Widder, SASS #59054 Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 Our present day Youtube has buku videos showing modern bullet ballistics and performance on denim, clay, etc........ Of course, we are talking .45 colt and 44-40 type ammo from the 1800's. In the Old West, just how much would a regular LEAD bullet penetrate a leather vest and normal shirt? How about a winter buffalo coat, leather vest and shirt? Watching Gunsmoke and Matt gets shot in the back, but apparently the bullet didn't go deep enough to mess up his spine to much. ..........Widder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 Not BP rounds but interesting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 Stopping power of BP vs. Modern Cartridges 44-40 Original Ballistics BTW Slow day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 The 44wcf and 45 Colt rounds even with the nasty black powdah have sufficient velocity and mass to penetrate any period western clothing, including leather vests and heavy coats. The pocket and belly guns in .22–.38 are less efficient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellowhouse Sam # 25171 Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 57 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said: If he'd elevated the muzzle to 12 0'clock and twitched his wrist upon cocking in that position he'd wouldn't have had near the hungup caps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tex Jones, SASS 2263 Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 2 hours ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said: Our present day Youtube has buku videos showing modern bullet ballistics and performance on denim, clay, etc........ Of course, we are talking .45 colt and 44-40 type ammo from the 1800's. In the Old West, just how much would a regular LEAD bullet penetrate a leather vest and normal shirt? How about a winter buffalo coat, leather vest and shirt? Watching Gunsmoke and Matt gets shot in the back, but apparently the bullet didn't go deep enough to mess up his spine to much. ..........Widder Remember, it's the REEL West. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas John Ringo, SASS #10138 Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 You do know the Colt Walker .44 cap & ball revolver was the most powerful Hand gun available until the .44 magnum came out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Harley, #14153 Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 I don’t have the source in front of me, so please forgive if a small detail is slightly off. The 38-40 round uses a 40 caliber bullet that weighs near identical to standard hardball ammo in 40 S&W. Over a full case of BP, the velocities are almost the same too. So except for lead vs jacketed bullet design, shooters in the Old West had the ballistic equivalent of a modern police duty weapon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Rich Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 A Walker loaded with 55 gs of 2f BP and a 457 rb will chronograph at over 1000 fps. kR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 a ricochet might not penetrate as well with pure lead bullets, but mostly it is just hollyweird Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 Not having any in front of me is no biggie .... but most of the "period" accounts I have seen/read relate the 44 Round Ball mostly went through and through. Of course dragging whatever filthy clothing there was along with the Ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Rich Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 I have had a 53 cal RB from a Hawken penetrate 14" of muscle and bone in a mature buffalo bull and retain its total weight. kR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace_of_Hearts Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 On 4/1/2020 at 11:07 AM, Widder, SASS #59054 said: Our present day Youtube has buku videos showing modern bullet ballistics and performance on denim, clay, etc........ Of course, we are talking .45 colt and 44-40 type ammo from the 1800's. In the Old West, just how much would a regular LEAD bullet penetrate a leather vest and normal shirt? How about a winter buffalo coat, leather vest and shirt? Watching Gunsmoke and Matt gets shot in the back, but apparently the bullet didn't go deep enough to mess up his spine to much. ..........Widder Seems to me there was a lot of dead people during the Civil War (The war of northern aggression) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tennessee williams Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 2 hours ago, Ace_of_Hearts said: Seems to me there was a lot of dead people during the Civil War (The war of northern aggression) But most of those folks died from the craps, not bullet wounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Widder, SASS #59054 Posted April 3, 2020 Author Share Posted April 3, 2020 2 hours ago, Ace_of_Hearts said: Seems to me there was a lot of dead people during the Civil War (The war of northern aggression) 1 minute ago, Tennessee williams said: But most of those folks died from the craps, not bullet wounds. I think if you look at death statistics for the War of Northern Aggression, for every 3 soldiers that died of 'lead poisoning', 5 more died of disease, such as dysentery and diarrhea. (ref: William Fox & Thomas Livermore, 1889 study 'Battlefield.org'. ..........Widder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassnetguy50 Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 On 4/1/2020 at 1:07 PM, Widder, SASS #59054 said: Our present day Youtube has buku videos showing modern bullet ballistics and performance on denim, clay, etc........ Of course, we are talking .45 colt and 44-40 type ammo from the 1800's. In the Old West, just how much would a regular LEAD bullet penetrate a leather vest and normal shirt? How about a winter buffalo coat, leather vest and shirt? Watching Gunsmoke and Matt gets shot in the back, but apparently the bullet didn't go deep enough to mess up his spine to much. ..........Widder They can’t kill off the star of the series. I believe it is possible. How good was the quality control on the powder manufacturing, ammunition manufacturing (charge and crimp), ammunition storage by the outlaw? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cumberland Mtn John SASS#40593 Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 I have seen several old autopsy photos from the old west showing where people were shot many times before they expired and the bodies showed many bullets just under the skin. They evidently were shot a lot and still had fight left in them before the fatal shot. CMJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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