Stopping Power - a different perspective

[Lapietra]

Head shots = 75% immediate incapacitation
Torso shots = 41% immediate incapacitation
Extremity shots (arms and legs) = 14% immediate incapacitation.

[G-forceJunkie]

Summary: Pistols are weak, rifles and shotguns get the job done better.

[IllTemperedCur]

Then again, regardless of caliber, you can double the stopping power of any handgun cartridge.......by shooting your target again.

[gumby]

Summary: Pistols are weak, rifles and shotguns get the job done better.

And shot placement, practice accuracy.

[Halfey]

'twas the best of times, 'twas the worst of times..............zzzzzzzZzzzZZZzzzzwwhhha whha...whatttt oh yes, SHOT PLACEMENT.

[S dot]

Very interesting thanks for sharing.

One thing, Im not entirely sure I understand how the one stop shot % is defined. Its the number of incapacitations (people?) divided by # of shots per incapacitiation?

Isnt that the same as # of shots until incapacitations?

Im certainly no mathemagician (its magic if i get it right), but how are you left with a % and what does it mean exactly

[erikdjs]

This makes me feel better about keeping a .22 for my wife for home defense. I always figured if she shot them in the face enough times with a .22 they'd go away.

[Zorrm]

I'm pretty sure that you shoot anyone in the face, regardless of the caliber, that they will "go away." Lol.

[Dhena81]

This was a good read thanks for that.

[steve91104]

Good job, thanks

[llamatrnr]

Thank you; interesting and very well presented. I appreciate the work you put into this

[JanG]

i feel better with my 38 super now. guess i don't need that 45acp after all

[Mercureality]

I appreciate the work that this gentleman has done, but there's more I want to know.

What kind of ammunition was involved in each fatal shooting? Modern, high quality JHPs show significantly better performance than older JHPs or ball. Who was doing the shooting in each case (civilian or LEO)? At what kind of distances?

For example, .357 SIG looks good according to those numbers, but it's an unusual round, so perhaps only particularly experienced operators using top quality JHPs were behind the trigger on those weapons?

[scarville]

Thank you for posting that. It kind of boils down to:

Accuracy -- if you can't hit it, you can't hurt it.
Penetration -- if the bullet can't reach it, it can't hurt it.
All the rest is theology.

[DaveInOroValley]

The type of projectile would be of interest as others have mentioned. For example if your loaded with certain types of safety slugs I.E. "Glasers"' the devastation to the tissue is very much a factor. I'm guessing for ease of comparison they used generic basic soft points and not anything exotic.