Brass Fetcher
Member
Cartridge : Winchester 62gr M855 FMJ (2006 production)
Firearm : 5.56x45mm rifle with 14.5" barrel length (1/9 inch twist)
Block calibration : 15.7cm @ 598 ft/sec *(Please note that this block was previously used as a 'stopper block' and was to be thrown away after the test event. The block was not shot prior to this test. It is generally said that a block with a calibration of 13cm or greater at 590 ft/sec is not useful for ballistic testing. As such, take the penetration depths given with a good size grain of salt - but the bullet performance with regard to fragmentation should be the same as in an ideal block)*
Single shot fired through two pieces of 20 gauge galvanized sheet steel, offset 4" from each other (weakest part of a car door) and two sheets of 12 ounce denim fabric (light clothing). The gelatin block was placed 18" behind the rear face of the rearmost piece of sheet metal. Distance from muzzle to the first piece of sheet steel was 10'.
Shot impacted the first steel panel at 2910 ft/sec. Bullet apparently yawed and fragmented somewhere between the exit of the rear panel and the face of the gelatin block, as was apparent by the nature of entrance wound (being rectangular in shape) and presence of multiple pinholes and tears in the denim fabric that was on the front face of the block. The small lead and copper fragments penetrated to a maximum of 4.5", with ~ one half of the lead core being found at 4.75" (at the periphary of the main penetration track). The copper nose was found at 6.25", while the steel core was recovered at 9.6" penetration, undeformed.
The maximum diameter of the permanent cavity was 3.8" and occurred within 1.0" of the bullets entry point.
My apologies for the lack of clarity with the block - something bad happened to it and it appeared in person much like it does in the images.
Firearm : 5.56x45mm rifle with 14.5" barrel length (1/9 inch twist)
Block calibration : 15.7cm @ 598 ft/sec *(Please note that this block was previously used as a 'stopper block' and was to be thrown away after the test event. The block was not shot prior to this test. It is generally said that a block with a calibration of 13cm or greater at 590 ft/sec is not useful for ballistic testing. As such, take the penetration depths given with a good size grain of salt - but the bullet performance with regard to fragmentation should be the same as in an ideal block)*
Single shot fired through two pieces of 20 gauge galvanized sheet steel, offset 4" from each other (weakest part of a car door) and two sheets of 12 ounce denim fabric (light clothing). The gelatin block was placed 18" behind the rear face of the rearmost piece of sheet metal. Distance from muzzle to the first piece of sheet steel was 10'.
Shot impacted the first steel panel at 2910 ft/sec. Bullet apparently yawed and fragmented somewhere between the exit of the rear panel and the face of the gelatin block, as was apparent by the nature of entrance wound (being rectangular in shape) and presence of multiple pinholes and tears in the denim fabric that was on the front face of the block. The small lead and copper fragments penetrated to a maximum of 4.5", with ~ one half of the lead core being found at 4.75" (at the periphary of the main penetration track). The copper nose was found at 6.25", while the steel core was recovered at 9.6" penetration, undeformed.
The maximum diameter of the permanent cavity was 3.8" and occurred within 1.0" of the bullets entry point.
My apologies for the lack of clarity with the block - something bad happened to it and it appeared in person much like it does in the images.
