Steven Segal, Guns, Zen and Bullets

[casingpoint]

Like a good Grasshopper, I did some deep thinking, insofar as possible, about an obscure battle that lies hidden within the ongoing caliber wars. Namely, the best bullet weight in each of the common semi automatic calibers. And it came to me, after half a fifth of Seagrams VO , The How, The Why and The Way of It All. Behold, infidels, believers and fellow tankards:

The area of an expanded 9mm hollow point is roughly 144 square mm. Close enough that the best round in this caliber is assumed to be the 147 grain load.

In the 40 S&W, the area is 182 square mm, so the best round is logically the 185 grain load.

Most astoundingly, for the venerated 230 grain load in 45 ACP the surface area is very close to 230 square mm. By Divine Guidance, the 230 grain load wins hands down here.

I always figured it was engineering that determined these things. But thanks to Steven Segal, A&E, Buda, the Jefferson Parish, LA Sheriffs Office and cheap Canadian whiskey, it is apparent that some guy named Zen does it.

[stroo]

In 9mm, 115 grain or 124 grain +P or +P+ rounds generally work better than 147 grain although 147 grain supposedly has improved a lot in the last 10 years.