Conical For My KY Pistol

[nkbj]

The US Army in the mid 1800's would be the place to start. They figgered out pistol penetration real quick.

 

[FishDFly]

Sounds like a good place to start if you want factual information.

 

[rodwha]

It's pure physics.

But I'll look for an apples to apples comparison, though in the muzzleloading realm a conical certainly out penetrates a RB of the same caliber.

 

[rodwha]

Not necessarily the best place for accurate info, but from wiki:

The sectional density of a projectile can be employed in two area of ballistics. Within external ballistics, when the sectional density of a projectile is divided by its form factor[disambiguation needed] it yields the projectile's ballistic coefficient.[4]

Within terminal ballistics, the sectional density of a projectile is one of the determining factors for projectile penetration. The interaction between projectile (fragments) and target media is however a complex subject. A study regarding hunting bullets shows that besides sectional density several other parameters determine bullet penetration.[5][6][7]

Only if all other factors are equal, the projectile with the greatest amount of sectional density will penetrate the deepest.

So assuming the conical isn't of a HP design it's not hard to conclude it should penetrate deeper unless you use a light powder charge of course, which never was defined from the git go, but was the way I proceeded with it since hunting was mentioned.

 

[rodwha]

"The US Army in the mid 1800's would be the place to start. They figgered out pistol penetration real quick."

"Sounds like a good place to start if you want factual information."

Indeed I'd say it is as it's certainly been spoken of that a RB was ideal against men and a conical against the horses.

 

[rodwha]

From Hornady's site, a leading manufacturer of bullets:

"Generally speaking, the larger a bullet’s sectional density, the deeper it will penetrate."

 

[rodwha]

I'm actually quite surprised that you question it really.

 

[rodwha]

It's the same reason why a pickup truck in an accident does much more damage than a Civic. Mass.

 

[crockett]

So the main reason to use a conical on a percussion pistol is greater sectional density so it drives deeper, in other words if you shoot a wild hog in the front shoulder, both a round ball and a conical may give equal impact in foot pounds but if the round ball stops in the shoulder while the conical ploughs into the lungs- then the conical is better due to sectional density- the whole issue is not just foot pounds.

 

[robinsroost]

I have a Lee mold for modern mini's, that cast a 350 grain slug. That is like sending a freight train. The shape resembles a 148 grain, 357, HB, wadcutter. They are very accurate from a rifle.....Robin

 

[tenngun]

Conical maintain there momentum much better then a ball. Old story. However, prb delivers it's energy to the target faster. Prb losses velocity in a shorter distance because it's giving up energy ot the air. Energy to the target is the aim of a hunting load.

 

[crockett]

Its interesting. A PRB would deliver all of its energy very quickly whereas a conical that "plowed through" a shoulder spreads out the energy.
So, a PRB through the ribs?

 

[azmntman]

Anybody ever try the Hornady PA conical Ball-ette in a KY Pistol? Kinda in between the PRB and the 285 grain (approx) size Great Plains bullet types. I have shot a few in the rifles but never in a pistol.

As they expensive and hard to come by I wanted to see others experience before trying myself.

 

[tenngun]

every deer I ever shot I got a through and through, and a good sized exit wound. However PRB will spend more energy into the target. When a bullet goes through any energy it has is wasted .An advantage to any through shot is a second blood sign dripper, but that won't make for a quicker kill.

 

[nkbj]

Opinion...Alert...Opinion...Alert

With powder powered arms killing power is a matter of the rate of displacement in the intended target area. How well the projectile performs is how it creates disruption within the mechanics of the living body of the animal.
That said, elongated bullets work better far.
Short and more easily accelerated bullets work better close because of the increase in rate of displacement. Round ball is a short bullet. And, it has the added attraction of having a back side that is not worrisome for keeping it perpendicular to the bore like is the problem with other light weight bullet designs suffering from insufficient bullet to barrel alignment.
So, if you're shooting close in, why not use a round ball? Shucks, depending on the engineering on the pistol then why not use two round balls instead of a conical? If you were trying to kill me two balls would worry me more than a long bullet.
Is it built as strong as a rifle?

 

[tenngun]

Any projectal is a machine for transferring the energy of the powder into a target. Its not a 100% trade off. 50% of the energy is spent on recoil, newtons ugly head. But also energy is spent as a flash of light, the heat into the barrel, venting through the vent hole or around the nipple, and blowing the crude out of the muzzle. The loss of velocity happens because the bullet is giving energy up into the air. In a vacume a ball would fall in response to gravity but would maintain its velocity until it hit something. Just as a ball trades off velocity before it hits it trades off,or transfers it energy into the target quicker then a conical.
Shooting a big block of ballistic jell or a thick animal will demonstrate this. A conical will have a deeper penetration, The reason is the energy is staying in the conical, it is maintaining its energy in response to the resistance of the target. A ball is transferring its energy in to the target.
Since the invention of the Minnie, a bullet with better coeffecnt then a ball, bullet designers have been working on ways to maintain the ballistic properties until it hits a thick target, then shed its ballistic properties to create a wound. Silvertips, hollow points, dumb-dumbs ect have all been invented to ruin the balistc co-efficient of the conical. A prb already has crapy balistic perfomance .Poor coeffecent means it gives up its energy better into the target

 

[Capnballhunter]

Yes it is a strongly built pistol. It is basically a Kentucky rifle shortened to pistol size and then sold as a sidearm by the manufacturer. All the lockwork is the same size, barrel is of rifle thickness as is the breech. I hear the stocks on these will crack with stupidly heavy loads but the barrel and whatnot will take a hefty charge.
The manufacturer recommends a maximum charge of 45 grains fffg with either conical or prb.

Personally I have fired quite a few 45 grains loads with round ball. The kick is absurd but pretty fun and I don't believe my stock is in any danger of cracking. I even fired a 330 grain projectile with 45 grains of Pyrodex P behind it. Will be the only time I do that. Seemed to be surpassing the limit of a sensible load....

Its a very accurate pistol, most accurate probably with 32.5 grains fffg and a .490 round ball. That load is deadly on deer for sure just exploring my options...and the ll load of 45 grains with a prb is plenty accurate too.

Capnballhunter

 

[Treestalker]

Cynthia Lee, I know what you mean. Isn't it amazing, Here in the Ark we have to use a conical in a .50 pistol but a prb is ok in a .54 pistol. I'm in agreement with you, Cynthia, about obeying the law, but I wonder if a deer would know the difference. Perhaps there are certain areas of our personal lives where Government By The People should let The People Involved make thier own decision. As it is, I must use a pistol to hunt, so I will follow the law, and work for change, as I know you have. :thumbsup: :hatsoff: Let freedom RING! Cheers, Tree.