Light or heavy boolets in handguns using rifle rounds

[ButcheN]

When you are shooting a rifle round in a hand gun length, say 10" to 15" barrel, which is better, as far as getting all out of your rounds killing power? OK say a 223 in a 13" is a 40gr better than a 75gr? Or in a 308 in a 15" is the 110gr. better than a 180gr or bigger?

Are you starting to see what I'm saying? Does your round work better with a light boolet or a heavy boolet? I can see in the larger calibers heavy boolets mite work better. But in, lets say just for this thread keep it to .30cal and down.

On one hand it looks like the lighter boolet would do better because of speed but the boolet is made for faster speed than the handgun can push it. But isn't it the same with the heavy boolet? SPEED is that the thing or what is?

And I know your going to ask what we are killing. But use your best judgement. You figure a man with a 223 is going for varmint. And a man with a 308 is going for deer. And the rounds in between, well you get the idea. I hope I am making myself clear.

Can you help me with this? And I know the Taylor KO Factor "bullet diameter x bullet mass x bullet velocity divided 7000 = the KO factor" But I think this was made for solid bullets to be used on African big game. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taylor_KO_Factor

[Larry Gibson]

Depends on what is being killed. Your range of bullets spans those for varmints up through those for larger game. Bullet selection based on the game to be killed would be a better criteria that basing the choice on velocity. This applies to handguns as discussed as well as rifles for these same cartridges. Not trying to be argumentative just pointing out something.

If it is varmints for the .223 then that would leave out the 75 gr bullets because they are either match type or heavier constructed for deer size game. Given the shorter barrel i would look at something like the 50 or 55 gr Hornady SX. With their really thin jackets they would still give excellent performance on varmints in the reduced velocity of the handgun barrel lengths.

For deer with the .308 (.308W?) then there are/were a couple bullets in the 125 - 150 gr range made for single shot handguns. Another choice would be the heavier Varmint bullets in that caliber like the 130 gr Hornady SP. The 150 gr ballistic tips seem to be the choice of those I know using such.

Speed is part of the equation but the terminal effects desired are different. With varmints, smaller ones anyways, you want minimal penetration with massive, instantanious bullet disintegration. With deer you want reliable expansion without excessive bullet weight loss and adequate penetration. Two different performance criteria on target.

Larry Gibson

[subsonic]

In general with jacketed in short barrels most go lighter to get velocity into the area where expansion will occur, since most bullets are designed to stay together in magnum rifles. It's tough to get enough speed out of a cartridge you can stand to shoot in a pistol.

[357Mag]

Butch -

Howdy !

As an offshoot of what Larry said....

If you can generate more KE from a rifle round shot from a rifle instead of from a handgun, the question then becomes: why or for what reason; would you accept the limitations associated w/ use of the comparatively shorter-barreled gun ?
You'd be compromising on obtainable energy for SOME reason, or to SOME end.
The question then becomes.... how important is it to you, to obtain THAT end ?

If you can fairly-well characterize your intended game, and distances to target at which shots will likely be taken; you can in those instances taylor your KE delivery " system " by selecting combo's that deliver a correct-design bullet at the KE level your game requires @ distance. Various combos are often possbile, that can generate the desired final outcome.

In the triangle of accuracy-power-speed, one aspect usually gets biased ahead of the other two; dependent on which property is most important to the shooter; and given the environment in which the target(s) must be engaged.

Varmint shooting may not be the greatest example of this, as many dedicated varmint shooters embrace the joys of EXCESS KE. " Red Mist " is one evidence of this phenominon. There's " dead ", then...... there's DEAD. Varmint hunters often want something >" dead ".
The question then becomes: How dead do you want/need the target to be ?

As Shakespear said; " To thine own self, be true ".

With regards,
357Mag

[subsonic]

For what it's worth, the lighter bullets at "medium" speed recipe also works for youth loads in big game rifles.

You can go heavier as long as you can reach an IMPACT velocity that yeilds decent bullet expansion, but recoil is greater.

[Artful]

Ok, my take - check you loading books for say 223 and you'll see that the 14" contender barrel doesn't loose hugh amounts of velocity - then look at what your bullet is designed for - the 40 grain varmint grenade is designed for rapid expansion - the 75 grn is designed to penetrate - so if your taking your contender after bushy tail field rats you want expansion in small target so go with the lighter bullets - if your trying to use 223 for javalina then you want the 75 grainer.

Same is true with 308 example - if you want deer hunting get a heavier bullet - I used 170 grn 30-30 bullet in my 30-30 AI - worked very well. I tried a pointed 150 grain and it zipped right thru - so you need to match the bullet for the velocity.