... and pass the ammuntion ...

I was cleaning out my office and came across some old handgun ammo, so I thought I'd put up a comparison vis a vis size and shape of a few assorted kinds. Not anywhere near complete, there are many others, but a few representative calibers for writers who might find it useful.

From left to right: 1) .22 LR (Long Rifle) lead bullet; 2) .32 auto, lead; 3) .32 Long Colt, lead; 4) 9mm semi-jacketed -- lead with copper or brass over it; 5) .38 Special, semi-jacketed hollow point; 6) .357 Magnum, semi-jacketed hollow point; 7) .45 Colt ACP, full metal jacket, aka "hardball;" 8) .500 Maximum, lead bullet.

While there are some bottlenecked rounds for handguns that are slightly smaller than the .22, the .500 Max is, as I understand it, the largest production diameter round allowed by law for current civilian handguns.

Any of these bullets (which is the top bit and not the whole round, which consists of several parts -- bullet, gunpowder, cartridge, primer) will do the job, properly placed, but with some, the placement must be precise, while others, there is considerable wiggle room.

The .22 is good for squirrels. The .500 Max will stop a charging Kodiak bear. The others fall somewhere in between for efficacy.