Bullet performance testing

[bearskinner]

Bullet testing time again. No problem getting wet, testing bullet performance, as it’s in the 80’s this time of year. 
      I set up a 6’ table on the range, with lots of water bottles and boxes full of heavy sticks, plywood etc. I also set up a chronograph to see actual bullet speeds, that vary from a lot of published speeds. 

[bearskinner]

Interesting test I tried, a friend gave me a cast iron pan full of melted lead. I stood the lead up on the test table, after the chronograph, here’s a 41 caliber, Swift A Frame (41 mag 210 grain HP) and a Hawk .500 Soft point, .035 Jacket (500JRH 400 grain) fired and welded into the chunk of lead. Both bullets dimpled the back side of the lead, but opened up perfectly, as if posing for a magazine ad. The Swift bullets have ALWAYS performed perfectly, bar none, my favorite hollow or soft point bullets. The Hawk .500’s gave various results, some not flattening much at all, but no bullet failure from jacket separation.

[bearskinner]

I was surprised the 500JRH ( chronographed at 1230FPS) didn’t penetrate further, using 400 grain bullets. The hard cast, powder coated, gas checked bullets out penetrated the two soft points, not surprisingly. But the hard cast lead went thru the plywood filled box, with magazines laminated in between sheets of wood. (2nd box in pics) that plywood stopped both soft points, but the hard cast went clean thru and was found two water bottles past the plywood.

[bearskinner]

As always, swift A frame hollow points looked like a magazine add, even when shooting one directly into the ground, looked just like the Water, wood barrier shots. The 41 mag 210 grain bullet, at 1340 FPS, stopped just before the plywood barrier. I must admit I can shoot the little 41 mag all day, as it feels like a rimfires after shooting lots of heavies in .50+ caliber revolvers.

[45MAN]

PLEASANT PASSTIMES FOR RETIRED IN THE COUNTRY GENTS. I SUGGEST YOU OVER TEST LEST YOU BE PLAGUED BY HONEYDO's.

[gnappi]

I used to use my swimming pool (at the deep end) to test bullet performance on days like the 4th of July, and New Years, the splash is SPECTACULAR much like dropping a Buick in the water. I had no idea about penetration but I didn't consider it an issue.

[markwell]

Back in the '80s at an early SOF Magazine/3-gun match gathering some guys decided to shoot a 1911 .45ACP IN the hotel pool. Punched a hole in the liner and it cost Bob Brown a pile of money.