Handgun Cartridge Power Chart - Condensed Version

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. 37grLHP 975 78 10.3" n/a 29% unk.
.22LR CCI Stinger 32gr.LHP 1262 113 9.8" n/a 34% 6" Colt
.22WMR Winchester 40gr.JHP 1400 174 13" n/a 42% 6.5" Ruger
.25ACP All 50gr.FMJ 760 64 18" n/a 23% unk.
.32ACP Winchester 60gr.STHP 970 125 6.5" n/a 63% 3.2" Wthr.
.32Mag Federal 85gr.JHP 1050 208 n/a n/a n/a 4" H&R"
.380ACP Federal Hydra-Shok 90gr.JHP 1007 200 10.5" 10.94 sec. 69% 3.6" SIG
.380ACP Fed, Rem, Win. 95gr.FMJ 955 190 17" 22.8 sec. 51% 3.6" SIG
.38Spec. Winchester +P 158gr.LHP 790 280 15.2" n/a 67% 2" S&W
.38Spec Winchester +P 158gr.LHP 996 342 15.2" 10.76 sec. 78% 4" S&W
.38Spec. Federal 158gr.RNL 708 176 28.5" 33.68 sec. 52% 4" S&W
9x19 Cor-Bon +P 115gr.JHP 1321 454 14.2" 8.92 sec. 91% 4" Glock
9x19 Rem.Golden Saber+P 124gr.JHP 1180 384 12" n/a 83% unk.
.38Super Remington +P 115gr.JHP 1300 431 n/a n/a 88% 5" test
.357Mag. Remington 125gr.SJHP 1468 583 13" 7.34 sec. 96% 4" Colt
.357Mag. Remington Med.Vel. 125gr.SJHP 1205 413 15.5" 7.94 sec. 83% 4" Colt
.40S&W Federal Hydra-Shok 180gr.JHP 950 361 15" 8.32 sec. 89% 4" S&W
.40S&W Rem.Golden Saber 165gr.JHP 1150 485 12" n/a 94% 4" S&W
10mm Winchester 175gr.STHP 1250 607 12.8" n/a 92% 4.25" S&W
10mmMV 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
.44Spec. Winchester 200gr.STHP 819 298 10.4" n/a 75% 4" S&W
.44Mag. Winchester 210gr.STHP 1301 788 15.1" n/a 90% 4" S&W
.45ACP Federal Hydra-Shok 230gr.JHP 819 366 13.3" 8.40 sec. 94% 5" Colt
.45ACP Fed, Rem, Win. 230 FMJ 839 360 27" 13.84 sec. 63% 5" Colt
.45Colt Federal 225LHP 900 405 19.5" n/a 78% 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. To order the latest books by Marshall and Sanow, follow my link to Evan Marshal's Stopping Power web page.

For experienced shooters the headings of most of the columns above are 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.



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Copyright 1997, 2007 by Chuck Hawks. All rights reserved.

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