I have been reading around on this site and it seems many here don't like the Taylor KO Factor. I am curious why. I find it to be a much better number for comparing cartridges than energy. It takes the diameter of the bullet into account as well as the speed and weight. While it can't factor in bullet expansion or penetration it is a lot simpler than memorizing ballistic gel patterns.
I see many saying stuff like "It was developed for head shots on elephants" or something like that. Why does it mater how it was developed? The math seems to make since to me. For example if you compare a 45-70 to a .243:
45-70 at 100 yards
350g @ 1489 fps has 1723 ft/lbs of energy but has a KO of 34.1
.243 at 100 yards
100g @ 2788 fps has 1726 ft/lbs of energy but has a KO of 9.7
So does this not make since that a 45-70 would be 3 times as effective at 100 yards at bringing something down as a .243? The .243 has the same energy but even though the bullet is traveling twice as fast it is only 1/3 as heavy. If the .243 expands to twice its size it is then the same size as the non expanded 45-70. Sure seems to me that the 45-70 would be 3 times as powerful even though they have the same energy.
Now I know that bullet construction and shot placement are huge factors that can't be ignored in making a clean kill. But it sure seems that the Taylor KO comes closer to letting math approximate a clean kill.
I see many saying stuff like "It was developed for head shots on elephants" or something like that. Why does it mater how it was developed? The math seems to make since to me. For example if you compare a 45-70 to a .243:
45-70 at 100 yards
350g @ 1489 fps has 1723 ft/lbs of energy but has a KO of 34.1
.243 at 100 yards
100g @ 2788 fps has 1726 ft/lbs of energy but has a KO of 9.7
So does this not make since that a 45-70 would be 3 times as effective at 100 yards at bringing something down as a .243? The .243 has the same energy but even though the bullet is traveling twice as fast it is only 1/3 as heavy. If the .243 expands to twice its size it is then the same size as the non expanded 45-70. Sure seems to me that the 45-70 would be 3 times as powerful even though they have the same energy.
Now I know that bullet construction and shot placement are huge factors that can't be ignored in making a clean kill. But it sure seems that the Taylor KO comes closer to letting math approximate a clean kill.