Paul L Mohr

Actually because the bullet is smaller and has less frontal area it exerts less force than the rifle would. A bullet actaully sheds off energy as it travels through a target rather than hitting it and applying all its force at once. Not to mention the bullet has already traveled a distance where it will also dissipate both speed and energy.

And since the bullet weighs much less it has much less momentum than the rifle did at the shot. And momentum is actually what will move an object in a straight line away from the impact.

Bullets kill by hydrodynamic shock to a viscous medium. This is a result of velocity and bullet expansion. Or a bullet with a large frontal area will do the same thing. This is what causes the wound channel. The larger the wound channel the more effective the round. This is called Stopping Power in most cases. Not knock down power, but they are often confused. It is very possible for a lighter bullet to work better than a heavier one. If that bullet had better expansion and more velocity it could cause a larger wound channel. Of course if it expands too fast it will lack penitration. Hence the Controled Expansion bullets that are so popular on large game now.

And a one shot stop or having the animal drop on the spot is never a given regardless of what cartridge you use.

Paul