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Anybody carry a PMR30 for self defense?
- Thread starter SirBannedAlot
- Start date
Did I say I was worried about bullet weight?
Just pointing out that the heavier bullets seem to feed better, and if the added benefit is that they also hit a little harder, thus off setting some people's concerns about .22Mag not being potent enough, so much the better, right?
Why you felt the need to take issue with a common sense statement like that is beyond me...
Why you felt the need to take issue with a common sense statement like that is beyond me...
Heavier bullets do not automatically “hit harder”.
Energy on target is a combination of projectile weight and speed. A heavier bullet traveling at the same speed as a lighter one will have more energy, e.g., “hit harder”.
In most cases, however, the heavier bullets are traveling slower than the lighter ones, so they may not have more energy.
For instance, take a 230grn .45ACP round at 900fps. The energy at the muzzle is 414ft.lbf.
A 125grn .357 Magnum at 1450fps has 584ft.lpf of energy at the muzzle. Huge difference! The bullet is just over half the weight of the heavier .45, but the greatly increased velocity more than makes up the difference.
Energy on target is a combination of projectile weight and speed. A heavier bullet traveling at the same speed as a lighter one will have more energy, e.g., “hit harder”.
In most cases, however, the heavier bullets are traveling slower than the lighter ones, so they may not have more energy.
For instance, take a 230grn .45ACP round at 900fps. The energy at the muzzle is 414ft.lbf.
A 125grn .357 Magnum at 1450fps has 584ft.lpf of energy at the muzzle. Huge difference! The bullet is just over half the weight of the heavier .45, but the greatly increased velocity more than makes up the difference.
Ok, so everyone agrees, the .22WMR is the best concealed carry caliber available. Cool.
I thought you were a Firearms Instructor not a Physics teacher
Jack of all trades! I actually cheat on that and use an online muzzle energy calculator. Enter the bullet weight in grains and velocity in FPS, it does the rest.
http://www.shooterscalculator.com/bullet-kinetic-energy.php
What a 22 mag pistol needs in order to truly improve its performance is a cartridge designed for top performance from a short barrel. You see these posted ballistics and it looks hot. But those velocities are from a rifle. Most 22 mag ammo doesn't do much more than a 22 lr from a pistol. If you know of ammo that is made for a pistol, please enlighten me.
That’s why .22 Magnums have all that muzzle blast and noise; unburnt powder igniting OUTSIDE of the barrel. Looks cool, and I’ll admit I enjoy stuff like that on the range now and again, but it’s a waste of powder that should be driving the bullet for higher velocities so that it can “hit harder”. Not to mention it oughta do wonders for your night vision.
A buddy of mine had an AMT Automag III in .30 Carbine. That thing was a hoot at night! A good 14” of flame out the end of the muzzle.
