The Firearm Blog by Nathaniel F 12/10/2014
It’s not commonly remembered in today’s world of .22 caliber infantry rifles that once upon a time .30″ was “small caliberâ€, and with that came all of the doubts an questions about wounding and killing power of such small bullets. LooseRounds has posted an 1891* article by the New York Times, entitled
http://looserounds.com/2014/10/17/what-are-they-good-for/ Speculation As To The Value of Small-Calibre Piecesâ€, expressing such concern about the effectiveness of the new miniature ammunition:
"In further comment, Captain Surgeon Marsh points out that, inasmuch as the resisting surface offered to the fact of a small-calibre bullet has been thus reduced, the ball penetrates and passes through the tissues without having expended much of its energy in their destruction. Its track is so narrow that there is practically no destruction of substance in its path. Such a ball might pass through a large joint without touching the bones, or between the two bones of the forearm or leg without injuring them in the slightest, thus producing nothing more than a simple flesh wound, not grave enough to place the wounded man hors de combat.
A larger calibre ball, say of the Martini type, .45 calibre, striking in similar situations would inevitably shock the system and shatter the bones to such an extent as totally to disable the soldier for many months, if not for life. In adopting a lighter and smaller calibre ball there is sacrified to a great extent the stopping power and shock possessed by the larger missiles. Impart shot produced by the magazine bullet is also further mitigated by the fineness or sharpness of the missle’s point. Then, too passage through the tissues of the body is further facilitated by the rapid rotary movement around its long exist which is the property of all moving rifle bullets. This rotation aids in screwing the point onward and facilitates the penetration of a moderately resisting substance.
More:
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2014/12/10/small-caliber-rounds-what-are-they-good-for/
