Handguns 1 - Car door 0

[Wedge]

Did a little handgun shooting this weekend. .22 LR (Ruger Mark II), .40 S&W (Glock 23), .45 ACP (Ruger Blackhawk) and a .454 Casull (Ruger Super Redhawk).

It all started out with the ladies wounding some jugs of water and my buddy and I cleaning up with the .454. I have to say that my wife had the biggest smile on her face when she saw the first jug explode! She did not want to shoot the Casull though.

Then one of the other guys goes into the woods and pulls out a door to an old Suburban. (Yes we were in the sticks). So we moved the firing line back a bit further and shot the door a couple of times. I have to say that I would never want to use a door as a shield! The .22 pierced the first layer of metal and just about penetrated the second. Every other round went clean through. I was surprised to note that the .45 ACP FMJ actually mushroomed after going through the door (found in the ground behind the door). Some of the rounds went through the door and the 2x12 that was holding the door up (that mostly depened on where you were shooting).

We went back to shooting the jugs that were not completely destroyed by the Casull rounds and everyone had a good time. My wife did not like the recoil of the .40 from the Glock 23 but she didn't mind the ergonomics of the gun itself. I think a G19 is in my future.

 

[sturmruger]

Congrats on having a good time. There is nothing quite as fun as shooting at car parts. I did some tests with my various gun on an old car that was sitting out behind my in-laws farm. It was a 1974 chevy 4 door of some sort.


Steyr M9 9mm 115 FMJ

Shot drivers side door. Shot went through exterior metal, then interior metal frame, and then through the cardboard door apolstery and bounced off upolstery on passenger side door. I found it laying on the drivers seat.

Mossberg 500 12 GA 1 oz Slug

Completly through the car from drivers side to passenger. Penatrated 3 inches of oak tree on the far side.


I know I tried more calibers but this is all I can remember. Next time I am in IA I will head up with dig cam to see if I can get some more test results. Ah reserach it's a dirty job but someone has to do it.

 

[Wedge]

Steyr M9 9mm 115 FMJ

What did the bullet look like when you found it? I was very surprised to see expansion in a FMJ bullet when I found one. I should 'mic' it when i get home but I would estimate it is around .65" now.

I wish we had another door sitting around...the current one is pretty toasted. It had already been previously shot a few times with an SKS...

 

[stans]

Car doors do not make effective bullet shields? What?!!! You mean tv cop shows have been lying to us all this time? Go figure! Of course, the steel in modern car doors seems to be a lot thinner that what you find in old cars. Bullet design would probably make a difference too. I would expect a FMJ to penetrate much better than swaged lead.

 

[Tom C.]

While many of these handguns will penetrate a door nicely at 90 degrees, it doesn't take much of an impact angle to cause the bullet to bounce off. You may want to try that the next time you find a door to shoot.

 

[Tropical Z]

Several years ago a friend and i came across an old Chevy van in the woods that had been abandoned for some time.All calibers penetrated both walls above the wheel well with the exception of my .22lr which penetrated the first wall but only made a large dent in the second.

 

[scbair]

Old cars!

Some buddies and I used to shoot at a "sand pit" in the sticks near our homes (high school . . . memories ). Someone "junked an older model car there. We shot it with every handgun, shotgun and rifle we owned! Yup, a car is poor protection from a high-powered handgun (typical service cartridges), and forget a deer-class rifle .

We figure someone'll find the old relic in 50 years or so, when urban sprawl hits that area, and swear they've found Bonnie & Clyde's REAL car . . .

 

[sm]

Makes a difference if the window glass is rolled up or down inside the door.
Glass is "interesting".
As stated above angles make a difference. Doors ,windshields, passenger glass windows...
Especially the steep slope of rear windows.

Good to test for one's self to learn about guns, loads and materials.

I know this is hard to swallow, but some flowered shirted writers pointing guns at self, can write real well about stuff they haven't done.

 

[armoredman]

Find the old movie Deadly Weapons for some interesting car tests, inlcuding a 50 BMG "test".....