Stopping Power… Harnessing The Stats

Long ago, back in the Dream Times… the evil capitalist pig dog Yanks got into trouble in the Philippines when they got into the brown stuff with the locals. At the time the military used the 38 Long Colt and the local Moras were soaking them up like a sponge with the aid of drugs. The guys emptied their revolvers into them… but the coked up Moras could take it long enough to inflict serious harm on the Yanks. Clearly a new pistol round was needed and St. Thompson (General Thompson to you filthy atheists, inventor of the Tommy Gun) decided they’d decide on a new round for the military based on science. 

Legend has it that he and his men hung up “slaughter beeves” and shot them with various calibres and the one that made them dance around the most would be the winner. Eventually they settled on the 45 ACP as furnished by John Moses Browning. Years later St. Cooper would proclaim it the best blend of firepower and controllability, superior to all others, especially the beshitted faggy Euro 9mm.

25ACP # of people shot - 68 # of hits - 150 % of hits that were fatal - 25% Average number of rounds until incapacitation - 2.2 % of people who were not incapacitated - 35% One-shot-stop % - 30% Accuracy (head and torso hits) - 62% % actually incapacitated by one shot (torso or head hit) - 49%	.22 (short, long and long rifle) # of people shot - 154 # of hits - 213 % of hits that were fatal - 34% Average number of rounds until incapacitation - 1.38 % of people who were not incapacitated - 31% One-shot-stop % - 31% Accuracy (head and torso hits) - 76% % actually incapacitated by one shot (torso or head hit) - 60%
.32 (both .32 Long and .32 ACP) # of people shot - 25 # of hits - 38 % of hits that were fatal - 21% Average number of rounds until incapacitation - 1.52 % of people who were not incapacitated - 40% One-shot-stop % - 40% Accuracy (head and torso hits) - 78% % actually incapacitated by one shot (torso or head hit) - 72%	.380 ACP # of people shot - 85 # of hits - 150 % of hits that were fatal - 29% Average number of rounds until incapacitation - 1.76 % of people who were not incapacitated - 16% One-shot-stop % - 44% Accuracy (head and torso hits) - 76% % actually incapacitated by one shot (torso or head hit) - 62%
.38 Special # of people shot - 199 # of hits - 373 % of hits that were fatal - 29% Average number of rounds until incapacitation - 1.87 % of people who were not incapacitated - 17% One-shot-stop % - 39% Accuracy (head and torso hits) - 76% % actually incapacitated by one shot (torso or head hit) - 55%	9mm Luger # of people shot - 456 # of hits - 1121 % of hits that were fatal - 24% Average number of rounds until incapacitation - 2.45 % of people who were not incapacitated - 13% One-shot-stop % - 34% Accuracy (head and torso hits) - 74% % actually incapacitated by one shot (torso or head hit) - 47%
.357 (both magnum and Sig) # of people shot - 105 # of hits - 179 % of hits that were fatal - 34% Average number of rounds until incapacitation - 1.7 % of people who were not incapacitated - 9% One-shot-stop % - 44% Accuracy (head and torso hits) - 81% % actually incapacitated by one shot (torso or head hit) - 61%	.40 S&W # of people shot - 188 # of hits - 443 % of hits that were fatal - 25% Average number of rounds until incapacitation - 2.36 % of people who were not incapacitated - 13% One-shot-stop % - 45% Accuracy (head and torso hits) - 76% % actually incapacitated by one shot (torso or head hit) - 52%
.45 ACP # of people shot - 209 # of hits - 436 % of hits that were fatal - 29% Average number of rounds until incapacitation - 2.08 % of people who were not incapacitated - 14% One-shot-stop % - 39% Accuracy (head and torso hits) - 85% % actually incapacitated by one shot (torso or head hit) - 51%	.44 Magnum # of people shot - 24 # of hits - 41 % of hits that were fatal - 26% Average number of rounds until incapacitation - 1.71 % of people who were not incapacitated - 13% One-shot-stop % - 59% Accuracy (head and torso hits) - 88% % actually incapacitated by one shot (torso or head hit) - 53%
Rifle (all Centerfire) # of people shot - 126 # of hits - 176 % of hits that were fatal - 68% Average number of rounds until incapacitation - 1.4 % of people who were not incapacitated - 9% One-shot-stop % - 58% Accuracy (head and torso hits) - 81% % actually incapacitated by one shot (torso or head hit) - 80%	Shotgun (All, but 90% of results were 12 gauge) # of people shot - 146 # of hits - 178 % of hits that were fatal - 65% Average number of rounds until incapacitation - 1.22 % of people who were not incapacitated - 12% One-shot-stop % - 58% Accuracy (head and torso hits) - 84% % actually incapacitated by one shot (torso or head hit) - 86%

Years later comprehensive statistical analyses would seem to contradict Jeff Cooper and Glen Filthie. (This one was a chit house study by some dude based on his local community) but larger, more formidable studies seemed to confirm that the good ol’ 45 and the 9mm were producing very comparable numbers for one shot stops.

Back in the 80s somebody did a BIG study based on the entire FBI database of shooting victims. I wish I could remember who did it? I used to think these studies were the last word in handgun stopping power. I distrusted arbitrary formulas and theories generated in the lab by the tall foreheads. Largely because of stuff like this:

Now I love Scott. I love the Kentucky villains that torment him on the gun range, and I love seeing commie watermelons and loathesome eggplants get their just desserts. But… here we see the problem of static lab studies: the snubbies are getting the same performance as the longer barreled guns. Or slightly better…(the proper thing to do there is haul out the chronograph but Scott hates them and shoots them on sight too!)

😂👍

We got into an interesting discussion about stopping power a couple poosts back… and I wonder if there even IS a proper way to study it? Looking at the table above… if enough hacks and bums carry 45s and use them…they are going to pull the numbers down. If enough experienced shooters are using 44 Mag… they’ll pull the numbers up. If the 9mm’s are mostly shot by black baboons, druggies and pimps that hold their guns sideways…you get the idea. Is the statistical study useful…? I am beginning to have my doubts…🤨

In the real world of deer hunting… or for law enforceMINT, I suppose…at some point stopping power becomes irrelevant. Ya can’t kill them any deader than DEAD.

Ughhhh. Matters like this are best discussed round the campfire with a flask and a pipe. I am already getting cabin fever…