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Do any homemade penetration testing?

Tom396

Tom396

.30-06
I see quite a bit of pattern testing here. I was wondering if any of you do your own penetration testing as well? What stuff do you shoot at? Wood? Water jugs?

I recently decided to try ice. I froze some two liter bottles and set them out at 7 yards. Buckshot tore the plastic bottle to shreds and broke the ice into drink sized cubes. The #6 birdshot left many holes in the plastic bottle, but penetration was an inch or less. In fact, some of the birdshot appeared to actually bounce off the ice. It chipped off some very small pieces, in places, but never threatened to actually fracture the bulk of the ice. I enjoyed doing it more than just shooting water filled jugs. Take care. Tom Worthington.
 
oli700 said:
sounds like you been having some fun
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Yep, sounds like fun!

I think you touch on somethin here. You mention the b[youtube][/youtube]uck vs birdshot bein fired into the same medium. I think that aspect is as important as anything. It may not be scientific, but it is at least a means of seein the differences between the two and how each affect the target. Its a clear distinction. Does that make sense?

I've fired buckshot through wood and drywall at different ranges, but not side x side with birdshot. Wish I had.
 
Decided to go "a little farther" today. There is bird shot and then there is bird shot. This time, I wanted to try some much tougher stuff. I loaded up with 3" Winchester #1 shot. A far cry from the 7.5 shot 2 3/4" shells I used last time. My target was a 1 gallon milk jug, frozen solid. The 3" #1 (bird, not buck) shot kicks harder than a 00 2 3/4 shell, in my opinion. I fired from ten yards. The jug was penetrated, but the ice wasn't all that bad. I was surprised. It made some neat "snow" out of the first inch or so of ice, but didn't break up the bulk of it. Six rounds later, the bulk of it was still hanging in there. Again at ten yards, ONE round of #1 buck from a 2 3/4 shell changed all that. Biggest intact chunk was about 3" in diameter...I probably could have fit it into a large drinking glass. I'm still trying to think up some more stuff to penetrate. Take care. Tom Worthington.
 
Tom396 said:
I probably could have fit it into a large drinking glass. I'm still trying to think up some more stuff to penetrate.
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Now it's on to hardcover books. :D At ten yards, #6 bird shot penetrated the front cover and through to about page #200. 00 buckshot penetrated the front cover, all 550 pages, the back cover, and only stopped when it met my 1/4" steel backstop. ;) More fun than just poking holes in paper. Take care. Tom Worthington.
 
Did some more backwoods penetration (no, not the Deliverance type) testing today. I was kinda hoping to add some more anecdotal data to the home defense load discussion.

I was shooting at a string of 2" x 6" boards I had hanging from some cables. Three four foot lengths, 6" in width, formed a 4' x 1 1/2' target. Single 2" thickness. I made all my shots from a measured 10 yards.

First I shot my Mossberg Plinkster at it with Winchester Wildcat .22LR round nose 40 grain 1255 fps rounds. Every one went through the target. I was impressed that the .22 would do that.

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Next, I shot my 20" barrel 12 gauge Maverick at it. I used Winchester 3 inch 1400 fps 1 1/4 oz. #1 steel shot (not #1 buckshot). I had a few of these shells left, and felt they represented a pretty stout wallop from any sort of bird load. They definitely recoil harder than 2 3/4" 00 buckshot rounds. I was genuinely surprised at the results. The heavy birdshot definitely did not penetrate through and, in fact, seemed to only go about 1/4" into the wood.

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Lastly I shot a couple of PMC low recoil 2 3/4" 00 buckshot rounds that passed through the target.

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Does this mean anything? I don't really know. It does seem as though the heavy bird shot would be marginal for stopping a highly motivated 2x6 though. :D Take care. Tom Worthington.
 
The inevitable and ongoing race between armor and armament. You get a tougher skin, I'll invent a better penetrator, and vice versa.

"Fixed fortifications are monuments to man's stupidity." G. Patton
 
Recently discovered that you can make ballistics gel cheap at home. Have made some and shot at it using various brands of ammo.
 
Tom396 said:
Next, I shot my 20" barrel 12 gauge Maverick at it. I used Winchester 3 inch 1400 fps 1 1/4 oz. #1 steel shot (not #1 buckshot). I had a few of these shells left, and felt they represented a pretty stout wallop from any sort of bird load. They definitely recoil harder than 2 3/4" 00 buckshot rounds. I was genuinely surprised at the results. The heavy birdshot definitely did not penetrate through and, in fact, seemed to only go about 1/4" into the wood.

36193-DEFAULT-S.jpg


Does this mean anything? I don't really know. It does seem as though the heavy bird shot would be marginal for stopping a highly motivated 2x6 though. :D Take care. Tom Worthington.
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Thank you Tom. You just saved me $12.99 as I was planning to test 3" steel #1 birdshot on milk jugs at 20' and 100' for penetration. Did it look like any of the steel shot "bounced" off of the wood since it is less elastic than lead?

Looks like 2 3/4" lead or heavier BB sized Coyote shot will be the smallest I will be range testing for HD. Any recommendations for a low recoil shell with BB shot? Just look for lower than 1200fps, 1100fps or less?
 
I've done tests on 5 milk jugs lined up touching in a row full of water (unfrozen) using .223, 7.62x39 and 6.8 spc.

The 6.8 had the flattest trajectory through all 5 jugs. It punched through all 5 in relatively a straight line. Probably due to having more velocity than the x39 round. the 6.8 also broke the tabletop where the jugs were sitting from the shockwave.

The 7.62x39 had a more violent tumbling affect and went through all 5 jugs in a rainbow arc trajectory.

the 223 penetrated 2 jugs. Some fragments were recovered in the 3rd where it stopped.

It's been a while so not the best video quality by todays standards, but the results are there nonetheless.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeL-91XIopk[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=100iV8uON-c[/youtube]
 
Mykhael said:
Recently discovered that you can make ballistics gel cheap at home. Have made some and shot at it using various brands of ammo.
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While shooting gel will give some very limited info about projectile performance, don't make the mistake of thinking that gel is anything more than a standardized test for comparative purposes. Gel does not simulate penetration or bullet path in a animal. For starters, flesh is not consistent density. Working from the outside in, you've got hair (or clothing), and various thicknesses, densities, and locations of skin, fat, muscle, tendons, organs, and bone. All of which will determine path, expansion, fragmentation, and penetration. The instant a projectile contacts the target, all bets are off.
 
Nick Burkhardt said:
Thank you Tom. You just saved me $12.99 as I was planning to test 3" steel #1 birdshot on milk jugs at 20' and 100' for penetration. Did it look like any of the steel shot "bounced" off of the wood since it is less elastic than lead?

Looks like 2 3/4" lead or heavier BB sized Coyote shot will be the smallest I will be range testing for HD. Any recommendations for a low recoil shell with BB shot? Just look for lower than 1200fps, 1100fps or less?
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I didn't see any evidence of the shot bouncing off. If BB shot is available in 2 3/4 shells, I suspect that would have a significant recoil reduction over the 3" ones. Don't believe I've seen 2.75" BB loads though. Take care. Tom Worthington.
 
John A. said:
I've done tests on 5 milk jugs lined up touching in a row full of water (unfrozen) using .223, 7.62x39 and 6.8 spc.

The 6.8 had the flattest trajectory through all 5 jugs. It punched through all 5 in relatively a straight line. Probably due to having more velocity than the x39 round. the 6.8 also broke the tabletop where the jugs were sitting from the shockwave.

The 7.62x39 had a more violent tumbling affect and went through all 5 jugs in a rainbow arc trajectory.

the 223 penetrated 2 jugs. Some fragments were recovered in the 3rd where it stopped.

It's been a while so not the best video quality by todays standards, but the results are there nonetheless.


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeL-91XIopk[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=100iV8uON-c[/youtube]
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It’s hard to beat grainage when it comes to penetration......the first vid was privatized so I can’t seethe 6.8 it but was that the 223 and the 7.62 both FMJ's ?

Would be cool to see what the M855 5.56 would do next to the 7.62. I have been really impressed with the green tip ....I have actually lost money betting against it vs. steel plate
 
Threw some true BB sized shot at my 2x6 plank target this afternoon.

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These didn't fully penetrate the wood either. However, after about 25 rounds of them, the boards finally surrendered. :)

I've already built another hanging "barricade" to shoot at, this time with a bit more heft. In order to keep it lasting longer, I don't think I'll test any buckshot on it. I think I'm pretty sure of those results now. ;) Take care. Tom Worthington.
 
Going to Cabela's this Sunday looking for something like this



Low velocity - high density 2 3/4" BB shot, or BBB thru T coyote shot to test out.
 

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Those high brass and heavy density will probably have a little kick to them.
 
Cabela's barely had anything is stock. I found some Hevi 3" coyote shot, but they were over $50 per box which was more than I wanted to pay just for testing. I guess I will look for some low or managed recoil #4 buck for my main HD load since
 

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