[jcchartboy]

Shot placement being equal, can I assume that the 12 ga. by virtue of it's size would do more damage and after the larger 12 ga. slug expands it might do much more damage, thereby being more effective?

They only real facts that we know really are quite simple...each bullet although equal in terms of energy...will leave very different types of wound channels.

The 12ga would be less likely to pass through, and more likely to cause large amounts of internal damage. On the other hand the 20ga is more likely to pass though and less likely to cause a great deal of internal damage.

Personally, I believe the 12ga would be a much better projectile at that distance. The reason is simple, at 100yds you don't want a deer running off a greater distance and having to follow a bloodtrail. The ideal scenario is one where the deer is dropped with the first shot. The more internal damage that occurs, the more likely an animal is to drop on the first shot. That means to me..the 12ga would be the prefered projectile.

 

[jcchartboy]

The 12ga would be less likely to pass through, and more likely to cause large amounts of internal damage. On the other hand the 20ga is more likely to pass though and less likely to cause a great deal of internal damage.

I think you have it backwards..
Mac

Sorry Mac...

It looks like you are letting your personal experiences cloud your thoughts concerning the ballistics discussion that was occurring.

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As I understand it, the original discussion centered around the ft/lbs of energy. Very simply the author wanted to know the likely effect of two similar scenarios.

#1). a heavy blunt object moving relatively slowly...
#2). a sharper lighter object moving faster...

In both cases the projectiles are carrying identical amounts of energy...what are the potential effects of each projectile?

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MAC,

Which projectile do you think will penetrate deeper, and which do think will leave a wider path of destruction?

Remember, they both have the same amount of energy to expend, it can only be spent vertically,(penetration) or horizontally, (damage).

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(put another way..going back to the actual original question)

"But what I really want to know is if there's a substantial difference in the damage done between a 260 gr. and a 438 gr slug when the energy of the two are virtually the same? "

The question centers around the wound cavity. Which bullet is likely to leave to leave a longer, thinner wound channel, and which bullet is more likely to leave a shorter, wider channel?


JC