Most EFFICIENT handgun caliber?

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There is no point in efficiency if it does not to the job. For example my Mazda gets 42mpg but I am not pulling my boat with it! It would be neither safe nor efficient when put to that task. When it comes to self defense pistol cartrages life begins at 9mm which is a superbly efficient cartrage. My self defense load is a hefty 147gr XTP propelled by only 4.7gr of Longshot powder it squeezes out just over 1000fps.
I get more impressive numbers from the 40 S&W for sure but I am burning nearly twice the powder to do so.
 
PHP:
Clark said:
In power supply design, the Greek symbol Eta in lower case is used to represent efficiency:
η
We spend a lot of time calculating it and never do much to improve it.

η = power out / power in

But for a cartridge is would be

η = kinetic energy out / chemical energy in


My 50CB wild cat can do 798 fps 186 gr .500" round soft lead ball squished 2.8 gr Red Dot, WLP, wax, air, adjusted doubled ended double press die.

η = 263 foot pounds / 2.8 gr powder = 94 foot pounds per grain

The reason I was striving for so much efficiency was to get the noise down. 798 fps is the most I can get out of it and still sound like a pellet gun. And it did get me making my own dies which has worked out for a number of other projects.
Click to expand...
That's pretty cool! What's the original source 4 the brass?
 
I've always considered the .44Spl and .45ACP to be very efficient. Unlike cartridges like the .357Mag and 9mm, the big bores do not need a lot of pressure or velocity to be effective. The ACP makes far better use of its capacity than the cavernous .45Colt. The .44Spl is much more useful than the .44Mag for most purposes. In mid-frame guns like the Colt SAA, it'll do everything the .45Colt will with less powder a greater safety margin.
 
Seems like a lot of posers have effeciency mixed up with versitility. How do you measure effeciency? Most energy to the target per charge of powder? Effecient as best preformance per dollar? :confused:
 
I think it may be 40 S&W when looking at service cartridges. When looking at W231, it takes about 5.0 grains to drive a 180 grain bullet around 950 fps. It takes 6.0 grains to achieve 900 fps with a 185 grain bullet in 45 ACP. Whereas for 9mm, it takes 4.8 grains to get 1080 fps when using only a 125 grain bullet.

I know you didn't want math, but it looks like 40 S&W does a pretty good job efficiency wise when looking at service cartridges.
 
My vote is for the 44 mag and my choice for Dilivery would be a Thompson Contender.
From mild to wild or mice to Moose it will get the job done.
As for powder several will work from fast burners for mild and slower for the wild.
 
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I would have to say that for pistols, 9mm would be my opinion of efficient.

I would have to say the .223 as well (contender with pistol grip. A buddy in the military and I used to shoot .223 with his contender all the time at cactus and jack rabbits in West Texas) For a small bullet, it can pack a punch.
 
Sorry, but I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all answer.

The most efficient is the one YOU prefer & will practice with!

The gun I think is most efficient, you may not like.
And the only gun worth anything is one YOU will practice with.
 
Seems like a lot of posers have effeciency mixed up with versitility. How do you measure effeciency? Most energy to the target per charge of powder? Effecient as best preformance per dollar?
Click to expand...

Most velocity for powder use, which can be affected by best use of case space. This, in theory, offers the best impact/terminal effect given recoil.

I focus on recoil largely because it generally determines the weight of your platform you can accurately shoot with (which, IMO, lighter-is-better for most general situations. Even in BR, a lighter-kicking caliber will still put the hole in the paper, and with less jostling to the shooter at the starting line)


To recap:
The "most efficient for harvesting X game" isn't necessarily being focused on, as a well placed 6.5 Grendel HAS dropped bison, and I'm sure there's more than one 1st-year deer out there that's either rotting or seriously wounded from a poorly-aimed .300WM that some 1st-year yahoo figured would be "most efficient" for deer.

With a well-placed shot (which is more easily accomplished with less recoil) the 6.5x55 or .308 CAN BE as effective as even the great .30-06, with a lot less resources used and recoil given (given, of course, use of a quality bullet).

THUS: 9mmP really seems to take it, and .45 Auto isn't too far off either.
 
I know this might create a bit of controversy, but if the 45acp is considered a possible second to 9mm in terms of efficiency based on case capacity, powder volume, bullet weight and velocity, I will have to put my vote in for 45gap over 45acp. Given the same bullet weight (up to 200gr) it takes me between .5 and .9 grains less powder in the 45gap to match the velocity of the same bullet in 45acp (depending on powder type, bullet weight, and desired velocity). I tested 45acp, 45gap and 45colt with the same bullets, same powder, and same goal velocity using a chrono to verify the results. 45gap was the most efficient while 45colt obviously has the most flexibility.

I'm not commenting on the versatility, availability, or platform options of the 45gap cartridge, but it definitely gives equal velocity for less powder with the lower weight bullets. By the way, it also works well with hardcast bullets up to 255gr. The velocity potential starts to drop as you get above 225gr in bullet weight, but a 255gr keith-style swc at 800 fps is nothing to sneeze at.

Before you pounce on me for mentioning this cartridge, let it be know I much prefer the 40s&w and the 45colt cartridges to any others.
 
Taking the wallet into consideration I would say the most efficient are the 9MM Luger and .22 rimfire. That's why they are 85% of my hand gunning.
 
I see it as how much power you can develop with the smallest case (brass size)
Or at least no wasted space....

The old cartridges like the 45 colt have huge case sizes because they were developed for black powder.

The 9mm Luger is fairly good, as is the 40 S&W cartridge.
While I have not played with it much, I think the newish 327 Federal might be a contender.

The 500 S&W could also be considered since it delivers the power of old hunting rifles in a pistol size case.

The old 7.65mm Mauser (from the C-96 broom handle pistols) and the nearly identical Soviet cartridge are also pretty hot for their case sizes.
 
9mm easily over the 45acp because it operates at a higher pressure. 40 S&W should be right up there too. Rimfires run at too low a pressure to compete.
 
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