50BMG owners : open call for ballistic gelatin test

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Brass Fetcher

Brass Fetcher

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I am looking to test a .50BMG round in ballistic gelatin, but do not own such a gun or know anyone who does. The deal is this : if you show up to the test with your rifle and the >one< round of ammunition that you want to see tested, I will conduct the test at no cost to you.

I live in the N. Florida region and can travel a reasonable distance. If you are interested, please PM me.

Thank you,

JE223
 
I have a .50 BMG,but I live in South Florida.Let me tell you,you're going to need a lot of gelatin,it will shoot through over 2 feet of dirt.
 
wayne in boca,

I can meet you 'halfway' IE at a public range in central FL...? I understand that there is a public range in Lakeland, FL that allows .50BMG.

Yeah definately, I'm expecting there to be some deep penetration with this one! The block that I can make is 10x10x18 inches deep and gelatin does big things for stopping bullet penetration. Behind the block (on deep penetrating loads) I put a polyester filled bullet stop box. I've only had one round go through both in all of my tests, but I imagine this could be the second. The poly box could always be backed up by the 2 feet of sand, in a box.

Let me know,

JE223
 
how would you keep the gelatin at the proper temperature? while traveing across the country?
 
It seems like a waste of time. I can tell you, the .50 BMG is going to go completely through that block. Period.
 
:) Well, I'm not going to travel much more than I have to - this isn't my profession and i don't get paid to shoot gelatin. What I do to transport gelatin is to place it in an ice chest over a bed of ice - seperated by an insulating block, usually styrofoam.

Thank you for the insight Kestrel. Can you tell me what is going to happen in the first 18", though?
 
JE223 said:
Can you tell me what is going to happen in the first 18", though?
Click to expand...

Will the gelatin have human bone fragments suspended in the block? If so, what marrow density are you using (how old)?
 
No bones. The gelatin block will be the standard bare gelatin block. I will consider barriers, but as of this second, I am waiting on a .50BMG shooter to finalize plans for the test, so I am flexible in this regard.

The bone idea is a good one - but I will have to wait for 'standardized bone' to come out, if there will ever be such a thing. There are too many variables otherwise (IE angle of impact and what you mentioned with the material properties of the bone.)

Thank you,

JE223
 
JE223,

I was just joshin' about the bone fragments. My poor attempt at humor...

Best of luck, though. (Don't know what the bullet channel will look like.)
 
Hey, why don't you call up Anzio Ironworks in St. Pete and see if they could meet you at the Manatee Gun Club? Dunno whether they would or not, but there's quite a few .50 owners in the Tampa Bay area it seems like. They most definitely allow and enjoy .50 shooters at the Manatee range (especially if you're giving away your brass), and recently expanded out to 1000 yards. I'd really, really, really, really like to see some gelatin testing, be it of the .50 BMG or much of anything else. Heck, I'd pay a few bucks out of pocket for some extra gelatin to test some other stuff as well ;)

How far up in North Florida are you?

www.anzioironworks.com
 
I predict the bullet channel will be pretty clean. IIRC the .308 doesn't do anything untill 6" in. Supposing it's directly related to bullet mass*, 650gr / 150gr = 4.3 * 6" = 26"

* I know it's probably not, but it's all I can measure
 
Wes Janson,

Thanks for the info! Tampa Bay is a great place, wouldn't mind going there at all. I'm right along the fence with GA, in the middle (horizontally) of the state.

Yeah definately, thanks for the support, I broached the subject of THR contributions for gelatin tests (that everyone can vote on with regard to caliber, barrel length and ammo brand, barriers), but have not seen any support in this way, to date. My cost for a block is $45, this is the material cost before gas to the range, etc.

JE223
 
OK,when (and where)are we going to do this? I've got around 50 rounds of 760 grain ball,some 800 grain moly-coated ball,and 100 rounds of armor-piercing incendiary in current inventory.I'll meet you halfway on a weekend.Sounds kinda fun,shooting the .50 is a hoot.My prediction is that it will penetrate 12 feet of meat or more.
 
Wayne,

12' !!! Wow. This will be something. Thank you for the reply. My first thought is the Ocala national forest range. I've done tests before at this range with no problems - most people seem interested and will stop shooting to watch what is going on. It is about halfway (linear distance on mapquest) from my location and Boca Raton.

I will be busy this weekend, but how does the weekend of 25-27Aug sound?

Yeah, feel free to shoot whichever round that you would like. My thinking though, never having used a gun this large, is that the effects of the bullet can be 'recorded' by the rifle block, even though the bullet will most certainly go through the block. It looks like it shoots a 0.50" diameter 750gr bullet at 3000 ft/sec...? I have shot a 45 caliber bullet at half the weight and 2/3 the velocity. So, as long as the round does not flip (ala AK-74, M-16) or expand, the block should still be in one piece, although the use of a moderately expanding bullet should not be too much of a big deal.

JE223
 
So, as long as the round does not flip (ala AK-74, M-16)
Click to expand...

Pretty much any spitzer type bullet will flip in a mostly water medium like tissue or ballistic gel because it wants to travel with its center of mass forward and the spin that stabilizes it in air isn't fast enough to stabilize it in fluid. The only question is where it will flip 1"? 5"? 18"?

Just a heads up, that if a flip will destroy the gel block you should plan around having a destroyed gel block.
 
I would be glad to help you out with this test. My name is Dave Moore, I am the owner of Spider Firearms (www.ferret50.com) and I am also on the Board of Directors for the FCSA (www.fcsa.org). My shop is in StCloud, FL about a half hour south of the Orlando International Airport. My range is between my shop and the airport, there we have a 50yd, 100yd, 300yd and a plinking range.

The only thing I would like out of this is an article for FCSA's magazine "Very High Power" either written by you or I.

You can respond to me either by email ([email protected]) or by phone (407-957-3617).

Thank you,
Dave
 
Dave,
Good to see you posting here, guess you saw the post on BH.

JE223,
Dave is a great guy to deal with, this would make a good article for VHP. If all of you get together please take pics and write the article with Dave.
 
Well Dave is a lot closer to you,so I guess I'll bow out.I know I should join the Fifty Caliber Shooter's Ass'n,and will some day,I hear only good things about them.
 
Sure....

Hi, have a Serbu .50BFG and live in Ocala(North Central) Fl. have a Local Private Range which I am member and can bring guests, as well as will accomodate the .50 cal. have VARIOUS rounds on hand...Holler if you need me sir.

[email protected]
Loandr.
 
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