Just wanted to share something I don't ever see at the range. Normally, people who put up steel gongs at 50 or 100 yards shoot them with either 22LR or blackpowder and lead. No jackets allowed.

Well today a guy shows up with a big black pig of steel. He then proceeds to hammer at this thing with his AR and FMJ Wolf ammo. From 100 yards away all I could see was a big gray area. With a scope I could a bunch of divots.

So I walked over and asked if he's trying to punch holes? He said he was, that he has a welding shop at home. So the next logical question: "I'm curious what a 180gr Partition will do, can I take a shot with my WinMag?" When he said yes I about sprinted back to my bench. I took aim at the ass end (to keep my shot clear of his) and fired.

One shot, one hole. Looked just like on TV, when they show the physics of how the hole-punching works.

Not a bad day at the range. The pig had taken quite a beating from the AR. A few holes, resulting from multile hits. And what was once straight as a board had a definite curve to it.

How thick was it?

I've shot at a 1" thick steel 1.5x2' plate and I could not get a 375 shooting solids or a 416 shooting solids to go threw it. How thick was your steel plate?

Under ordinary circumstances copper jacketed lead core bullets don't pierce steel thicker than 1/2"

They actually BURN a hole through the steel

The bullets energy converts to heat as the bullet is deformed and if sufficient heat is generated the steel literally reaches flash point and BURNS.

That's why you frequently see (in reduced light) a star white impact point and the color fades down through orange and red as the heat conducts and dissapates into the plate.


at 50yds 55gr ball from a 223rem will make little pockets in 1/2" mild steel that look like they'd make perfect casting cavities for 45cal RN bullets, while 30cal ball from a 30-06 will make 50 caliber holes in the steel.

a second plate 3feet behind the first will frequently show no signs whatsoever of a bullet passing through the first plate.
this is for the simple reason that the bullet was converted into vapor!

Under the right conditions the hole in the steel will be copper plated from the vaporized copper jacket

The physics and visual effect are both facinating

And the various combinations of bullet material, construction and velocity versus various thicknesses
of mild steel plate create a "rubic's cube" of possible, bt related results.

Under the right conditions you can get piercing, burning or "spalling" or sany combination of the three, all resulting in a hole in the plate.

I have never seen a bullet "imbedded" in a steel plate though I've tried enough times...

AllanD

yes I've made little pockets in steel before with my 22-250. But that 1" thick piece of steel someone shot thru it. It is at the range and I have no idea what kind of rifle he shot it with. I used my most powerful rifles and could not get thru at 50 yds

quote:

Originally posted by jro45:
yes I've made little pockets in steel before with my 22-250. But that 1" thick piece of steel someone shot thru it. It is at the range and I have no idea what kind of rifle he shot it with. I used my most powerful rifles and could not get thru at 50 yds

May be an armour piercing bullet...

It was 1/2" steel. Not sure what kind. I didn't see copper in the hole, but I think I saw some copper stuck on the outside edge of the entrance hole.

Thanks Allan for explaining what I alluded to.

jro45: was that plate sitting loose? If yes then instead of letting the bullet convert its energy to heat that energy went into tossing the plate.

I hope to see him again, maybe he'll have thicker or stronger steel next time.

The plate is against the back bearm kind of inbeded in the dirt and it doesn't move. It weighs about 200 lbs very heavy.

Oops, misread your dimensions for inches instead of feet. That should have rang a bell. Reminds me of Spinal Tap, with the 18" Stonehenge. Hilarious.