Thread: SECTIONAL DENSITY

Originally Posted by JWB

Sectional Density - A Practical Joke?
Terminal performance is a highly complex subject and an interaction of a multitude of factors. The closest one could probably come to a single factor for gauging terminal performance, is Momentum/Cross Sectional Area (Mo/XSA) and then only if the numbers are tempered with bullet shape, bullet construction and the effect of speed induced stagnation pressure.

The bottom line is that, choosing between two bullets based purely on sectional density, is as foolish as choosing a bullet based on the colour of the packaging.

Gerard Schultz

Well no more than E=mc2 is a joke?

As professor @Gibo said SD = M/A so we are only missing velocity as the final factor to form Gerard Schultz's magic Mo/XSA which is limited by how much powder you can get behind the bullet and the length of your barrel.

Obviously bullet construction has a significant impact on how the bullet reacts on impact but SD will affect bullet penetration.