I dont know, if someone hit me over the head with a full sized Colt 1911, I think it would knock me down!!txinvestigator wrote: <snip> Handguns don't have "knockdown power".
Seriously, I am of the school that ft. lbs. of energy is an important aspect of a handgun load. Others believe the expansion of the bullet and depth penetration are the key. Others think velocity. It probably boils down to a combination of all of the above. The most important, as TXI said, is shot placement. If you don't hit a vital area, then you are probably not going to stop them as quickly, no matter what caliber and load you are using.