Hello from Scotland~

Remember reading an article about bullet penatration in wet news print, cant remember how far and at what distance ?

For example .30-06 150 gn sp bullet ? 180 gn ?

How many inches should i expect such bullets to penatrate ????

Thinking for of trying to test some of my loads and bullets .............

Advice welcome ????

Englander

One could probably post the bullet, velocity,etc and get an accurate reply from the members. A LOT of experience here. there was a thorough test done in one of the gun rags a few years ago on thirty caliber bullets. The results are floating around the web someplace.

Just watched "Local Hero" the other night. What do Scotts think of that movie??

FN in MT

Bullet testing in any artificial medium is not worth much in terms of absolute data, but is good for relative performance comparisons between bullets. Many people attempt to use wet newsprint on the theory that it better simulates animal tissue. I think that whatever similarity it offers is marginal, at best.

I use dry paper, because it is (1) easy, (2) cheap, and (3) not so messy. Absolute penetration in dense, dry paper medium is somewhat less than in ballistic gelatin or, presumably, animal tissue, but it does offer a consistent comparison between bullets of varying weights, calibers, makes, and velocities. (Incidentally, while higher velocity DOES create greater bullet expansion, don't ever let any one sucker you into the idea that higher velocity will result in less penetration with a given bullet -- I've never found it to be true. There may be less bullet left when you dig it out, but it will be deeper in the stack.)

The best source of dry paper that I've found -- you'll love this -- is government reports. There's something inherently satisfying about shooting holes in them. About 18 inches of them stacked tightly inside a pasteboard box is plenty for everything I've tried up to a .375 H & H.

Sorry not seen the film, also "Englander" Married a native !

Yes I agree its difficult to come up with a " Realistic" medium to test, but like you say such tests can be used to "Compare" different bullets which is my aim. Found accurate bullets/loads would like to compare bullet performance and proerties and try and setlle on one bullet.......

Im sure I read/heard some thing once that the British Army at some time tested ammo and anti-personel devices on live pigs ??? As they are very similar in construction to humans..... Now days they would'nt get away with such test !!!!

Englander

I have often used wet phone books to test bullets as a comparison between bullets/ammo. I have found that vel. CAN affect penetration depending on bullet construction.
Example: A 220gr/.375 SP(Hrdy) @ 1900fps fired into wet phone books penetrated significantly less than a .44mag/240gr LFP @ 1100fps. They both had about the same frontal area upon recovery. Distance was fairly close, about 50yds. My conclusion was, I feel pretty good about hunting big game w/ that handgun load, but would have to think more about shot placement w/ the .375Win. load on larger animals.

[ 11-23-2002, 06:17: Message edited by: fredj338 ]

The most definitive article was in Handloader #192 by Gary S. He basically tested every .30 cal, 180 grain bullet available to handloaders at the time. He fired and recovered 3 bullets at 100 fps increments from 3200 fps down to a point where they would no longer expand. He photographed the entire recovered sample and printed it in an 11"x17" foldout. The data contains depth of penetration (average of the 3) and retained weight (not so sure about expanded diameter, though.) I have the issue and I can scanned the bullet pics.

Basically, the monolithic bullets penetrate the deepest and retain the most weight, but expand the least. The plastic tips and thin jackets penetrate the least and retain the least weight. The bonded cores and conventional jacketed "premiums" fall somewhere inbetween. It basically confirms that you can't really have expansion AND penetration - they are mutually exclusive, which should come as no surprise.

Drop me a line if you want this info. Pretty interesting to see which "standard" grade bullets perfrom as well as the "premiums." I think my user profile lists an e-mail. I will have to send the stuff from work as I have a dial-up connection at home.