I think a lot of people didn't read the first, or any other, posts before voting. Or they wanted to vote in a way to point out that the title wasn't specific enough, somehow expecting full description despite the character limit.Would you guys give a quick sum up of why energy is not the most importaint factor. And what is? Something for the 70% who still read this and vote for energy.
Some people also seem to be confusing velocity with energy. I say this because the 5.7 has been mentioned. Out of the Five Seven, the 5.7x28 doesn't have more muzzle energy than any other service caliber, and a lot less than other rounds coming out of semis or revolvers. It would be pointless to make energy comparisons. The difference is in velocity. So the key difference for many ought to be velocity. Heck, that's what separates rifle and handgun rounds to begin with, along with aerodynamic design for extending range. The difference in energy and momentum comes from velocity, not usually mass. 147 grain 9mm may not strike down all forms of animal life with ease, but it's still heavier than a 130 grain .270.
That's also why I mentioned someone falling on their butt (I thank swype for the 'into' post) Also consider getting hit by my truck. At something like 4400 pounds, that's 30,800,000 grains. Plugging that into a muzzle energy calculator - at around 2 mph it is beating the 5.7 out of a pistol. Yet, if I was pushing my truck and I accidentally bumped you in the chest, there wouldn't be a spike in your blood pressure causing remote hemorrhaging and broken bones.
Energy as a general idea is not the thing, velocity is. It is why hydrostatic shock, cavitation, etc are discussed for long guns. 'Energy' is important when it means that fluids and insides get accelerated beyond what they are designed to handle. If there was a poll asking about the importance of 'energy dump' for arrows, throwing knives, blow darts, melee weapons like daggers, war hammers, etc, then the results would likely not be the same. But there is this idea that bullets is bullets, and it doesn't matter how fast they go because at the 'speed of a bullet' things happen.