Pistol cartridge power comparison

[CJ]

Are we missing any popular calibers here? Should I finalize this thing?

[Samhain]

Nice work, CJ. I am a bit disappointed in the .38 special...

[Rick Modena]

10mm has a pretty big increase in energy over a .357 sig, you're going from a 115gr to a 155gr projectile in the comparison, and it's 20% more powerful. That's pretty substantial in comparison to all the other cartridges. .357 is a lot more stout than I had originally thought, but it's also a bitch to reload and it's highly affected by barrel length. In a carry configuration I have a feeling it's going to lose more ground to 10mm.

I've only met ONE person that carries a 10mm that isn't a federal agent of some kind and that person wears Ricky Vaughn sunglasses and he posts here occasionally.

[CJ]

I've only met ONE person that carries a 10mm that isn't a federal agent of some kind and that person wears Ricky Vaughn sunglasses and he posts here occasionally.

10mm is not what you want to carry, for 185gr it blows right out the back of someone, and at 135gr it explodes like a bomb inside someone. Hence 40S&W.

[Nash B.]

Nice work, CJ. I am a bit disappointed in the .38 special...

Ah, yeah. There are some faster loads in the Hodgdon book (http://data.hodgdon.com). One is almost 1200 fps for an 110 grain projectile but it's 17,000 CUP and SAAMI max is 17,000 PSI. There are others that are slower but still above the one CJ listed.

I've only met ONE person that carries a 10mm that isn't a federal agent of some kind and that person wears Ricky Vaughn sunglasses and he posts here occasionally.

Sounds like a swell guy!

[CJ]

Ah, yeah. There are some faster loads in the Hodgdon book (http://data.hodgdon.com). One is almost 1200 fps for an 110 grain projectile but it's 17,000 CUP and SAAMI max is 17,000 PSI. There are others that are slower but still above the one CJ listed.Sounds like a swell guy!

As long as it's within max SAAMI pressures post it up and I'll add it. But it's important to remember we're dealing with MAX pressure loads here, more than likely you don't have the exact load listed and you're well below it. However, it's easier to list max loads on all cartridges for the best case scenario than get caught up in determining what is a "normal" load for every given caliber.

[Rick Modena]

10mm is not what you want to carry, for 185gr it blows right out the back of someone, and at 135gr it explodes like a bomb inside someone.

Tell that to the Wild Thing, I told him once that was too much and he said, "Its never too much." with a shit eating grin on his face.

Hence 40S&W.

Thats my caliber of choice and has been for the better part of 20 years. Though I carry my G32 because of its ease of comfort and lightweightness, I only have it loaded with 7 rounds at all times, 1 in the pipe and 6 in the hitch.

[Nash B.]

.38 Special
110 grains (XTP)
1178 fps (17,000 CUP)
130 power factor
339 fpe

[CJ]

.38 Special
110 grains (XTP)
1178 fps (17,000 CUP)
130 power factor
339 fpe

That has to be a really long barrel, but I'll add it.

[CJ]

Updated and finalized, now we can add in wildcats.

[Trick Pony]

How about .32 ACP? Not that I own or would carry one, but I was curious how it compares to .25 ACP. Some folks like to carry little Beretta Tomcats in those calibers..

[dee]

I updated the data again, I found a within spec 10mm round that (hilariously) beats .357 mag by 1ft/lb. It's verified by Underwood Precision and was a pressure testing round under 37k psi.

They have some pretty potent 38 super ammo, they seem to be in that niche like buffalo bore is of achieving max velocity.

[Geor!]

10mm is not what you want to carry, for 185gr it blows right out the back of someone, and at 135gr it explodes like a bomb inside someone. Hence 40S&W.

I dunno about you, but that's something I would want.

[Baron Von Crowder]

how about slingshots?

[CJ]

They have some pretty potent 38 super ammo, they seem to be in that niche like buffalo bore is of achieving max velocity.

Most all of that is out of pressure spec, but .38 super load listed is a buffalo bore load.