Stopping power the simple truth of terminal ballistics. 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 for experienced shooters the headings of most of the columns above are probably selfexplanatory. Stilwell grabbed the barrel of earps shotgun in an apparent attempt to disarm him. The author style to explain the idea is very unique. Handgun wounding factors and effectiveness special agent. Remember, its not the size of the bullet, its how many times you can effectively hit your target in the vital areas. Back in the day before we knew better, conventional wisdom on handgun stopping power held that reliable effective hydrostatic shock was achievable for defensive carry of le duty andor concealed carry handguns, and that man stopping power was generated by bigger, faster, or a combination of the two.
An alternative look at an alternate look at handgun stopping. Both books predicted the effectiveness of all types of ammunition by studying the results of reallife shootings rather than relying on laboratory tests that ignored the dynamics of an actual gunfight. Wyatt earp confronted frank stilwell, believed to be the murderer of his brother morgan earp, at the train station in tucson, arizona. Jan 15, 2015 all data taken from evan marshall and ed sanows book. Jul 10, 2010 reference scale for ammo stopping power as rated on the hatcher scale. The term handgun stopping power generally relates various opinions about the ability of handguns to create ballistic wounds sufficient to incapacitate a target. The handgun caliber comparison chart and guide that will. Jun 19, 20 stopping power is the capacity of a firearm to incapacitate an attacker when he is shot. Handgun caliber choice and the myth of stopping power. Handgun ammunition stopping power update free republic. This article was first published in unapologetically american. In reality, few people have conducted relevant research in this area, and fewer still have produced credible information that is useful for law enforcement agencies in making informed decisions. To me, the word caliber as it pertains to firearms is a label not just a measurement of a bullet or a bores dimensions but a way to identify the intrinsic qualities of a cartridge that makes it unique. These researchers sell books that are not the king james version of stopping power.
Sep 21, 2014 handgun stopping power is simply a myth. An alternate look at handgun stopping power buckeye. Nov 27, 2015 handgun ammunition stopping power update. An alternate look at handgun stopping power active response. The best handgun caliber for your concealed carry weapon. By greg ellifritz over a 10year period, i kept track of stopping power results from every shooting i could find. From the classic colt revolvers of the 19 th century to john brownings beloved 1911 design and beyond, handguns occupy a special place in american culture. Handgun stopping power is simply a myth the single most important factor in effectively wounding a human target is to have penetration to. Ballistic pressure wave contributions to rapid incapacitation. Ll the stopping power of different handgun cartridges 2222003 posted on saturday, february 22, 2003 10. Sep 30, 2019 handgun caliber choice and the myth of stopping power by greg drobny. Earp levered the butt of the shotgun down and the muzzles up, jammed the twin barrels into stilwells midsection and cut. I talked to the participants of gunfights, read police reports, attended autopsies, and scoured the newspapers, magazines, and internet for any reliable accounts of what happened to the human body when it was shot.
All data taken from evan marshall and ed sanows book. How does stopping power vary amongst handgun cartridges. Jun 09, 2010 stopping power is the capability of a bullet to disrupt nervous system function enough that somebody loses consciousness. Sep 03, 2016 we also discuss why stopping power of a pistol round is a myth. Handgun caliber choice and the myth of stopping power by greg drobny. Stopping power is the ability of a firearm or other weapon to cause a target human or animal to be incapacitated.
I remember reading handguns magazine back in the late. An alternate look at handgun stopping power buckeye firearms. Stopping power the simple truth of terminal ballistics abe october 27, 2015 shooting basics 7 comments stopping power rightly called terminal ballistics is actually a very simple and easily understood topic thats been muddied by over a century of pseudoscience and wisdom about bullet lethality. Handgun stopping power handgun cartridge power factor 2.
Why the fbi now says the 9mm is the best law enforcement handgun round in laymans terms duration. The definitive study marshall, evan, sanow, edwin j. Thee are handguns will take anyone down, but to respond to this article a bit more intelligently i have to define some terms, then describe the issue that can affect this behavior, and end with some conclusions. Both books predicted the effectiveness of all types of ammunition by studying the results of reallife shootings rather. Mar 01, 2001 evan marshall and ed sanow rocked the firearms world with the release of handgun stopping power and street stoppers. The point is to cause a bad guy to cease hostile action, even though he does not not want to.
Aug 26, 2014 i think that the article named the myth of handgun stopping power is a bit misleading. Stopping power contrasts with lethality in that it pertains only to a weapons ability to incapacitate quickly, regardless of whether or not death ultimately occurs. The best stopping power is a complex mix of many different factors, including how fast the round is traveling and what it does when it enters the attackers body. It survived the jump from black powder to smokeless as chambered in every short of a firearm made available today. Handgun studies overall do not report a much statistical difference in stopping power between 9mm.
Rifles deliver more stopping power than pistols because they have much higher muzzle velocities. This rational preps video uses the data from greg ellifritzs 10year stopping power study of realworld gun fights to shed the light of actual data on several common beliefs about handgun. Pdf a method for testing bullets at reduced velocity researchgate. He came out with his own stopping power data around the time marshall published handgun stopping power. A basic firearm tutorial american board of medicolegal death. All experienced revolver men should carry the federal 357b in a. Handgun wounding factors and effectiveness special agent urey.
I expected to be castigated by all the big bullet aficionados for reporting honest data about the mouse gun calibers. When it comes to the various handgun studies, we must consider their validity. The myth of handgun stopping power the shooters log. Stopping power is the capability of a bullet to disrupt nervous system function enough that somebody loses consciousness. Handgun stopping power is a matter of the speed of incapacitation of a deadly human opponent. The only way to stop a threat with a handgun is to keep shooting until the threat stops.
The above data is drawn from various sources including the book. Handgun caliber choice and the myth of stopping power the. Written by greg ellifritz since my handgun stopping power study was published last month in american handgunner magazine, ive received several questions from readers about my data. If he doesnt stop you dont stop pulling the trigger. Reference scale for ammo stopping power as rated on the hatcher scale.
This is one of the oldest firearm calibers in existence. Yet the figures expressed are often quoted in the popular press as gospel. What pistols have the best stopping power and controllability. The argument took on new life in the 50s and 60s, when some law enforcement agencies adopted a 9mm handgun as a duty weapon. Julian hatcher, a former technical editor at american rifleman, based his theory of relative stopping power on this study and concluded the. The ability to stop a fight with a handgun bullet is often a difficult goal to achieve. For experienced shooters the headings of most of the columns above are probably selfexplanatory. For example, the muzzle velocity of an m16 rifle is almost four times greater than a colt m1911a1 pistol source. Evan marshall and ed sanow rocked the firearms world with the release of handgun stopping power and street stoppers. And, in 1985, fuel was added to the fire when the u. From the classic colt revolvers of the 19 th century to john brownings beloved 1911 design and beyond, handguns occupy a special place in american culture everyone has their favorite, of course, and often that shows by way of. Stopping power download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi.
My adversary panicked upon realizing he had been hit in the chest, abandoned his weapon and ran a full sixty yards in the opposite direction before he. He suggested that if people didnt believe his data, they should collect their own and do their own analysis. When marshalls first book came out in 1992, i ordered it immediately, despite the fact that i was a college student and really couldnt afford. A practical analysis of the latest handgun ammunition and used with permission from the author. I think that the article named the myth of handgun stopping power is a bit misleading.
The best known of the handgun stopping power studies are those of evan marshall and the police. May 22, 2016 why the fbi now says the 9mm is the best law enforcement handgun round in laymans terms duration. Pdf reconstruction of shooting events occasionally requires testing of bullets at velocities. An article by greg ellifritz, titled an alternate look at handgun stopping power, caused some waves a few weeks back. Firearm stopping power fact, fiction and anecdotes.
The definitive study will bring you to definitely the new experience of reading any book. However, the ability to select ammunition designed to protect both officers and citizens is too critical a task to rely on artificial test mediums in sterile lab environments. Oct 14, 2014 wyatt earp confronted frank stilwell, believed to be the murderer of his brother morgan earp, at the train station in tucson, arizona. We also discuss why stopping power of a pistol round is a myth. As a handgun round, its pretty much worthless for anything except for training or target shooting. Aug 08, 2018 handgun stopping power is simply a myth the single most important factor in effectively wounding a human target is to have penetration to a scientifically valid depth fbi uses 12 18.
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. The first handgun failuretostop fts i experienced was with a 4inch. The variables that i can identify are shot placement, projectile shape, projectile velocity, and the mental state of the person being shot. Video armed cop learns a hard lesson about handgun. However, as we say in our advanced stopping power secrets report, a handgun is a relatively ineffective weapon against a humansized aggressor especially when your attacker is bigger. For at least 50 years gun writers have been absorbed with the issue of which handgun has the most stopping. Free pdf handgun stopping power the definitive study youtube. Its been a while since i read the article you referenced i dont think the link goes where you intended it to go, by the way but it was one of the first articles i read on my journey into concealed carry and i found it made so much more sense.
Stopping power is the capacity of a firearm to incapacitate an attacker when he is shot. Mar 03, 2019 back in the day before we knew better, conventional wisdom on handgun stopping power held that reliable effective hydrostatic shock was achievable for defensive carry of le duty andor concealed carry handguns, and that man stopping power was generated by bigger, faster, or a combination of the two. Ive been interested in firearm stopping power for a very long time. Stopping power of handgun cartridges bushcraft usa forums.