Short barrel performance

[Karate]

I have a question that I've been pondering for a couple of weeks now

which one of the following four calibers would perform best out of a short barrel handgun

32 acp
38 spl
380
9mm

I'm talking pocket size small...maybe derringer size handgun
I thinking maybe 380
thanks

 

[savanahsdad]

380, thats my pick for pocket size they make them nice and small, a 9mm that small would just be a bigger bang

 

[R.W.Dale]

In short barrels the chamber pressure is what sets the performance.

9mm will vastly outpace the other calibers listed purely as a function of being loaded to 35k psi vs 20k for the others


Cue the folks to start posting links to $40 a box Buffalo bore overloads loaded to? ???? chamber pressures and start touting them as representative of standard 38spl

 

[firesky101]

Rw nailed If. Compared to many cartridges 9mm is extremely efficient in short barrels.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I own a few .38 Special Derringers and have fired a .380 Derringer. The .38 Special hita a lot harder on the target than the 380 but that's to be expected since it fires a heavier bullet.

 

[savanahsdad]

right but he wants something that fits in a pocket , so I'm guessing he is talking a 2"barrel. as for knock down power , yep the 9mm is what I'd go with too in a 3"or 4" barrel but not a small pocket gun

 

[R.W.Dale]

right but he wants something that fits in a pocket , so I'm guessing he is talking a 2"barrel. as for knock down power , yep the 9mm is what I'd go with too in a 3"or 4" barrel but not a small pocket gun

He just asked about performance. Not if the gun in question is shootable.

I honestly don't think it matters much as IMO a derringer ranks slightly below dull knife in terms of SD usefulness. Its a gun you use like a knife that only works twice. BRILLIANT!

 

[savanahsdad]

I missed the Dirringer part I was thinking pocket sized like a p238 or a Braco , as for a dirringer , get a 357 and hang on !!!!

 

[jmr40]

9mm

http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/calibers.html

From short barrels it even outperforms 357 mag.

 

[Karate]

I agree a derringer is way ;ow on the SD scale....I have several small auto
238/PF9/BG380 ec...for kicks I added a derringer with the above mentioned barrel set...so I just got to thinking...thanks for the replies

 

[M-Cameron]

i suppose it also depends on what you mean by "performance"

in terms of shear power, 9mm wins hands down.

if you are talking in terms of 'shootability'.....a 9mm out of a small gun is quite snappy, so that would probably go to one of the lower power calibers like the .32 or the .380


where it gets interesting is when you want to find a balance between power and shootability.