PreserveFreedom
40 Cal.
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2011
- Messages
- 206
- Reaction score
- 3
I have often wondered how a cap and ball revolver would measure up to a modern cartridge handgun for defense. Today I did some testing so I could stop wondering. I don't have any ballistic gel so I used 2-liter bottles filled with water to give a rough measurement of penetration.
First I compared 36 cal with 20 grains of Pyrodex P behind it compared to 38 spl, 158gr LRN. The 36 cal penetrated into the 3rd bottle and the 38 penetrated into the 5th.
Then I compared 44 cal with 20 grains of Pyrodex P behind it to 45ACP, 230gr FMJ. The 44 penetrated into the 3rd bottle and the 45 penetrated into the 6th bottle.
What I found strange is that none of the projectiles from the above tests were recovered. All I can think of is maybe as they penetrated the last bottle the curve of the bottle deflected the slowed round to the side, not allowing it to actually enter its final bottle.
I did one last test, since some have mentioned using 2F in a pistol. I loaded the 44 up with 20 grains of 2F BP. It penetrated into the 3rd bottle, just like the Pyrodex P tests did. As a bonus though, this one ball actually entered the 3rd bottle after piercing the plastic. This allowed me to recover a nice unsmashed lead ball.
You can see the perfect marks made by the rifling and if you notice a small ring slightly in front of those marks, that is where the ramrod shoved the ball into the chamber. Part of me wants to keep it for a conversation piece and part of me wants to put a patch around it and see if it will fire out of a .45 cal rifle.
About the testing though...
The cap and ball revolvers did penetrate less than their modern cartridge arms. However, I have no doubt that they would still do the job in a defense situation. A bonus of the cap and ball revolver is that the balls should be made out of pure lead, not an alloy. If so, the lead should deform in the body, especially if it hits a bone, and create a wicked wound cavity.
I hope that my testing was useful to you. Feedback is welcomed.
First I compared 36 cal with 20 grains of Pyrodex P behind it compared to 38 spl, 158gr LRN. The 36 cal penetrated into the 3rd bottle and the 38 penetrated into the 5th.
Then I compared 44 cal with 20 grains of Pyrodex P behind it to 45ACP, 230gr FMJ. The 44 penetrated into the 3rd bottle and the 45 penetrated into the 6th bottle.
What I found strange is that none of the projectiles from the above tests were recovered. All I can think of is maybe as they penetrated the last bottle the curve of the bottle deflected the slowed round to the side, not allowing it to actually enter its final bottle.
I did one last test, since some have mentioned using 2F in a pistol. I loaded the 44 up with 20 grains of 2F BP. It penetrated into the 3rd bottle, just like the Pyrodex P tests did. As a bonus though, this one ball actually entered the 3rd bottle after piercing the plastic. This allowed me to recover a nice unsmashed lead ball.
You can see the perfect marks made by the rifling and if you notice a small ring slightly in front of those marks, that is where the ramrod shoved the ball into the chamber. Part of me wants to keep it for a conversation piece and part of me wants to put a patch around it and see if it will fire out of a .45 cal rifle.
About the testing though...
The cap and ball revolvers did penetrate less than their modern cartridge arms. However, I have no doubt that they would still do the job in a defense situation. A bonus of the cap and ball revolver is that the balls should be made out of pure lead, not an alloy. If so, the lead should deform in the body, especially if it hits a bone, and create a wicked wound cavity.
I hope that my testing was useful to you. Feedback is welcomed.