Ballistic gelatin test results : .22lr 'Incendiary' bullets

[Brass Fetcher]

The bullets tested were acquired from an 'exotic ammo' booth at a local gunshow. They appear to be CCI hollowpoints, with the hollowpoint cavity filled with some sort of impact-sensitive explosive that is light blue in color.

All cartridges appeared to initiate upon impact with the gelatin block. This was evidenced by the dark-colored residue in the penetration tracks. Also, a secondary explosion was heard during the normal sonic events of bullet exit/gun cycling, etc, that was not present during the testing of 'normal' .22lr ammunition in the same gun.

Cartridge : .22lr 'Incendiary'

Firearm : Walther P22 with 3.5" barrel length

Block calibration : All depths corrected (From 9.0cm @ 566 ft/sec)

Shot 1 - Impacted at 893 ft/sec, penetrated to 8.3" and was recovered at 0.313" average diameter.

Shot 2 - Impacted at 910 ft/sec, penetrated to 8.9" and was recovered at 0.309" average diameter.

Shot 3 - Impacted at 920 ft/sec, penetrated to 8.5" and was recovered at 0.319" average diameter.

Shot 4 - Impacted at 885 ft/sec, penetrated to 8.6" and was recovered at 0.322" average diameter.

Shot 5 - Impacted at 919 ft/sec, penetrated to 9.0" and was recovered at 0.321" average diameter.

 

[Biker]

That's pretty impressive performance for a .22. What gun did you shoot them out of?

Biker

 

[alucard0822]

impressive expansion from such a low velocity, normally one of the 22s major drawbacks, maybe the stuff in the nose blows the HP cavity open, while not an ideal penetration depth for 2 legged defense, it would seem to be an ideal small critter load, assuming the stuff that burns isn't toxic if you are eating them (rabbit, the other, other, dark meat), but no big deal if only for pest control.

That's pretty impressive performance for a .22. What gun did you shoot them out of?

Firearm : Walther P22 with 3.5" barrel length

 

[Biker]

Uhhh...too much Bailey's in my coffee? Heh heh...

Biker

 

[alucard0822]

Uhhh...too much Bailey's in my coffee? Heh heh...

Know what you mean, Im still at work (since 4), and my coffee doesn't have enough Baileys.



Great test as always JE223, how much do those shells cost?

 

[Timthinker]

JE223, your thread about "incendiary" ammo intrigued me. Actually, I have never heard of such ammunition for a rimfire cartridge, though I recall reading that incendiary rounds were used in World War One against airships. If it does not violate any confidences, I would like some more detailed information about this product. At the very least, it is an interesting topic.


Timthinker

 

[Brass Fetcher]

@alucard0822 - I recall paying about 15 dollars for 10 rounds at a gunshow (in the Southeast US) recently. +1 on your idea for using this as a pest control round. That is exactly what I thought when I looked at the block after the first cartridge was fired. I hadn't been able to find a .22lr that would expand when fired out of a pistol-length barrel, until I tested this one. The explosive must make up for some of the pressure at the nose, that is not present due to the slower-than-normal velocity (because I used a short barrel to fire the bullet). I want to give this bullet a "Brass Fetcher.com thumbs up" for varmint control with the .22lr cartridge.

@Timthinker - That's great that you got something out of the test. Thank you for being concerned with me potentially mentioning proprietary information. But, in this case the ammunition was not provided to me by a manufacturer... I bought them myself. So, what I can tell you about them is educated guesses : I would imagine that the substance in the tip is a low-order detonating compound, like lead azide. IIRC, that is the material used to make small arm cartridge primers.

Anyone with professional-level explosives experience is welcome to fill in the gaps!

 

[Pilot]

What is the material that is used in the hollow point?

 

[RyanM]

Very interesting. I wouldn't have thought it would go off on impact with jello. The rounds that you put a primer into usually have that problem. Plus then the lead is too thick around the hollowpoint for it to make any kind of difference, in bigger calibers.

If you didn't shoot them all and can get more reasonably easily, it might be interesting to scrape the stuff out of five of them and shoot them into jello, to see what difference the explosive makes.

Then put the paste on the head of a hammer, and whack something with it.

 

[rcmodel]

I'd expect the same performance with or without it.

That is about par for the course for CCI HP.


rcmodel

 

[Brass Fetcher]

http://www.brassfetcher.com/WaltherP22test.html

That was not my experience... although granted, only 1 velocitor round was tested that day.

 

[DMK]

I'd rather have the penetration of the standard rounds, than the 8-9" and expansion of those gimmick rounds.

http://www.brassfetcher.com/WaltherP22test.html