something to confirm the general neighborhood.

 

[Rod Snell]

In a collision where you are trying to knock something down, like steel plates or bowling pins, MOMENTUM (mv) is the relevant number. The Power Factor used in USPSA and IDPA is MOMENTUM in odd units. It is easier to double the size of a pistol bullet (.45 vs 9mm) than to double its speed.


When you are trying to penetrate, ENERGY is the relevant number.
A good illustration is hitting a steel popper with a 55gr bullet at 700 fps, with the result that the popper does NOT fall. Crank that same 55 gr bullet up to 2700fps and the popper still does not fall, but there is a hole through the steel. That's why there is a sign on the pistol steel range NO CENTERFIRE RIFLES.

The physics prof