Rifles vs. Pistols: The Basics of Terminal Ballistics

For the last 100 years, a great deal of the effort expended in ammo technology has gone toward trying to make pistol bullets act more like rifle bullets. Every few years, a new cartridge or bullet design arrives on the scene, claiming to have gotten us just a little closer to the fabled “pistol with rifle performance.“ Before we try to evaluate these claims, it really helps to have a basic understanding of terminal ballistics. And that starts with understanding why rifles behave like rifles, and pistols behave like pistols. More on terminal ballistics: ? For a deeper dive, check out this classic 1987 video with Dr. Martin Fackler: ? Support our channel. Buy ammo from Lucky Gunner!