How fast does a lead pistol bullet need to go?

[Rex]

I've pondered this question a lot. When a post asks for a "pet load" in a given caliber the answers are usually a full bore load. My handgun skills don't allow me to take long shots so lets say a deer might present a 30- 40 yarder. I've always felt that if a bullet penetrates, the energy left over that expends it's self in the ground beyond is wasted. I have a friend that guesses around 950 fps with soft lead bullets gets the job done. Anyone have any feelings on this at all?

[knifemaker]

A cast bullet with a good size meplat around 900-1050 fps will get the job done on a deer at the range you mentioned. In fact on a chest lung-heart shot you will probably get a pass though and exit that will leave a good blood trail if needed. I like to use a alloy mix of clip on wheel weights with pure lead for a pistol bullet in that velocity range. Mix the wheel weights & pure lead 50/50 and add about 2% tin for good fillout in the mold.
If you size the cast boolit 1-2 thousands over barrel groove dia. You should not get any leading of the barrel at that velocity.

[bmortell]

if you want most energy transfer on deer rather than ground behind him options are lighter, softer, wider meplat. 950fps would be fine but what you can control best for shot placement is more important.

[Piedmont]

I've pondered this question a lot. When a post asks for a "pet load" in a given caliber the answers are usually a full bore load. My handgun skills don't allow me to take long shots so lets say a deer might present a 30- 40 yarder. I've always felt that if a bullet penetrates, the energy left over that expends it's self in the ground beyond is wasted. I have a friend that guesses around 950 fps with soft lead bullets gets the job done. Anyone have any feelings on this at all?

The energy on a pass-through isn't really wasted. It is blowing a bigger hole than a slower bullet because of that speed. That and the blood trail already mentioned. A blood trail can come in very handy. Plus, you never know exactly what your shot angle may be. Let's say you screwed up, he is wounded and still in sight, walking or running directly away from you. It would be nice to be able to rake him full length if you had to. A nonexpanding bullet with some weight and velocity will do this. It will also break a shoulder and take out the lungs after doing so.

One thing not mentioned is those fast loads can be intimidating to shoot and cause you to flinch. You mentioned you aren't the world's best handgun shot. Powerful loads may make you worse. Placement is king, penetration is queen. Shoot something you can hit with. A flat point helps. An exit wound helps when you need to find what you just shot.

[quilbilly]

When you talk about getting the job done, what do you mean? Deer, bear, two-legged critters??? After hunting with a muzzleloader for the last 25+ years, I concluded high velocity is overrated for many applications. A 135 gr .440 patched round ball at a terminal velocity of 950 fps will somersault a 160# buck and few run far. My philosophy changed over the years to "what is the minimum velocity I need to do the job at the maximum range I will take the shot accurately". Anything more is just punishing myself unnecessarily and reducing my enjoyment of shooting.

[Jack Stanley]

I think the minimum velocity is going to change with the caliber and weight of the bullet along with the design of the bullet . I would agree with the guys that want to be able to put the bullet through a lot of critter if need be . Partly because I think the exit wound normally leaks more blood than the entrance wound .

I had a heavy cast hollow point from a forty-four drive through about two feet of whitetail breaking four bones in the process and not exit the beast . The next year , a broadside shot passed through both lungs and broke only one bone . Same ammo , different shot presentation only about nine yards difference .

I think heavy for caliber with good meplat would be better than many other choices if you want slow and shot placement is still king .

Jack

[Rex]

Thanks for your thoughts guys. I have a 358665 mold that drops 165 grain boolits. RNF with a good meplat. I like this bullet a lot and 7 grains Unique in a 357 case gives me 1100 fps and shoots well. I'll carry that this fall but probably reach for the '06 when time comes unless critter is real close.

[Edubya]

I just want to ad what a game warden once told me when I asked about best caliber. He said, "The .22lr has probably killed more deer than any other caliber. Due to its popularity and poachers prefer it because of the lack of noise." I'm not suggesting that anyone use a .22 but when talking about knockdown power, penetration, velocity, etc..., this one quote comes back to my mind. I've been closer than 30 yards to many deer and would not even think about shooting one with a .22lr but have bagged many of them with an old 30-30 inside of fifty yards and under 1000 fps.

EW

[jmort]

"Energy of 443 foot-pounds for a 165 grain bullet at 1100 fps."

I don't see why that won't work if you do your part.

[detox]

The Crosman Benjamin Rogue air rifle fires .357 slugs around 600fps. It is legal to hunt hog and deer with.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVdtRBgQhlM

[bhn22]

Thanks for your thoughts guys. I have a 358665 mold that drops 165 grain boolits. RNF with a good meplat. I like this bullet a lot and 7 grains Unique in a 357 case gives me 1100 fps and shoots well. I'll carry that this fall but probably reach for the '06 when time comes unless critter is real close.

Man, you're cutting it close for Nebraska. The minimum legal handgun energy is 400 ft/lbs at 50 yards. Hopefully you get a perfectly clean shot.

[Dan Cash]

In deference to your self acknowledged skills, you should use as powerful a load as your gun will shoot adequately and you can tolerate. The concept of energy transfer is a bunch of hocum. Better a bullet all the way through than something that stops in the middle.

That said, my asbestos jump suite is zipped up to the top.
Dan