bullet testing

[joshlm]

I was wanting to do some expansion and penetration testing with several different types of bullets. Does anyone have any good ideas for some type of media to shoot into. Possibly something to use as a substitute for bone.

 

[saands]

Seems to me that going down to the butcher shop and asking for some scrap ham bones might be just about the best bet ... I think they sell them for dog bones.

Saands

 

[LAH]

Seyfried claims wet newprint is the best. If you want to shoot bone, use bone.

 

[P95Carry]

A substantial size piece (lump!) of modelling clay is interesting.

Not perhaps ideal or typical but ... if sectioned will show some interesting results. I did this with .22's way back .... must look out pics and post some if i can. Does at least give some clue as to ''wound channel'' characteristics.

 

[joshlm]

Thanks everyone, looks like the wet paper would be about the easiest for me to obtain.

 

[Jeeper]

I made a trap using wood and old phonebooks. Just soak the phone books in water in a cooler then line them up to shoot through them. Rifles take quite a few to actually stop the bulletsThrow a few pieces of oak in between the books also. I dont know how accurate it is but is really showed expansion.

 

[P95Carry]

I referred earlier to some experiments I did with modelling clay ... not ideal but interesting nonetheless ....... I have made some pics after scanning old negs and posted here

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=43184

You may find them worth a peek.

 

[WESHOOT2]

TRIED IT LIKED IT

I once long ago read of a (famous) shooter who shot the dirt at his feet for bullet testing.
Actually works (gotta have very special calibrated repeatable dirt, but yep).

Odd, ay?

 

[Neal Bloom]

Read in a reloading manual where they shot into a puddle of mud to test for expansion. I'd be leery of doing that since the bullet may skip off the surface if the angle was wrong. Wet phone books work well.