Handgun VS GI steel pot

[kannonfyre]

Anyone ever shot at an GI "steel pot" helmet with a handgun before? What was the result?

Which handgun calibre had the best penetration result vs the old "vietnam/korean war" helmet?

 

[Kahr carrier]

Nope but shot at an old Flak jacket 22LR and 25 acp penetrated it.

 

[goon]

I read somewhere that the Army tested both the 45ACP and the 9mm against the steel helmet back in the day.
The 45 penetrated at about 35 yards, but not after that.
The 9mm did way better, something like 120 yards.
It was so far out that they just shot at it until they hit it, so that implies that the range was pretty good.
I would bet that the .30 mauser and 7.62x25mm soviet would have done even better.
Especially with the .30 mauser coming out of a C-96 Broomhandle. With the shoulder stock, I would bet that you could even hit it most of the time.

 

[cdbeaver]

GI Steel pot

I had a bit of second-hand experience with the GI steel helmet vs. a Chinese burp gun.

One GI I spoke to showed me his helmet after a rather intense fire fight. It had a hole right in the middle of the front. And the GI was alive to tell about it.

Seems the burp gun slug struck the steel portion of the helmet. The plastic liner shell deflected the slug. It traveled between the helmet and the liner and fell out at the rear of the helmet and left a nasty burn mark on the guy's neck.

As he told me about it (just a couple of minutes after the incident) he was laughing about it. But I noticed his hands were shaking so hard he could barely hold the helmet.

The steel pot could also be used for shaving, bathing, cooking and all sorts of other good things. But is also got heavy, especially after wearing it every day for 10 months.

 

[kannonfyre]

Greetings Goon,

In other words, the steel pot offers piss poor protection and may even get sliced open by schrapnel?

What about the new PASGT helmet? How does it's ballistic resistance compare to the steel helmet?

Should I consider one on my own budget to replace the steel pot issued to me for compulsory service in the territorial army of my home country? cuss: only regular units get kevlar cranium buckets)

 

[cheygriz]

I have witnessed a GI steel pot shot at 7 yards.

.38 spec 158 LRN bounced off (4 inch barrel)
.45 ACP 230 FMJ-bounced off (1911A1)

.357 Magnum 125 JHP;-penetrated both sides (4 inch)
9MM 124 Gr military ball-penetrated both sides (Beretta 92)

The 9MM NATO will not penetrate the new PASGT helmet, but will put one helluva dent into it. *So I'm told, haven't actually seem it* Don't know if a .357 would punch through or not. Surplus PASGT helmets are too expensive to exeriment with.

 

[CWL]

Pot helmets are not meant to protect from direct gunfire (pistol or rifle).

Pot helmets were invented for modern warfare in WWI to increase survivability of infantry from artillery shrapnel. Headwounds were a significant % of total preventable casualties. Same with flak jackets. Shrapnel moves much slower than bullets.

 

[sm]

I went to Guard drill as a brat with Dad, Rangmaster shot and penetrated the helmet.

He was trying to impress the points--keep alert, keep low and your head down, oh--yeah shoot first and often. Made his point--real loud , I learned some new words that day too.

 

[Blackhawk]

re1973,

 

[Nightcrawler]

Bought an old USGI steel pot helmet from the surplus store. Took the cover off and, whaddyaknow, it's BLUE. Perfect.

Hauled it out one day. Had two guns on me; a Winchester 94 Trapper carbine, 16" barrel, .357 Magnum, with 158 grain LSWC reloads, and a 4" 1911 .45ACP, with 220 grain FMJ ammunition. The .357s were hardly "full house" loads; I bought a cheap 300-pack from Cabelas, and got a free ammo can.

Anyway, I set the helmet in the snow, and paced back about ten feet. I shot the helmet from the side with the carbine; the bullet punched through the near side and made an outward dent on the far side. Hotloaded, FMJ .357 ammo would do better. Pointy-tipped stuff even better still.

Anyway, the I shot it with the .45, same distance. The .45 bullet put a much larger entry hole in, cracking the steel a little. Again, it made an outward dent on the far side, but didn't exit.

In any case, I'd rather not have had my head in that helmet.

 

[swampgator]

What about the new PASGT helmet? How does it's ballistic resistance compare to the steel helmet?

Assaulting an Iraqi bunker circa the 1st Gulf War, soldier trips (he be of the clumsy sort) and helmet falls down the steps into the bunker.

Helmet was greeted by a long burst of AK-47. Said soldier then expertly pulled one M-26 grenade from his LBE and deposits it into said bunker.

Several moments later, our hero then enters the bunker to retreive his kevlar. On the left side are several separate entrance holes. On the right side, well ain't much left of the right side!

Probably doesn't answer your question, but a damned funny (and true) story, although non-autobiographical. It was one of my former team leaders.

 

[sm]

Blackhawk

Yes the guys at guard treated this 'brat' and others visiting well. Aside from the spoiling, and making us feel special, they truly taught me and others lessons. Just the way kids raised back then.

Fellow from our church was a Ranger in 'Nam. SNAFU with intel about a village, firefight ensued, AHBO. His best bud in awe that a kid was firing the machine gun -hesitated, helmet no good, to, late. My Ranger friend survived a hit...poor cover, he chunked his helmet to distract kid , took the kid out out, but small arms caught him in the left shoulder.

Yes, keeping low, don't hesitate, shoot first , and do what you have to -to survive , re-enforced from the Ranger's sharing of incident -what that Rangemaster said many years earlier...what we need to hear today.

 

[Griff]

Got one of the old steel pots (minus liner) up to a height of about 100' with a Hoffman charge a long time ago in a land far away, but it didn't turn inside out like the old cherry bombs did to mailboxes, durn it. Does that count?