What round can stop a car?
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joeq
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I assume you mean actually penetrate the engine block? I've never shot an engine block but I'm sure someone on THR has.
usmarine0352_2005
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.50 cal. or bigger.
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.50 cal. or bigger.
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kingpin008
Member
20mm would probably put a hurting on an engine block. Other than that, it really depends - both on the round, and the shot placement.
jackpinesavages
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.44 mag is the bottom rung of pistols to crack a block, then moves to the 5.56 AP rounds in rifles. Don't think anyone makes an AP round in 22-250?
merlinfire
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Haha, the inevitable "shot placement" statement. Since you can't see the engine when you're shooting at it, how do you tell?
The Lone Haranguer
Member
About the only man-portable arm that can stop an automobile is a RPG, portable anti-tank missile or similar. You can shoot the radiator full of holes, but the engine will continue to run for quite a while before it even starts to overheat, let alone sieze up. Ditto for hitting an oil cooler or oil pan. Even if a bullet did manage to penetrate the engine block, the other pistons will keep moving. It can also be driven on flat tires; I am sure you've seen enough police chase videos, with sparks showering off the bare rims, to verify this. There is a slim possibility that with a lucky shot you might take out an engine control computer or some other component necessary for the engine to run ... and even then the car will still keep going from its own momentum. To make a long ramble short, don't select any small arm on the basis of its perceived ability to physically stop an automobile; it can't be done. If you must shoot into a moving vehicle, aim for the driver.
THE DARK KNIGHT
Member
As stated above, about the only decent way to stop a car with a small arm is to take out the driver.
The Lone Haranguer
Member
And even if you do disable the driver, there is no telling where the vehicle will end up. 
You cannot take out an engine and stop a car with an automatic trans, as the torque converter will just keep spinning until the car runs out of momentum.
With a stick car, it's a little easier, but, chances are, the best you could hope for is the block seizing then the clutch smoking as the car spins down.
That being said, you would need to lock a piston in the cylinder, and assume the con rod is strong enough to stop the crank, or the engine will just throw a rod and keep rolling till the car stops.
My advice, if you have to disable a car, aim dead for the middle of the grille, shoot till you see steam or liquid coolant, then keep away from it till it dies some time later. Shooting the driver is a much better solution but is hard to hit.
With a stick car, it's a little easier, but, chances are, the best you could hope for is the block seizing then the clutch smoking as the car spins down.
That being said, you would need to lock a piston in the cylinder, and assume the con rod is strong enough to stop the crank, or the engine will just throw a rod and keep rolling till the car stops.
My advice, if you have to disable a car, aim dead for the middle of the grille, shoot till you see steam or liquid coolant, then keep away from it till it dies some time later. Shooting the driver is a much better solution but is hard to hit.
Depends on the car.
Although actually penetrating the engine block would likely be tricky, I'd think a square hit from a 7.62 AP round on a thin spot on the block would at least crack it and maybe even punch a hole into a cylinder wall or oil port. This could not possibly be good for an engine. They're not made of out some super-hard steel alloy, generally just cast iron or aluminum.
If you could cut the timing belt on a newer car or damage the timing chain on an older car that would shut it down right away. On newer cars a round or two into the fuel injection system or throttle body should stop it, on an older car that would be the carbuerator. On either a shot to the distributor, ignition coil, or whatever its equivalent would stop it dead. Also, if you can damage some vacuum lines you can probably shut it off. They are a particular irritation for me and have probably caused me as much swearing as any other car problem I've encountered on most cars I've worked on. But any of these things should shut down the engine and reduce the car to only moving on forward momentum.
IMO, I think you can look at it like you look at stopping a game animal or attacker. If you can make a CNS hit you'll stop it cold. Generally if a car has spark and fuel, and has them at the right time it will run. If you disrupt that you'll stop the car from running, and that's easier than actually damaging the engine's ability to turn the crank.
A shot to the radiator or water pump would also stop it, but it would take awhile before the car overheated enough to seize up.
As to making those kind of hits, I think repeated shots from anything that will penetrate the engine compartment would do that, but you'd have to know where to put your rounds. It would probably be as much a matter of luck as anything unless you knew where all the components were on every single car ever made, but more shots in more places would increase your chances.
Although actually penetrating the engine block would likely be tricky, I'd think a square hit from a 7.62 AP round on a thin spot on the block would at least crack it and maybe even punch a hole into a cylinder wall or oil port. This could not possibly be good for an engine. They're not made of out some super-hard steel alloy, generally just cast iron or aluminum.
If you could cut the timing belt on a newer car or damage the timing chain on an older car that would shut it down right away. On newer cars a round or two into the fuel injection system or throttle body should stop it, on an older car that would be the carbuerator. On either a shot to the distributor, ignition coil, or whatever its equivalent would stop it dead. Also, if you can damage some vacuum lines you can probably shut it off. They are a particular irritation for me and have probably caused me as much swearing as any other car problem I've encountered on most cars I've worked on. But any of these things should shut down the engine and reduce the car to only moving on forward momentum.
IMO, I think you can look at it like you look at stopping a game animal or attacker. If you can make a CNS hit you'll stop it cold. Generally if a car has spark and fuel, and has them at the right time it will run. If you disrupt that you'll stop the car from running, and that's easier than actually damaging the engine's ability to turn the crank.
A shot to the radiator or water pump would also stop it, but it would take awhile before the car overheated enough to seize up.
As to making those kind of hits, I think repeated shots from anything that will penetrate the engine compartment would do that, but you'd have to know where to put your rounds. It would probably be as much a matter of luck as anything unless you knew where all the components were on every single car ever made, but more shots in more places would increase your chances.
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teumessian_fox
member
Heck, I can stop a car with a 22 short. Just put one in the ear of the driver and it'll stop.
I don't even need a gun. I can stop it with tape and a banana. Tape his nose shut and shove the banana down his throat. He'll suffocate and it'll stop.
DougW
Member
I was going to say 155mm, but I guess a 105mm would work.
Oh, is this supposed to be man portable or crew served?
Oh, is this supposed to be man portable or crew served?
Averageman
Member
I've taken out several vehicles (BTR .50's, BTRM's and Range rovers) with an M2 .50 cal APIT.
It rarely took more than 2 or 3 rounds to stop, the rest of the belt was for fun.
From a postion above the vehicle, aim to the right and at the drivers seat (imagine aiming at the drivers hips) through the hood of the enigine and repeat 3 at 3 round burts the dismounts are your "clay Pidegons."
It rarely took more than 2 or 3 rounds to stop, the rest of the belt was for fun.
From a postion above the vehicle, aim to the right and at the drivers seat (imagine aiming at the drivers hips) through the hood of the enigine and repeat 3 at 3 round burts the dismounts are your "clay Pidegons."
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jimmyraythomason
Member
It is extremely easy to disable an automobile engine, even a diesel. Any round capable of penetrating the outer body can puncture fuel system components,cooling system,transmission cooler/cooling lines,etc all can stop a vehicle......eventually. Many vehicles have aluminum blocks and/or cylinderheads which are very vulnerable to a direct hit from a potent pistol or rifle round.
NoobCannon
Member
From what I heard, a 12-gauge slug put in the right spot would work, but shot placement is a bit difficult to achieve when you're running away from a maniac trying to run you over.
Tomcat47
Member
Hmmm.....
Well with a .22 I suppose you could shoot all the tires out!
It would eventually stop!
With .22 you could shoot radiator, gas tank, and Im sure shooting into grill area of most cars nowadays , electronically speaking would cause mayhem!
it would eventually stop probably!
You could move up to a .357 and probably cause damage that would soon render the car immovable by shooting engine compartment!
it would most likely not go far!
Moving up to .44 Magnum would probably increase your odds! And as sure as the world turns we did shoot an engine block years ago with a .44 magnum...it did bust and penetrate cylinder wall....
It would stop! quicker than the others maybe?
shot placement would be critical for a one shot stop on your average ford, Chevy, Dodge maybe....
But I did see this on THR! And I believe this is the right tool for the job!
http://www.vincelewis.net/60magnum.html
Well with a .22 I suppose you could shoot all the tires out!
It would eventually stop!
With .22 you could shoot radiator, gas tank, and Im sure shooting into grill area of most cars nowadays , electronically speaking would cause mayhem!
it would eventually stop probably!
You could move up to a .357 and probably cause damage that would soon render the car immovable by shooting engine compartment!
it would most likely not go far!
Moving up to .44 Magnum would probably increase your odds! And as sure as the world turns we did shoot an engine block years ago with a .44 magnum...it did bust and penetrate cylinder wall....
It would stop! quicker than the others maybe?
shot placement would be critical for a one shot stop on your average ford, Chevy, Dodge maybe....
But I did see this on THR! And I believe this is the right tool for the job!
http://www.vincelewis.net/60magnum.html
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pikid89
Member
as others have said, and im just repeating...
there is a big difference between stopping an engine and stopping a car
there is a big difference between stopping an engine and stopping a car
J_McLeod
Member
I wouldn't settle for anything less than a MK19 40mm
EVIL
Member
120 mm, M256 smoothbore - will "stop" it immediately (though lots of little pieces will probably accelorate in a variety of directions.)
kingpin008
Member
When the car stops?
Seriously though, to have any chance at all of stopping a car with most conventional pistol or rifle rounds, you'd have to be lucky or skilled enough to disable some critical part of the engine. Therefore, shot placement.
Tomcat47
Member
And i thought he was reffering to a pistol....lol 
Having attended a class or two on Uncle Sams dime I offer the following:
When you shoot a car, it only tells you what happened that day on that car with that shot placement. On the last demonstration I saw, the engine was shot 3 times with an AK, 3 times with an M4, 3 times with a 9mm, and twice with 12 gauge slugs. The engine ran the entire time, and the car was driven off afterwards. (Bellowing an unbelieveable amount of smoke.) The instructors stated that the only cars ever stopped during similar demonstrations were stopped as the result of shots destroying electronic components, or the battery cable.
On penetration tests shooting through the car (through both doors) at cardboard silhouetts on the far side 3 times each with an AK, M4, 9mm and 12 gauge only the 9mm and 12 gauge penetrated. (The instructors said that was a first.) The 12 gauge loaded with buckshot bounced off the ground under the car was more effective than slugs shot through both doors.
It took a tire shot once with a 9mm almost 9 minutes to completely deflate.
Cars are harder to stop in reality than in the movies on on TV.
When you shoot a car, it only tells you what happened that day on that car with that shot placement. On the last demonstration I saw, the engine was shot 3 times with an AK, 3 times with an M4, 3 times with a 9mm, and twice with 12 gauge slugs. The engine ran the entire time, and the car was driven off afterwards. (Bellowing an unbelieveable amount of smoke.) The instructors stated that the only cars ever stopped during similar demonstrations were stopped as the result of shots destroying electronic components, or the battery cable.
On penetration tests shooting through the car (through both doors) at cardboard silhouetts on the far side 3 times each with an AK, M4, 9mm and 12 gauge only the 9mm and 12 gauge penetrated. (The instructors said that was a first.) The 12 gauge loaded with buckshot bounced off the ground under the car was more effective than slugs shot through both doors.
It took a tire shot once with a 9mm almost 9 minutes to completely deflate.
Cars are harder to stop in reality than in the movies on on TV.
Sunray
Member
Nothing. It's called physics. There's a law about it.
"Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it."
No rifle or pistol bullet of any calibre has enough force to stop a ton or more.
Not even a direct hit with a 120 or 105 tank gun HE round will stop any vehicle in its tracks. Either of those will go right through a car like it's not there. If you kill/disable the driver or destroy the engine, you will still have an uncontrolled one ton plus moving object. Hit the engine and it'll likely be on fire too.
"...makes an AP round in 22-250..." Reloading is your friend.
"Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it."
No rifle or pistol bullet of any calibre has enough force to stop a ton or more.
Not even a direct hit with a 120 or 105 tank gun HE round will stop any vehicle in its tracks. Either of those will go right through a car like it's not there. If you kill/disable the driver or destroy the engine, you will still have an uncontrolled one ton plus moving object. Hit the engine and it'll likely be on fire too.
"...makes an AP round in 22-250..." Reloading is your friend.
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