This will be a good place to start, but there is almost endless info on balistics and bullet types. It might give you a headache.


http://www.gunsandammomag.com/ballistics/

This site might help you a little bit. It can get a bit tedious www.internetarmory.com/handgunammo.htm

I really got into the study of ballistics for awhile. Ballistics, concerning a projectile moving through the air, is just a part of physics, and simply put boils down to an object in motion being affected by gravity and air resistance. I learned that there are so many variables as to preclude reducing trajectories to mathematical equations with any degree of accuracy.

Bottom line, the proof is in the shooting. Study the effect of firing at different ranges and different tartgets. By different targets, I mean penetration in wood, impact on clay or gelatin. Also, try water filled plastic jugs. This, assuming you have a safe range where this is practical.

Bob Wright

After my post here yesterday, something else occurred to me that might be of help to you.

Years ago, the late Jeff Cooper formulated his minimum for a defensive handgun/load combination: 40-200-100.

As a minimum, the gun should be .40 caliber, firing a 200 grain bullet, at 1000 fps muzzle velocity.

But then, Col. Charles Askins favorite was the Colt Combat Commander, firing the 185 gr. wadcutter target load. This from a man who truly qualifies as a modern day gunfighter. Col. Askins had used everything from the .38 Special. .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum and .45 ACP in gunfights. And lived to be ninety years old, or so.

Bob Wright