Well, it looks like we are doing another itineration of the ever popular caliber war (http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=61730 ). Well, it got me thinking. We often rehash our preferences for caliber, but we only occasionally discuss light v. heavy bullets.
This is not a caliber war. I don't care if you think 9mm is best, .45acp is the only way to go or you like the intermediate calibers. What I want to know is if you prefer the lighter weight bullets or the heavier weight bullets in your chosen caliber and why.
My answer is it varies by caliber. I am comfortable with all the major service calibers, but each one has its own strengths and I like to play to the specific strength of each.
9mm: Its strength is it's velocity. It gets much of its expansion from its high speed. Some people go with the heavy 147gr to get more penatration, but then you lose much of the 9mm's velocity advantage. I prefer the light and medium weight bullets in 9mm to get the most out of its big strength (velocity). I am happy with the lighter 115grs but I usually compromise a little and go with the 124/127gr (you don't lose that much velocity and gain some extra penatration).
.40S&W: I no longer own one, but I don't want the heavier bullets here. I want to get some more velocity, but I don't go down to the lowest weight bullets here (I want more sectional density). I like the 165grs here, though I can live with the standard 180s.
.45ACP: This is a big, slow bullet that relies on its weight and size. I don't want to go light and lose some momentum. I prefer the medium weight (185gr) or standard weight (230gr) bullets in this caliber.
.38spl and .357mag: It depends, but for general self defense I like the 158 gr. It gives good sectional density and penatration, and with the more radical revolver HP designs that are possible it relies a little less on raw velocity to get expansion.
So as said before, I tend to prefer the weights that are meant to play to the strengths of the calibers, not the weights that seem to try to make them something they aren't (i.e. that seem to try to make them perform like another caliber).
This is not a caliber war. I don't care if you think 9mm is best, .45acp is the only way to go or you like the intermediate calibers. What I want to know is if you prefer the lighter weight bullets or the heavier weight bullets in your chosen caliber and why.
My answer is it varies by caliber. I am comfortable with all the major service calibers, but each one has its own strengths and I like to play to the specific strength of each.
9mm: Its strength is it's velocity. It gets much of its expansion from its high speed. Some people go with the heavy 147gr to get more penatration, but then you lose much of the 9mm's velocity advantage. I prefer the light and medium weight bullets in 9mm to get the most out of its big strength (velocity). I am happy with the lighter 115grs but I usually compromise a little and go with the 124/127gr (you don't lose that much velocity and gain some extra penatration).
.40S&W: I no longer own one, but I don't want the heavier bullets here. I want to get some more velocity, but I don't go down to the lowest weight bullets here (I want more sectional density). I like the 165grs here, though I can live with the standard 180s.
.45ACP: This is a big, slow bullet that relies on its weight and size. I don't want to go light and lose some momentum. I prefer the medium weight (185gr) or standard weight (230gr) bullets in this caliber.
.38spl and .357mag: It depends, but for general self defense I like the 158 gr. It gives good sectional density and penatration, and with the more radical revolver HP designs that are possible it relies a little less on raw velocity to get expansion.
So as said before, I tend to prefer the weights that are meant to play to the strengths of the calibers, not the weights that seem to try to make them something they aren't (i.e. that seem to try to make them perform like another caliber).