It is a bigger hammer -- period.
Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't, period. It's not universal. There is a lot of overlap and like I said, you have to look at individual bullets.
For example:
355gr .44 at 1130fps - TKO - 24.6, meplat .340"
360gr .45 at 1060fps - TKO - 24.6, meplat .355"
Same TKO score. The .45's meplat is only 0.015" larger but the .44 penetrated deeper in our tests. IMHO, these differences add up to angels dancing on a pinhead.
Another example:
310gr .44 at 1314fps - TKO - 25.0, meplat .370"
335gr .45 at 1225fps - TKO - 26.5, meplat .345"
Sectional density is comparable. The .45 penetrated an inch deeper but the .44 has a significantly larger meplat. In that comparison, despite a lower TKO score, the .44 is effectively "bigger".
In 300-330gr LFN's, the meplats are all the same. Yet the .44 penetrated deeper.
So I have to say, I don't see how anyone can honestly say that the .45 is "a bigger hammer - period". The two are neck and neck no matter how you look at it.
