# Muzzle velocity units



## hideit (Oct 3, 2007)

i was thinking last night about how some just think you have to have a 1000 fps bullet to be effective.
then they discount the 45acp because it is moving so slow
well, think of this
a 230 grain FMJ round ball is going at 830 fps - THATS 566 MILES PER HOUR!!

plenty fast enough i would think


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

Sounds pretty impressive, at least until you compare it to standard 9mm JHP loads going 800 MPH, or the over-1000 MPH light-bullet magnum revolver loads.


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## hideit (Oct 3, 2007)

yea
900 fps = 613 mph and
1000 fps = 682 mph


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## Charlie (May 13, 2006)

The important thing is............IMO...............ft. lbs. of energy delivered (velocity, mass, etc.) which make a .45 ACP also a good choice.


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## Bob Wright (May 10, 2006)

That 830 fps is at the muzzle, and is the fastest that bullet will travel. Velocity falls off pretty fast, so down range that speed has fallen off. Granted a 230 gr bullet at 830 fps is pretty potent, so velocities of 1000 fps at the muzzle are required to get 830 fps (or so) at the target. And the faster the bullet covers the distance, the flatter it shoots.

Bob Wright


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## rex (Jan 27, 2012)

Good discussion,but I still wouldn't want to take one at 50yds.I believe that would ruin an otherwise good day.I don't want to go near the cartige wars,but the wimpy 9s with more "energy" have seem to not hurt as bad as a 45 to perps.Yes,it's extenuating circumstances,but if a big 8 or 10pt buck is 25 or so yards away,do you want to zing an '06 bullet through him that feels like a mosquito camakazied him or dump him with an old tech 30-30 and watch where he drops?Velocity,energy and the bullet work together for a specific reason,you have to pick the flavor that suites the task at hand.Change just one of those and it's a whole new ballgame.


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## hideit (Oct 3, 2007)

Bob Wright said:


> That 830 fps is at the muzzle, and is the fastest that bullet will travel. Velocity falls off pretty fast, so down range that speed has fallen off. Granted a 230 gr bullet at 830 fps is pretty potent, so velocities of 1000 fps at the muzzle are required to get 830 fps (or so) at the target. And the faster the bullet covers the distance, the flatter it shoots.
> 
> Bob Wright


So what - that's for rifles. I believe over 95% of handguns being used by the police and self defense is under 25 feet.


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## Bob Wright (May 10, 2006)

hideit said:


> So what - that's for rifles. I believe over 95% of handguns being used by the police and self defense is under 25 feet.


I beg your pardon. You didn't specify para military usage.

I'm an old time handgunner more accustomed to the Magnums and game critters. For social use, the old .45 Colt round is pretty hard to beat, though I do lean toward my .44 Special.

Bob Wright


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## Bob Wright (May 10, 2006)

hideit said:


> So what - that's for rifles..


The laws of physics (ballistics) apply to any firearm, rifle or revolver.

Bob Wright


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## hideit (Oct 3, 2007)

True but not at distances under 25 feet


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## rex (Jan 27, 2012)

Listen to Bob on this,he has a real good handle on this.That old 45Colt he shoots,if you have the gun to handle it you can surpass a 44mag's power with that old relic.Then there's the wildcats built off it.Linebaugh and Bowen will redo yours to a 5 shot that you can't handle unless you really like recoil,as in the front sight is making a beeline toward your forehead.


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## DanP_from_AZ (May 8, 2009)

Unless I am mistaken, many of all you'all been here before.
Like Sir Isaac himself opined way back when and where, his Laws still apply.

K.E. (Kinetic Energy) = 1/2 Mass times Velocity Squared = 1/2 M x Vsquared.
Momentum = Mass times Velocity = M x V.

For firearms, I believe we can ignore Einstein's "corrections".
Since we really are not approaching the "speed of light" with bullet velocities.

So, pick your very own favorite version.
1. I am TOTALLY convinced BIG and SLOW is best.
2. I am TOTALLY convinced SMALL and FAST is best.

Let the games continue. :mrgreen:

Personally, I don't even want to be in front of my air rifle.
Yes, that is a very small .177 caliber pellet. But, it's going 1,000 feet/sec. :smt1099


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## DanP_from_AZ (May 8, 2009)

rex said:


> Listen to Bob on this,he has a real good handle on this.That old 45Colt he shoots,if you have the gun to handle it you can surpass a 44mag's power with that old relic.Then there's the wildcats built off it.Linebaugh and Bowen will redo yours to a 5 shot that you can't handle unless you really like recoil,as in the front sight is making a beeline toward your forehead.


My personal version of a "hot .45 LC" is just to go directly to the .454 Casull. Which also gets you a stronger case in the process.
260 grain bullet at 1,800 fps is a bit more energy than most .44 Mags.

So far, my Ruger Alaskan "snubby" hasn't come close to producing scars on my forehead.
The only complaint I have is full power factory loads are about $2 a pop. That cuts down on "my plinking". :mrgreen:


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## rex (Jan 27, 2012)

DanP_from_AZ said:


> My personal version of a "hot .45 LC" is just to go directly to the .454 Casull. Which also gets you a stronger case in the process.
> 260 grain bullet at 1,800 fps is a bit more energy than most .44 Mags.
> 
> So far, my Ruger Alaskan "snubby" hasn't come close to producing scars on my forehead.
> The only complaint I have is full power factory loads are about $2 a pop. That cuts down on "my plinking". :mrgreen:


The Casull is potent,and I lost my data on the hot 45Colts.As I recall (from memory now),Ross Seyfried tested Linebaugh's 5 shot 45,475 and 500.This boy shot big sh!t and loved it,pistol and rifles.He didn't divulge reloading data of course but said that Linebaugh's reloading data went into the 320+gr bullets in the 45Colt,when you can't handle the recoil back down one or 2.With the 475 on a buffalo hunt in Africa,a dude wounded one with a high 3 caliber rifle and they had to get it.It charged out of a bayhead about 100yds (?) and 3 475s head on dropped him as he slid in closer than I'd control my bowels.Not sure if the Casull is stronger but I bet it's right there if not.

The worst I shot was a wilcat on that basis.A friend had another buddy shooter that worked for Colt and built racing heads also,do a 5 shot conversion on his Blackhawk.He cut 8" off the end of his Ruger #3 octogon (yeah,puke) and threaded it on.The cartridge was cut down from the Ruger's 45-70,loaded with a 320gr I believe,and the bullet was heavily crimped because it was at the end of the chamber.First round drove a bowling pin into the berm that a 44mag couldn't reach,2 or 3 more rounds was it for me.A 44mag is a puss compared to this if you didn't lock down you were wearing this front sight because the gun was over your head in recoil.The article Ross wrote had a pic of him with the 475 in full recoil,it looked like someone stuck an antenna in the top of his head and he was holding it there.When the muzzle breaks the 180 from your forehead,that's gusto.


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