Sword vs Bullet

Status
Not open for further replies.
It's been shown before. With additions. Some yahoos did the same with a Ma Deuce. The blade actually survived a couple of hits, IIRC.

What impresses me about that video is the precise alignment achieved between the blade and the bullet. Japanese swords are differentially tempered. The edge for about 1/4" is tempered to the hardness of a straight razor. The remainder of the blade is covered in a clay mixture which prevents it being tempered. This supports the edge which is so hard it would shatter if the entire blade or even most of it were this hard. It also means the blade will bend if a slash does not meet the target with perfect alignment of the blade with the axis of movement.

The slightest deviation of the blade from the trajectory of the bullet would have resulted in a bent blade. They didn't show the setup but I seriously doubt it was done by hand.

Tameshigiri-the cutting of the rolled tatami mat shown-will result in a bent blade in the hands of a novice.
 
Come on guys trick shooters have been doing this ever since they discovered they could get someone to pay a nickle to see it done. I've seen it done with just about every kind of edged blade from hatchets to bowie knives now a sword. Last time was a shooter on an outdoor channel show that used a 30/30 and a hatchet to break two balloons. He did it by hand without a ransom rest.:)
 
I successfully split a .177 air rifle pellet on a surgical scalpel blade that was embedded in a blob of putty edge-on. It took a few shots but in the end I got a satisfying ping and the two halves of the pellet were embedded in the putty on either side of the blade. I tested the blade afterwards and it was unblemished and still very sharp.
There's no way I could have done it without a benchrest though.
 
feats

I was impressed when you clipped the head off of the statue, out in front of the country club, but crushing the golf ball in your hands is most memorable.

Seriously, though, the splitting of a projectile in flight is an accomplishment.
 
On cable TV, likely the History Channel, they had a show on sharpshooters. One fellow fired a revolver (if I recall correctly) into an axe blade and burst a balloon on each side of the blade. It didn't look to be aparticularly sharp blade.

Ron
 
A lot of the bullet "splitting" tricks that involve popping balloons or something similar work because the bullet will splatter rather than split on impact.

A pellet or a low velocity lead bullet hitting a very sharp, thin blade will split, but a thicker blade, such as an axe head, will tend to splatter the projectile--especially if it's moving pretty fast.

I did the pellet splitting thing with a utility knife blade using a FWB 65 MKI at about 6 yards. I even got two consecutive hits--but I wouldn't like to try it under the pressure of having actual witnesses! ;)

Like Odd Job, I figured that the blade would show signs of abuse, but it was none the worse for wear. I kept the pellet halves for awhile but finally lost them and the target too... (edit--But apparently I posted pics before I lost them.)

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=9114
 
That's all well and good, but...

I'm still not about to try to go ninja on flying bullets with a japanese sword.

When faced with a gun, the ninja's greatest tool is still "Ninja Vanish," even if he can split the odd bullet.

Turns out, that's your greatest tool when faced with a gun as well.
 
@ JohnKSa

I wish I had kept that split pellet and the blade. It wouldn't have taken up any space. But the greatest regret I have is that the air-rifle I used was an old BSA with a new scope. It had been in the family for a very long time. After my father died my mother and sister moved to Cape Town and I came to London for a year. When I went back to visit them a year later, the rifle could not be found. I was sooooo angry. I still don't know what happened to it. It was probably the most accurate gun we have ever owned and I have many fond memories of plinking with it.
 
RonC - I saw that too. The baloon bursting is done by splattering the bullet on the blade. A clean split causes the bullet to pass on either side of the blade very close to it. So to deflect a bullet with a sword in self defense you would want to splatter it. If you split it right in front of your face you would lose both eyes. And I highly doubt any sword blade could survive more than one or two bullets striking a flat side. The edge could probably take many strikes.
 
I remember when I was younger (five maybe?) they had a competition at Cabin Fever Reliever (a local festival) where people tried to split a bullet on a double-bitted axe and break two reflectors using a black powder rifle. I know a couple people managed to do it, but I don't know if the bullet was actually split or if it was just splatter.

They let me try with a .22 rifle. I took carefull aim and nailed a reflector. I was awfully proud of myself until they explained to me that the objective was to shoot the axe.
 
It was probably the most accurate gun we have ever owned and I have many fond memories of plinking with it.
Click to expand...
As much as I've shot firearms, I still have a long way to go to equal the shooting I've done (and continue to do) with airguns. Some of the nicest guns I own are airguns!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

T
  • Locked
I need some shooting videos.
Replies
0
Views
304
TheArchDuke
T
B
  • Locked
Double Barrel Bolt Action?
Replies
1
Views
510
oneshooter
O
T
  • Locked
Video of some interesting machine guns.
Replies
1
Views
512
mcg-doc
M
S
  • Locked
My kind of horror film!!
Replies
4
Views
652
Justin
Justin
S
  • Locked
Watch the Oklahoma Full Auto Shoot Video
Replies
1
Views
429
silicon wolverine
S
Back
Top