Customer Reviews

Stopping Power: A Practical Analysis of the Latest Handgun Ammunition

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After reading way too many discussions on "stopping power" in gun forums, I figured I'd buy the book and see what all the nay saying was about. After reading the book, I must confess it sounds to me like lots of folks hate these guys (and their findings) because it doesn't square with what they already believe. I haven't finished it completely (I keep jumping around chapters), but so far I'd have to say it's great!
True, stopping power is not an exact science as there are so many variables, but the authors acknowledge this.
Basically, it looks to me like many folks depend entirely on lab results, loving the repeatability they can achieve when in the lab (the "Jell-O Junkies"). 'Course, we all know when it comes to real world results, things are often not what they seem in the lab. Looks like these guys got real world results first, THEN took the same ammo to the lab to see how it tested. Since they know what works in the field, hopefully bullets can now be designed in the lab using the lab characteristics of real world stoppers as a baseline.
As one who tends to come down on the side of real world results (ignore the real world at your own peril!), I like their methodology!

This book is now somewhat dated, but at the time it was published it contained the very best data on handgun stopping power available.

There are various "schools of thought" on how best to determine "stopping power". In my opinion, information gathered from "the street" by law-enforcement officials is the only reliable method, which is precisely the data the authors used. IN addition, the data in this book matches up very well with my own personal observations from the street.

Regardless of what the jealous or ignorant may say, you can trust your life to the data in this book.

This book is a continuation of the series that up dates the latest developments. Most of the information in it is useful and needed. The only reason I rated it down to 4 stars is because of chapter 16, the evaluation of the new personal defense ammunition. I feel like they are backsliding on their original opinions of ammunition in this chapter. My opinion of this ammunition is not nearly as high as theirs. I believe that the muzzle velocities are too slow and the resulting energies are too low. The Fuller index gives ratings that are way too low which shows that it is not properly designed for personal defense. The chapters on shotgun slugs and Triton ammo were excellent. As usual, the was no information on the distance at which the ballistic gelatin was shot. This is a needed addition to the series. A section on effective ranges of the listed cartridges would be most helpful. As it is, all of these books only give evaluations on point blank range. Overall, this book is a needed update and is well worth the money for students of terminal ballistics.

This book is controversial, its predecessors were even more controversial. While there are flaws they try to come up with a systemetized way of measuring things that are nearly impossible to measure. At the end of the day, this subject will always be controversial. Its like arguing religion. Ignore the emotions in these reviews. THis book is worth it. It does a better job than anyone else's.

As a long-time student of ballistics (interior, exterior, and terminal) - this is one of the best modern reference books I've found.

Pros: Light on theory and formulas; heavy on real-world testing and results. Outstanding research, great testing and photos, calls a spade a spade and lets the chips fall where they land. One of the BEST treatises on the .357 Sig cartridge written to date. The appendix material is superb with case studies for selected cartridges and loads.

Cons: The author is a very "defensive" in his tone and writing style, especially in the introduction chapters which got repetitive and tedious... yes - the FBI tests and protocols are screwed up, yes - higher profile "experts" disagree with you... but don't beat the reader to death with a battle of ego.

Needs: The defensive ammunition market has changed more in the past 5 years than the past 50 combined. Those that depend on firearms for professional or personal safety need this book updated with tests from the recent crop of "premium" ammunition - especially handgun rounds.

Overall - a GREAT read and a GREAT reference book.

Finally a book that ends the "my round is better than your round" based on (at best) anecdotal information. The amazing research that has gone into this book made me reconsider what firearm I carry. Solid info, some humor (albeit grim humor) and thorough explanations of their statistics.

Very informative but very long. Goes into very specific ballistics info. Even though it is the most recent book Ive found it could be updated with the most recent ammo products. The info on the FBI and INS ammo testing was very informative. Goes to show that just because a one law enforcement agency uses a certain caliber and kind of ammo, it pays to do your homework and base your choice off of more than just one agency's recommendation. A little pricey but worth it if you are really interested in ammo ballistics.

I don't know if the data and other information presented is valid or not (many apparently believe the latter). Having very little first-hand experience in assessing the comparitive lethality of various types and calibers of handgun ammunition, I can neither agree nor disagree with conclusions made. But it is, at the very least, interesting reading from cover to cover, and is thought-provoking.

A must have for everyone who owns a handgun for self-defense. Very well written, easy to understand and lots of stories of actual shootings.

The book was very informative and I highly recommend the reading for anyone wanting the most up to date information on handgun ammo.
David