Calibers At Different Distances

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stonewall50

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So something I've always wondered about and figured I would post up here: how well do you think the different calibers perform at ranges 3 yards, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100. Is there anywhere I could find a comparison of energy and so on? This is for self defense primarily, but hunting or sheer accuracy as well. So any caliber discussion is welcome. :)


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A comparison of energy is called a ballistics table. Mind you, a lot of those seen on-line are not complete as they don't have the energy numbers at all never mind by range. Most handgun cartridges only have muzzle, 50 yards and 100 velocity and energy listed too. None between the muzzle and 50. Federal's site does 25 yards though.
Look on the assorted manufacturer's web site for the ballistics for their products. Select the cartridge, the brand and bullet weight.
Accuracy is as much about the individual firearm as it is the ballistics(and the shooter). Every firearm will shoot the same ammo differently than another. Even two identical consecutively numbered firearms will be slightly different and shoot the same ammo differently. That and SD accuracy isn't the same thing as hunting or target shooting.
 
Once you get beyond 25-50 yards larger calibers with heavier bullets retain energy better. It is still possible to hit human or deer size targets at ranges well beyond 100 yards with most any of them, but typical 38 and 9mm bullets lose a lot of energy at extended ranges. Rounds such as 357 or 44 magnum loaded with heavier bullets would be a better option. I've seen video of Bob Munden hitting balloons at 200 yards with a 2" 38 revolver and at 600 yards with a 6" 44 magnum.

Most all ammo manufacturers provide ballistics charts for their ammo. Just go to the websites of any of them. Here is Hornady's website. Just click on the rounds that interest you.

http://www.hornady.com/ammunition/handgun
 
Depends on your use. Small calibers have velocity, while larger calibers have more energy and less velocity at distance. If you are looking for longer range use, go to the smaller calibers. If you want close knock-down, go for the larger calibers. In close self-defense, go the mid range with .380. 9mm, 40 or .45acp in a combat round like Hornady Critical Duty or the like.

.22lr is cool in any distance with small game and good aim.
 
If you are looking to see how the different calibers perform, you need to look at the BULLETS.

Because it is the bullet that determines how well the velocity will be used, and energy is a straight calculation of mass and velocity.

Look at the ballistic coefficient of the bullets. This is a calculated value showing essentially, how well the bullet slips through the air. Higher numbers mean less loss of velocity due to air friction.

This takes care of the calibers (bore sizes).

Now, which ones have highest velocity is a matter of the CARTRIDGE, and the gun it is fired in.

A .380, 9mm Luger, .38 Super, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, and all other ".35s" are the same caliber. but each case delivers a different velocity maximum possible, and the gun used modifies that even further.

If you are looking for longer range use, go to the smaller calibers. If you want close knock-down, go for the larger calibers. In close self-defense, go the mid range with .380. 9mm, 40 or .45acp...
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This makes me curious what you consider "smaller calibers", and why you think all the rounds in a smaller caliber will give you better performance than the ones in larger calibers.?

Some handguns in small calibers (bore sizes) excel at long distances. Others kind of suck. Same thing for larger calibers.

Hornady manuals give velocity, energy and drop figures for their bullets. Its a good place to look, might be the answers you are lookin for , might not. If not, comeback with specific questions and we'll try to answer them.
 
If you are looking to see how the different calibers perform, you need to look at the BULLETS.

Because it is the bullet that determines how well the velocity will be used, and energy is a straight calculation of mass and velocity.

Look at the ballistic coefficient of the bullets.
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Bingo!
Actual caliber has little to nothing to do with it.

A .22 short will drop a ton @ 50 yards and be so slow you can see it fly with the naked eye.
A .220 swift will be nearly laser beam straight at that distance and have energy out the wazoo.

Hornady manuals give velocity, energy and drop figures for their bullets. Its a good place to look, might be the answers you are lookin for , might not. If not, comeback with specific questions and we'll try to answer them.
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We have a double bingo!
 
It should be easy to figure out the remaining velocity and energy of a given bullet using ballistic programs.

Most reloading manuals list the BC of a given bullet. For example my primary 357 bullet is the Lyman 358477 LSWC. Out of my service revolver (the Model 28 I used in my 20 years in LE) I get a MV of about 1240 fps.

A BC program will give you the Vel. and energy at a given range.

For example, using the Shooter Program on my phone:

50 yards MV 1175 eng. 460
100 yards MV 1121 eng 418
150 yards MV 1074 eng 384
200 yards MV 1037 eng 357

Actually the remaining energy, using those numbers isn't that bad, but the drop at 200 yards (w/ a 25 yard zero is 42 inches or 3.5 feet. Note a target I can hit with any regularity when you add the short sight radius of the 4 inch barrel.

But a short range, this round would be quite effective. I've put down several moose in my LE days with it.
 
Heavier bullets hold there energy better at extended ranges, heavier bullets also tend to penetrate living things better than light, fast projectiles.

This is why i am a .45/10mm/.40S&W guy.

Technically, any projectile capable of puncturing the skull, or heart or lungs, as deady. So if a an insanely good shooter can make effective good hits at 300yds with a 147gr 9x19mm pistol, he is going to get the job done.

My favorite all purpose auto cartridge is the .40S&W, it is available in small packages with comfortable ergonomic grips, it can be had in 155/165gr hollowpoint loads which will work well for humans, and you can buy or make loads which push a 200gr bullet at 1000fps, which will work decent as a woods/ Animal Defense cartridge.
 
So something I've always wondered about and figured I would post up here: how well do you think the different calibers perform at ranges 3 yards, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100. Is there anywhere I could find a comparison of energy and so on? This is for self defense primarily, but hunting or sheer accuracy as well. So any caliber discussion is welcome.
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Here is some thing that is a bit helpful:

http://www.gunnersden.com/index.htm.handgun-ballistics.html

But only a bit.

Bob Forker's book "Ammo and Ballistics" now in it's 5th volume is what you are looking for. It covers commercial ammo for handguns and long guns in almost every currently manufactured ammo. It's lists velocity and energy figures by bullet weight and design and by manufacturer.

Let's say you want to compare the 165 gr. 40 S&W from two or more companies. In the 5th edition go to pages 417-420 (5 pages of information). It tells you that the Hornady 165 gr. FTX leaves the muzzle at 1045 fps with 400 ft. pds of energy. A Taylor K.O. index of 9.9, at the muzzle there is 0 bullet drop and 0 Mid-Range Trajectory. The same bullet at 50 yards has a velocity of 972 fps and 346 ft. pds. of energy. The Taylor figure has reduced to 9.2, Mid-Range Trajectory is 1.1" and bullet drop is -4.2". It gives you these figures in 25 yards increments out to 200 yards with pistols.

The book has essays in it that explain how to use the book and what the figures mean.

It does this for 5 pages in commercial rounds in this 165 weight alone from many manufacturers big and small. Want to know about 155 or 180 gr. bullets it is presented there.

You can find this book in many gun stores or at Amazon.com you can get it new or used or in a downloadable form.

I prefer the book form as it's much easier to bookmark it and pull it off a shelf.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=Bob+forker

tipoc
 
calibers perform at ranges 3 yards, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100.
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Here are my thoughts (before reading the other posts): At 5 or 10 yards, I would not notice much difference between 9mm, 10mm or .45acp fired from three my most accurate range pistols. At 25 yards (75 feet), my Sig X-Five 9mm will consistently outperform my STI custom compensated 2011 in 45acp, as well as my Tanfoglio Stock 10mm. The Stock 10mm will outperform the STI 2011 45 at 75+ feet. The Sig X-Five 9mm will outperform all of them at any longer distance.

For reference, the Sig X-Five is SAO made in Germany with no custom work. The Tanforglio Stock is DA/SA, made in Italy with no custom work. The STI 2011 45 is custom made with Schuemann compensated Hybrid barrel/slide. My point of reference is based upon using relatively cheap range ammo.
 
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