Bulletproofing and Armor made easy

[hyattnc]

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot7.htm

Notice in the above link that 5 1/2 inches of sand was good enough to stop every round from the 9mm to the 45-70. That 45-70 round has about 3500 foot lbs of power...much greater than either the 5.56 or 7.62. My guess is that two panels of sand or 11 inches would probably be enough to stop small explosions and even the 50 caliber.

Using the sand panels you could make a safe room or a backstop for an indoor range.

 

[leadcounsel]

Problem is weight and mess. "Free" sand is going to leak, collapse walls, etc.

Sandbags are your best bet, probably with some sort of "nice" looking retaining wall on either side. Sandbags will last a long time and keep the sand in small pockets that won't leak too badly.

Could probably build strong walls with vertical and cross 2x4s with sheets of plywood and vertical stacked sandbags, which are probably about 6" thick, more or less.

 

[JohnBiltz]

There is a reason the military uses sandbags. That said a .50 might be stopped but those bags pay a price for stopping it. Its pretty much gone after a .50 hits it. So unless you have it in real depth the next burst is going to be final. A 7.62 machine gun can tear a sandbaged position apart but its going to soak up some rounds first.

 

[Shadow 7D]

50 can be stopped, but not by a single layer of sand/compressed dirt, I have seen 50 shoot through the base of a berm, and that was at least 15 feet of dirt.

 

[armoredman]

I'd like to see that.

Sand does stop bullets, but as noted, it's temporary. I wouldn't mind armor/sand/armor combo, like the rubble walls of the feudal age. Also would be fireproof.
Stuck with stucco, for now.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

I would also note that multiple rounds in succession can defeat 5" of sand.

 

[leadcounsel]

I think that a layer of sand, such as a single stack of sandbags, braced in with 2x and drywall, would be an outstanding exterior wall for a home. Fire resistant and would protect your family from a stray bullet (as rare as that is) from say a ND or AD or even a neighbor's own home defense situation.

Of course you have all those home windows to worry about, and a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link...

 

[Owen Sparks]

Sand bags were used extensivly in the world wars.

 

[jim243]

Sand is good, dirt would be better and water would be best. But the problem is weight and containment. As pointed out unless the cell that is containing the material is self sealing, your protection will soon be gone. Sand and water are too fluid to be contained, that would leave dirt as the best resource for protection. You don't find many berms at a rifle range made of sand or water. The density of the material is one thing, but being able to take multi-hits with out breaking up is more important.

Jim

Sand bags were used extensivly in the world wars.

Maybe in the Pacific, but you will find they used dirt in those bags in Europe.

 

[DefiantDad]

What about clay?

And bags of cement?

Also, would ziploc bags of sand work?

 

[leadcounsel]

I'm assuming the point here isn't to make a fortress, but rather additional hardening for the random gunshot...

Interior and exterior walls would be relatively easy and not to expensive to harden when you are building a house. Extra wood and sandbags and earth/sand. They wouldn't withstand a full assault by an armed platoon, but they'd survive a small attack and certainly the random drive by or gunshot.

For a fortress, you'd need many layers of earth, rebar reinforced cement, etc. That means almost no organic materials like wood, no windows, etc.

 

[jim243]

What about clay?

And bags of cement?

Also, would ziploc bags of sand work?

Not dense enough, too soft and fine granuales, as too ziplocs (LOL) way too expensive at todays prices.

Jim

 

[MachIVshooter]

I have seen 50 shoot through the base of a berm, and that was at least 15 feet of dirt.

I think not. 15' of earth would stop a 105mm round.

 

[SKLFCO]

A 50 being used in a driveby is about as likely as marilyn monroe coming home with me tonight after the elvis concert.

 

[Shadow 7D]

Insulated foam form concrete
there, now you are done.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Using the sand panels you could make a safe room or a backstop for an indoor range.

Your safe room may only be safe from ballistic/high velocity insults. As noted, there are weight concerns. See how much protection you have when you get a little water leak and the sand of your safe room gains a lot of weight via capillary action and cracks your foundation from too much pressure/weight. Even if that doesn't happen, the mold colony you grow will likely be of the unhealthy kind. Keeping building materials explosed to moisture on a long term basic when they are not supposed to be exposed on a long term basis can weaken them.

If temporary, sand is great, but I would not choose it as a cheap armor material unless it is placed in materials designed to hand it and moisture or can be reaily changed out, such as with using sandbags.

Also as noted, bullet boring through sandbags and other such constructions is common. You can bore through a compacted berm fairly quickly if trying to shoot the same tiny spot on a target over and over.

 

[Kleanbore]

A comprehensive risk management plan would probably put the bulletproofing of a safe room very, very low on the list of mitigation strategies.

There are are far more effective and much cleaner alternatives for the construction of a back-stop for an indoor range than 5 1/2 inches of sand.

 

[dprice3844444]

the reason the military uses sand bags,
1.in unfilled form,they are light and easily transported in bulk.
2.when digging holes to hide in,makes sense to use the available soil for something
transporting full bags is a logistical nightmare.

 

[PocketRocket]

Insulated Concrete Forms

Shadow 7D - I’m in the process of building an add-on safe room to our house using ICFs (Insulated Concrete Forms). Concrete can resist a whole lot of small arms fire before it is disabled. The weak link…windows, mortars, RPGs, etc..

My plan in the not too distant future is to build a house using ICFs mostly for it’s strength to resist severe weather when using a poured reinforced concrete roof tied into the ICF walls. The ICFs also have a high insulation R-value and the construction cost is about 10% more than standard construction.

Google “Insulated Concrete Forms” to get links to contractors and suppliers involved in ICFs.

 

[Shadow 7D]

Actually they are supposed to be cheaper than traditional form poured concrete, and just a bit more than masonry unit.

 

[Sky]

http://www.intershelter.com/dome.php

They have a spray on that bullet/blast proofs: Dragon Shield video is pretty good.

 

[AussieMike]

Ever heard of "earth ships" a low environmental impact form of building a house. Yes, most people involved in these are "hippy, trippy, dripee" but don't be put off. One of the ways they make walls is to fill used car tyros with rammed earth but cheap. If you can access the British show "Grand Designs" they have one on building using this method in France and I believe they are used in New Mexico.

You could build an add on room this way or put up a protective berm. I think that these walls could withstand quite a lot hits without coming apart.

Mike