Handgun Cartridge Power Chart

By Chuck Hawks


Caliber Load Bullet MV (fps) ME (ft. lbs.) Penetration (10% gel.) AIT (goats at Strasbourg) One Shot Stop % Test Brl.
.22LR CCI, Rem, Win Hi.Vel. 40gr.LRN 955 81 12.8" n/a 21% unk.
.22LR CCI,Rem,Win Hi.Vel. 37grLHP 975 78 10.3" n/a 29% unk.
.22LR Rem. Yellow Jacket 33gr.TCHP 1259 116 n/a n/a 33% 6" Colt
.22LR CCI Stinger 32gr.LHP 1262 113 9.8" n/a 34% 6" Colt
.22WMR CCI +V 30gr.HP 1450 140 9.2" n/a 40% unk.
.22WMR CCI +V 30gr.HP 1300 120 n/a n/a n/a 2" NAA
.22WMR Winchester 40gr.JHP 1400 174 13" n/a 42% 6.5" Ruger
.22WMR Winchester 40gr.JHP 1098 108 n/a n/a n/a 2" NAA
.22WMR Federal 50gr.JHP 817 74 n/a n/a n/a 2" NAA
.25ACP Winchester 45gr.Ex.Pt. 815 66 13.8" n/a 25% 2" test
.25ACP All 50gr.FMJ 760 64 18" n/a 23% unk.
.25ACP MagSafe Defender 22gr.Frag. 1610 n/a 6" n/a 41%est. 2.5" test
.32ACP Winchester 60gr.STHP 970 125 6.5" n/a 63% 3.2" Wthr.
.32ACP Magsafe Defender 50gr.Frag. 1250 191 7.8" n/a 57%est. 3.5" test
.380ACP Federal 90gr.JHP 1005 200 14.4" 11.06 sec. 69% 3.6" SIG
.380ACP Rem. Golden Saber 102gr.JHP 925 194 9.4" n/a 64% 3.6" SIG
.380ACP Remington 88gr.JHP 1000 195 12.8" 13.46 sec. 54% 3.6" SIG
.380ACP Federal Hydra-Shok 90gr.JHP 1007 200 10.5" 10.94 sec. 69% 3.6" SIG
.380ACP Cor-Bon +P 90gr.JHP 1041 217 9" 11.12 sec. 70% 3.6" SIG
.380ACP Fed, Rem, Win. 95gr.FMJ 955 190 17" 22.8 sec. 51% 3.6" SIG
.380ACP CCI Gold Dot 90gr.JHP 1030 212 8" n/a 67% 3.6" SIG
.380ACP Glaser Blue 70gr.Frag. 1313 268 5" 7.94 sec. 75% 3.6" SIG
.38Spec. Winchester +P 158gr.LHP 790 280 15.2" n/a 67% 2" S&W
.38Spec. Federal, Rem, Win. 158gr.RNL 587 200 n/a 46.58 sec. 49% 2" S&W
.38Spec. Remington +P 158gr.LHP 776 211 n/a 15.52 sec. 65% 2" S&W
.38Spec. Glaser Blue 80gr.Frag. 1350 400 6" n/a 77%est. 2" S&W
.38Spec. Cor-Bon +P 115gr.JHP 1243 395 14.2" 8.98 sec. 83% 4" S&W
.38Spec. Glaser Blue +P 80gr.Frag. 1667 494 7" 4.72 sec. 84%est. 4" S&W
.38Spec Winchester +P 158gr.LHP 996 342 15.2" 10.76 sec. 78% 4" S&W
.38Spec. Federal +P 125gr.JHP 945 248 12.2" n/a 73% 4" S&W
.38Spec. Federal, Rem, Win. 158gr.RNL 708 176 28.5" 33.68 sec. 52% 4" S&W
.38Spec. Remington +P 125gr.SJHP 1008 280 11.1" 11.74 sec. 69% 4" Colt
9x19 Glaser Blue 80gr.Frag. 1555 430 6" 7.42 sec. 94%est. 4" S&W
9x19 Cor-Bon +P 115gr.JHP 1321 454 14.2" 8.92 sec. 91% 4" Glock
9x19 MagSafe Stealth +P 64gr.Frag. 1950 461 10" 4.74 sec. 90%est. 4.25" SIG
9x19 Winchester 115gr.STHP 1225 383 8" n/a 83% unk.
9x19 Rem.Golden Saber+P 124gr.JHP 1180 384 12" n/a 83% unk.
9x19 Remington +P 115gr.JHP 1288 399 12.7" 8.98 sec. 89% 4" S&W
9x19 Federal 115gr.JHP 1175 341 14.5" 9.36 sec. 81% 4" S&W
.38Super Remington +P 115gr.JHP 1300 431 n/a n/a 88% 5" test
.357Mag. Glaser Blue 80gr.Frag. 1687 505 6" 4.82 sec. 89%est. 4" S&W
.357Mag. Federal 110gr.JHP 1295 410 10" n/a 90% 4" S&W
.357Mag. Federal 125gr.JHP 1442 580 13.3" 7.44 sec. 96% 4" S&W
.357Mag. Remington 125gr.SJHP 1468 583 13" 7.34 sec. 96% 4" Colt
.357Mag. Rem.Golden Saber MV 125gr.JHP 1220 413 13" n/a 84% 4" S&W
.357Mag. Remington Med.Vel. 125gr.SJHP 1205 413 15.5" 7.94 sec. 83% 4" Colt
.40S&W Glaser Blue 105gr.Frag 1449 490 6" 5.34 sec. 91%est. 4" S&W
.40S&W Cor-Bon 135gr.JHP 1300 507 9.8" n/a 96% 4" S&W
.40S&W MagSafe Defender +P 84gr.Frag> 1800 n/a 13" n/a 91% 4" S&W
.40S&W Federal Hydra-Shok 180gr.JHP 950 361 15" 8.32 sec. 89% 4" S&W
.40S&W Federal Hydra-Shok 155gr.JHP 1140 448 13.3" n/a 94% 4" S&W
.40S&W Rem.Golden Saber 165gr.JHP 1150 485 12" n/a 94% 4" S&W
.40S&W Remington 155gr.JHP 1140 447 n/a 8.40 sec. 86%est. 4" S&W
10mm Winchester 175gr.STHP 1250 607 12.8" n/a 92% 4.25" S&W
10mm Glaser Blue 105gr.Frag. 1624 615 n/a 7.60 sec. n/a 4.25" S&W
10mm Winchester 180gr.JHP 1055 445 15.5" n/a 82% 4.25" S&W
10mm Federal Hydra-Shok 180gr.JHP 980 383 15" n/a 87% 4.25" S&W
.41Mag. Winchester 210gr.JHP 1300 789 17.5" n/a 82% 4" S&W
.41Mag. Winchester 175gr.STHP 1250 608 14" n/a 89% 4" S&W
.44Spec. Remington 240gr.LSWC 851 384 n/a n/a 64% 4" S&W
.44Spec. Cor-Bon +P 180gr.JHP 1000 400 14.2" n/a 86% 4" S&W
.44Spec. MagSafe Defender 92gr.Frag. 1620 n/a 9.5" n/a 92%est. 4" S&W
.44Spec. Winchester 200gr.STHP 819 298 10.4" n/a 75% 4" S&W
.44Mag. MagSafe Urban 115gr.Frag. 1620 n/a 11" n/a 93%est. 4" S&W
.44Mag. Cor-Bon 180gr. Urban 1200 576 15.3" n/a 90% 4" S&W
.44Mag. Eldorado Starfire 240gr.JHP 1180 743 14.8" n/a 91% 4" S&W
.44Mag. Winchester 210gr.STHP 1301 788 15.1" n/a 90% 4" S&W
.45ACP Glaser Blue 140gr.Frag. 1355 571 n/a 4.72 sec. n/a 5" Colt
.45ACP Federal Hydra-Shok 230gr.JHP 819 366 13.3" 8.40 sec. 94% 5" Colt
.45ACP MagSafe Defender 96gr.Frag. 1660 n/a 10" n/a 93%est. 5" Colt
.45ACP Federal 185gr.JHP 1001 411 13.6" 9.24 sec. 87% 5" Colt
.45ACP Cor-bon +P 185gr.JHP 1150 544 11.3" n/a 92% 5" Colt
.45ACP Fed, Rem, Win. 230 FMJ 839 360 27" 13.84 sec. 63% 5" Colt
.45ACP CCI-Speer 200gr.JHP 975 422 9.4" n/a 88% 5" Colt
.45ACP Remington +P 185gr.JHP 1129 519 17.1" 7.98 sec. 86% 5" Colt
.45Colt Winchester 225gr.STHP 920 423 13.5" n/a 74% 4" S&W
.45Colt Federal 225LHP 900 405 19.5" n/a 78% 4" S&W
.45Colt Cor-Bon +P 200gr.JHP 1100 537 9" n/a 92% 4" S&W

Please Note: The above data is drawn from various sources including the book Handgun Stopping Power by Marshall and Sanow, and various articles in magazines such as Handguns.

For experienced shooters the headings of most of the columns above are probably self-explanatory. For everyone else:

  • "Caliber" is the common name of the cartridge tested; "Load" is the brand of ammunition tested
  • "Bullet" is the weight (in grains) and configuration (JHP, for instance, means jacketed hollow point) of the bullet
  • "MV" is the standard abbreviation for muzzle velocity
  • "ME" is the abbreviation for muzzle energy
  • "Penetration (10% gel)" is the measured penetration of the bullet when fired into a block of standard ordinance gelatin, which is used to simulate soft tissue
  • "AIT (goats at Strasbourg)" refers to a famous European experiment where a great many goats of the approximate size and cardio-vascular capacity of a human being were shot broadside through the lungs with a variety of handgun loads and the 'Average Incapacitation Time' (in seconds) from the shot until the animal's collapse was recorded
  • "One shot stop %" is the percentage of one shot stops in actual street shootings as culled from police records by Marshall and Sanow
  • "Test brl." means the length of the test pistol's barrel

Note: For an expanded version of this chart with more entries, see the Expanded Handgun Cartridge Power Chart.




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Copyright 1997, 2016 by Chuck Hawks. All rights reserved.


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