Apples to Apples

Recently, our beclownéd Vice President said:
If you need more than 10 rounds to hunt, and some argue they hunt with that many rounds, you shouldn't be hunting. If you can't get the deer in 3 shots, you shouldn't be hunting. You are an embarrassment.
Now, while the proper protocol with Slow Joe would normally be to back away slowly without making eye contact, I'm reminded of stopped clocks.  I mean, the man has an obviously... unique... mind, as  you can tell from his other firearms related advice.  Still, lets look at his advice analytically.

First of all, JoeJoe's talking about hunting. Based on my own experience, I have to say that I think he's at least partially correct.  A friend of mine is fond of saying, "One shot - deer.  Two shots - maybe deer.  Three shots - no deer."  If you're throwing more than three shots at any individual deer, you're not hunting, you're flinging lead and praying.

Of course, when I go out, I take more than three shells, mind you.  Apparently, that makes me a crappy hunter.  The internal magazine on my Savage can take 5 shells, which is what it gets whenever I head out, because - get this crazy idea! - I may end up taking a shot at more than one deer.

Shocking, I know.

On top of that, I've got a pocket full of shells as well, because walking back to the house every three shots would stink.  If I had, say, an external magazine, I might pre-load them and carry a couple, even for something as relatively straightforward as hunting deer.  Which, I would like to point out, only very rarely shoot back [1], and are generally lacking in terms of claws, fangs, and the desire to consume the living flesh of other creatures.

Were I hunting something other than a herbivore inclined to run for the hills as soon as it saw me, I might - just might, mind you - appreciate having a few more shells in a magazine.

But I digress.  Let's say we're willing to entertain the advice of a mentally confused old man who's incapable of counting past three, or a Democratic Vice President [2], and let's limit ourselves to three rounds.   For me, that means three rounds of .308 Winchester (165 gr, 11 g), which is what I use for deer hunting [3].  Taking a look at the above referenced Wikipedia entry, I can see that a .308 bullet is capable of imparting 3,621 joules of energy to a target.

Yes, Virgina - guns are kinetic energy weapons.  We've been living in the future for almost a millennium.  Who knew?

Back to the point.  Given the three .308 shells that our Somewhat Esteemed Veep has graciously allowed me, horrible shot that I am, that gives me the ability to put 3 x 3,621 = 10,863 joules on target.

So, Sloppy Joe and his besties think that having that much firepower in my hands is A-OK.

Now, follow me here.  A 9mm Parabellum round(115 gr, 7.45 g) is what I use in my handgun.  Again, looking a the Wikipedia entry, I can see that a 9mm bullet is capable of imparting 570 joules of energy to a target.

Now, hang on to your hat, Joe, because I'm going to do a fancy little trick I like to call math:

  •   Three .308 bullets can put 10,863 joules of energy on target.
  •   One 9mm bullet can put 570 joules of energy on target.
  •   And 10,863/570 = 19.

Nineteen.

That's the how many 9mm shells you need to meet that same level of A-OK firepower.

By The Veep's reckoning, then, I shouldn't need more than a 19-round magazine in my semi-auto pistol.  Let's just make it a nice, even 20 rounds, and call it a day.

Except... remember, my rifle actually holds 5 shells.  Because, you know, I might be shooting at more than one deer.  Kind of like how, if I'm defending myself during a home invasion, I might find myself dealing with more than one assailant.

Shocking, I know.

So really, that's more like a 30-round magazine.  Actually, multiple magazines - one in the pistol, and a couple of spares.

Yeah, that sounds good to me.  And you can tell all your gun grabbing friends that it's even Joe Biden Endorsed (TM)!

[1] Unless you're hunting in certain areas around the Castle, in which case, all bets are off.
[2] But I repeat myself.
[3] Outside of Allegheny County, that is.  We have to use rifled shotguns and slugs on our own property, which blows.

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