Stopping Power? .45,.40,or .357 cal - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

stealthmode · 02-29-2008, 05:48 PM

I was just curious, Which has the most stopping power?
.45, .40, or .357 caliber. (In a pistol) No revolvers..

I know there are a lot of factors involved answering this question so all in all just tell me what you think based upon your knowledge.
Thanks guys I appreciate any and all opinions.

Reno82 · 02-29-2008, 06:10 PM

All have stopping power.... it's how accurate you can place the shot. I could stop anyone with my 22LR if I could hit soft tissue. Eyes... ears.... throat.... And with todays bullet technology you left out the 9mm. So choose just make sure you can be accurate with it.
Good luck.

stealthmode · 02-29-2008, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reno82

All have stopping power.... it's how accurate you can place the shot. I could stop anyone with my 22LR if I could hit soft tissue. Eyes... ears.... throat.... And with todays bullet technology you left out the 9mm. So choose just make sure you can be accurate with it.
Good luck.

Ok point noted.. Thanks. That was a no brainier though...
Just Fyi it was asked by someone other than myself so if you would pick one of the 3 calibers noted and in your opinion tell me which would have the better stopping power and why...

**Se2002** · 02-29-2008, 06:33 PM

ALL things being equal, I'm going with the .357 Mag.

It's going to be faster, flatter and probably hit with more energy at any given distance.

Just a guess.

**nikon777** · 02-29-2008, 06:50 PM

What exactly is "stopping power"? A 2x4 has "stopping power".

robinsre · 02-29-2008, 06:56 PM

Oh boy. Here we go again.

Okay here it is.

No traditional self defense handgun has "stopping power".

I don't care what caliber it is.

Handguns stop people through one of two methods :

Pain compliance (Oh crap! Ouch I've just been shot I think I'll stop now) or Permanent/semi permanent disablement via blood loss.

Barring that, there's just not enough of an "inertia dump" when a normal handgun cartridge strikes a human being to result in complete and total instant disablement or "stopping". Just ain't gonna happen unless you put one in the CNS.

So, this being said the largest caliber will inevitably cause the largest wound channel and result in the fastest bleeding (assuming a well placed shot has been made). However, with modern technology being what it is the difference in expansion between a .357 caliber bullet (9mm) and a .45 caliber bullet is a point of relative minutia.

In short, pick what you're going to make the most accurate shots with.

BeltfedMG · 02-29-2008, 07:03 PM

45ACP.....enough said!!!

**nikon777** · 02-29-2008, 07:04 PM

^^^ What Robinsre Said.

**nikon777** · 02-29-2008, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeltfedMG

45ACP.....enough said!!!

IF you can hit with 45ACP.

KEVWYO · 02-29-2008, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikon777

IF you can hit with 45ACP.

I am most definitely more accurate with my XD 45 than I am with my Glock in the .40.

I'll have to agree with robinsre's comments in general. My gut says that the biggest round pushed at the safest maximum velocity that dumps as much kinetic energy as possible into a target coupled with good shot placement is the best .... (insert caliber here).

02-29-2008, 05:48 PM	#1
stealthmode XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 181	Stopping Power? .45,.40,or .357 cal I was just curious, Which has the most stopping power? .45, .40, or .357 caliber. (In a pistol) No revolvers.. I know there are a lot of factors involved answering this question so all in all just tell me what you think based upon your knowledge. Thanks guys I appreciate any and all opinions.

02-29-2008, 06:10 PM	#2
Reno82 XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alaska Posts: 1,158	All have stopping power.... it's how accurate you can place the shot. I could stop anyone with my 22LR if I could hit soft tissue. Eyes... ears.... throat.... And with todays bullet technology you left out the 9mm. So choose just make sure you can be accurate with it. Good luck. __________________ *** XD-45acp Service (Match Gun I changed it to a compact for CCW... did a grip chop on it) Ruger Mark III 22/45 Kimber SS Custom Target II 10mm Walther G22 (FUN GUN) XD-45acp Tactical (Match Gun II; upgraded the bbl from PistolGear) XD-9 Sub-Compact (Home Defense and CCW) DPMS AR-15: 9mm (1/17/08...) RRA CAR A4 Upper 223/5.56---did a lower bulid 6/3/08 and bought completed upper 2/21/08 S&W 642 38 special w/ CT grips (Home Defense & CCW) in order of purchases**

02-29-2008, 06:33 PM	#4
Se2002 XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: AL Posts: 1,116 Blog Entries: 1	ALL things being equal, I'm going with the .357 Mag. It's going to be faster, flatter and probably hit with more energy at any given distance. Just a guess. __________________ If the prospect of having your thumb hit by the bolt is unacceptable do not attempt to load your Garand.

02-29-2008, 06:50 PM	#5
nikon777 XDTalk 5K Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Cleveland, OH. The Danger Zone. Posts: 6,797	What exactly is "stopping power"? A 2x4 has "stopping power". __________________ Clinging bitterly to guns and religion since 1977.. My Blogspot.

02-29-2008, 06:56 PM	#6
robinsre XDTalk 2K Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 2,686	Oh boy. Here we go again. Okay here it is. No traditional self defense handgun has "stopping power". I don't care what caliber it is. Handguns stop people through one of two methods : Pain compliance (Oh crap! Ouch I've just been shot I think I'll stop now) or Permanent/semi permanent disablement via blood loss. Barring that, there's just not enough of an "inertia dump" when a normal handgun cartridge strikes a human being to result in complete and total instant disablement or "stopping". Just ain't gonna happen unless you put one in the CNS. So, this being said the largest caliber will inevitably cause the largest wound channel and result in the fastest bleeding (assuming a well placed shot has been made). However, with modern technology being what it is the difference in expansion between a .357 caliber bullet (9mm) and a .45 caliber bullet is a point of relative minutia. In short, pick what you're going to make the most accurate shots with. __________________ Zeroth law of thermodynamics : If you have 1 six pack of beer and your neighbor brings 4 beers over, you will each end up drinking only 5 beers. First law of thermodynamics : There's no such thing as a free beer. Second law of thermodynamics : Even if there was such thing as a free beer, you couldn't drink it all anyway. Third law of thermodynamics : The colder it gets, the less beer you will have.

02-29-2008, 07:03 PM	#7
BeltfedMG XDTalk Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 36	45ACP.....enough said!!!

02-29-2008, 07:04 PM	#8
nikon777 XDTalk 5K Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Cleveland, OH. The Danger Zone. Posts: 6,797	^^^ What Robinsre Said. __________________ Clinging bitterly to guns and religion since 1977.. My Blogspot.

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