I have noticed something that may or may not be a legitimate observation. It seems that ballistic data suggests that barrel length has one Heck of an affect in terminal performance of handgun bullets.
Barrel length usually has a significant effect on velocity, but actual terminal performance is a far more complex subject. I think that your observations are legitimate, though.
Am I missing something, or is this the most overlooked aspect of handgun effectiveness, aside from shot placement of course.
I don't think that shot placement is overlooked at all, especially here on this forum. I also think that most people here are well aware that shorter barrels can make a difference, and take this into account whenever necessary for a particular topic, although it does seem that the extent of certain cases, such as the ones you've brought up, is frequently overlooked when comparing calibers.
I have a good friend who thinks that his 3" 1911 and 2" 357 will kill brontosauruses but someone wielding a lowly 9mm had better be prepared to bring a lunch.
Based on this, he does seem overly focused on cartridge type rather than actual ballistic and terminal performance.
I carry a S&W M&P 40c, and I am aware that the .40 s&w is less effective from my short barrel but in my reading, it seems as though the higher pressure rounds fare a bit better from less run way.
Generating gas more quickly does provide a performance advantage at shorter barrel lengths, for what should be obvious, intuitive reasons.
So what gives? A 9mm glock 19 seems to throw about the same size bullet about the same speed as a 357 snubby, right? Perhaps I am really missing a vital piece of the puzzle, and I'm not speaking rhetorically.
If you're missing something, then I don't see it, either. People often make assumptions without looking at the actual numbers (not that *I've* ever done that
), especially when they're biased toward certain calibers for whatever reasons. In terms of external ballistics, you have a point.
As for terminal effectiveness, however, additional factors must be taken into account, such as bullet construction. It is possible that a bullet that is designed for use in a 4" .357 Magnum revolver will behave differently from a bullet that is designed for use in a 9mm semiauto, even when both have the same mass and velocity due to the specific handguns selected (and one may be more effective on some targets, while the other is more effective on other targets). Details like this are sometimes discussed in handgun/ammo recommendation threads.