[marktwain]

All of those assassinations and hog killings are at point blank range.

Yes.

However, the bullet has almost the same energy at 50 feet as it does at the muzzle.

Subsonic ammunition does not lose energy very fast. Starting at 850 fps, it has lost 19 fps at 50 feet, and dropped from 65 foot pounds to 61 foot pounds of energy.

Groups of less than an inch with .22 ammo at 50 feet are not uncommon.

Here is a test through four layers of denim, then bone and "wet pack" to simulate flesh.

This is with a short 2 inch barrel.

[GingisK]

Fifty feet is a long shot for a pistol. A short barrel exacerbates that problem. Of course, a hit with that weapon could easily prove fatal. Bleeding out slowly or dying of infection are just as dead as having a heart shredded by something larger and faster.