I'm trying to understand the concept in defense ammunition of bullet weight vs feet per second and foot pounds of energy. In fact the concept doesn't even have to apply to strictly defense loads. Say I shoot a federal .357 125gr JHP going 1450 with 584 foot pounds at an intruder. Is a 158 grain hydrashock going 210 fps slower with 50 foot pounds less, (all muzzle velocities), be a better "stopping" load for me to shoot? Will it do more damage to say a block of wood than the 125 grain? I think these numbers, at least the velocity, are significant. Would the 158gr, simply be better at stopping someone simply because of the bullet design, as I don't consider the 33 grain difference in weight very much to make if a marked advantage. Another disparity I see is the 240gr .44 going over 250 fps less(than the 125gr) with only a 175 foot pound increase at the muzzle. Obviously the .44 is going to be the better "stopper" (for lack of a better word), but is it only because of the bullet weight, as the 125gr is going significantly faster although has less energy, although not much. Is there any type of testing to determine better "stopping power". I also am interested in this concept for hunting. I also realize that bullet design has a big impact on stopping power. Thanks for any help.
Weight vs speed and foot pounds
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