I'm looking for tests or studies on how far out you can penetrate Level III hardplates with the 338 Lapua. Any info you have or can point me toward would be appreciated.

I doubt they would even slow it down.

  


338 Lapua Ballistic Table

Bullet Type & Weight     Muzzle       Velocity / Energy100 Yard200 Yards300 Yards400 Yards500 Yards
200 Gr. Spire Point3250 / 4690+1.23 / 2968 / 3913+0.00 / 2700 / 3239-6.02 / 2448 / 2661-17.83 / 2212 / 2173-36.75 / 1993 / 1763
200 Gr. Barnes X 3250 / 4690+1.17 / 3018 / 4044+0.00 / 2795 / 3470-5.61 / 2582 / 2961-16.48 / 2380 / 2515-33.43 / 2189 / 2128
200 Gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip3250 /4690+1.19 / 3005 / 4005+0.00 / 2768 / 3400-5.72 / 2545 / 2875-16.85 / 2330 / 2412-34.34 / 2131 / 2017
210 Gr. Barnes XBT3250 / 4924+1.15 / 3033 / 4289+0.00 / 2824 / 3718-5.50 / 2624 / 3209-16.09 / 2432 / 2758-32.52 / 2251 / 2361
210 Gr. Nosler Partition3250 / 4924+1.20 / 2995 / 4183+0.00 / 2752 / 3531-5.79 / 2520 / 2961-17.08 / 2300 / 2471-34.89 / 2098 / 2051
225 Gr. Spire Point3000 / 4496+1.55 / 2755 / 3790+0.00 / 2521 / 3175-7.04 / 2301 / 2646-20.61 / 2095 / 2193-42.18 / 1903 / 1808
225 Gr. Hornady SST3000 / 4496+1.47 / 2798 / 3910+0.00 / 2604 / 3386-6.63 / 2418 / 2921-19.17 / 2242 / 2511-38.62 / 2075 / 2151
225 Gr. Swift A-Frame3000 / 4496+1.56 / 2747 / 3768+0.00 / 2506 / 3136-7.12 / 2280 / 2596-20.90 / 2069 / 2137-42.88 / 1871 / 1749
225 Gr. Barnes X3000 /  4496+1.47 / 2797 / 2908+0.00 / 2602 / 3382-6.64 / 2416 / 2915-19.19 / 2239 / 2505-38.68 / 2072 / 2144
225 Gr. TBBC3000 / 4496+1.56 / 2747 / 3768+0.00 / 2506 / 3136-7.12 / 2280 / 2596-20.90 / 2069 / 2137-42.88 / 1871 / 1749
225 Gr. Nosler Partition3000 / 4496+1.49 / 2785 / 3875+0.00 / 2579 / 3321-6.75 / 2383 / 2835-19.59 / 2197 / 2411-39.64 / 2022 / 2045
250 Gr. Spire Point2850 / 4508+1.77 / 2630 / 3839+0.00 / 2421 / 3253-7.69 / 2224 / 2745-22.41 / 2038 / 2305-45.56 / 1864 / 1927
250 Gr. Speer Grand Slam2850 / 4508+1.77 / 2630 / 3839+0.00 / 2421 / 3253-7.69 / 2224 / 2745-22.41 / 2038 / 2305-45.56 / 1864 / 1927
250 Gr. Swift A-Frame2850 / 4508+1.78 / 2628 / 3833+0.00 / 2417 / 3243-7.71 / 2218 / 2731-22.49 / 2031 / 2290-45.75 / 1856 / 1911
250 Gr. Nosler Partition2850 / 4508+1.74 / 2650 / 3895+0.00 / 2457 / 3351-7.48 / 2275 / 2873-21.67 / 2103 / 2454-43.78 / 1940 / 2088
250 Gr. Barnes X2850 / 4508+1.70 / 2667 / 2949+0.00 / 2492 / 3446-7.31 / 2324 / 2999-21.01 / 2165 / 2602-42.14 / 2014 / 2251
275 Gr. Swift A-Frame2725 / 4533+1.98 / 2528 / 2900+0.00 / 2341 / 3344-8.29 / 2163 / 2857-24.00 / 2000 / 2435-48.56 / 1840 / 2060

I have no doubt that it would penetrate the plates, but out how far can you depend on a solid kill. I am also working under the assumption the shooter would go for a head shot out to 300'ish depending on conditions like I would. So beyond range am I still going to have solid penetration?

ETA: Beaten by a good 5 mins :-(





 

The plates I made will stop 338 at 100 yards and 50 bmg at 50

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You needing something to catch rounds while your partner assembles your NEF handy rifle in .300winmag?

Gecko45, is that you?

what makes you think they would go for a headshot? if you have a 338 lapua, COM will make plenty a mess and is a much larger target

Exactly what came into my head as well.

Shoot for the pelvic girdle.

All you need is a wife and duct tape.

I can't answer your question, but RUAG guarantees that their AP round will penetrate level IV armour at over 550m.

I will take "How you know you spend too much time on the internet" for 500 Alex

I was right with you guys

If someone is pointing a 338LM at you, the first thing you'll know about it is when your head explodes into pulp, your mates around you wonder what the bits of stuff are that's hitting them as the sonic boom eventually catches up and the spotter calmly says to the sniper:

"I wonder how much he paid for that body armour?"

Without a doubt one of the best troll jobs ever.

oh the good old days..

LOL...that's pretty funny right there!

I'm still not sure it was a troll.

God help us if it wasn't.

I'd be willing to bet that even though the round might be stopped the impact of the projectile with all the foot pounds behind it could stil kill you.  A 690gr .50BMG FMJ at 50 yards is hitting around 2,800 fps and generating roughly 10,000 foot pounds of energy.  I'd be willing to guess the fluid shockwaves generated from the impact could/would shatter ribs, shatter spine and destroy internal organs.

I keep hearin about this pelvic griddle, is that a scientifickal name for the wimmens hot spot?

Ditto.  

This is a good reminder that as powerful as .338 Lapua is, it isn't even in the same stadium as .50 BMG.

Look at it in terms of muzzle energy.  The difference explains why, for example, .338 Lapua is OK at our private range, but .50 BMG is not.  .50 BMG is just another world compared to any other rifle round.

I don't think the bullet would notice, nor do I think you could reasonably carry body armor that would stop it. Were it to stop the bullet, you'd probably not feel very sporty for the next week or two.

I am in the who the fuck cares crowd with this.

Lets just say by some mircle your melon is not a fine red splatter of ick, you just took one of the hardest hitting rounds made short of anti tank arty.... I am thinking FUCKING OUCH!
You might fair better just stepping in front of a slow moving train and letting it make strawberry jelly out of slowly or step in front of a mac truck doing 40.

Was that the origin of the quote "If your plan B is to stop a 338 Lapua round with body armor, you need a better plan A" or something like that?

lol...

Is he using a suppressor?

I think it was something like " If you're taking multiple rounds to the torso from a 338 Lapua, body armor is the least of your worries."





 

Yes. Gecko45

This is the point the thread veers off the tracks.  Ha ha.

holy shit that was great.  well done sir!

They werent laughing at Gecko45 when he and his team saved that mayor's daughter were they? That dude was and is the real deal. Thats how good his team is! You dont even have to worry when you go to that mall.

I'd say the force it would apply to your body would be sufficient to unplug you - penetration or no.

yes Or maybe not

Well that is why you tape extra trauma plates to your back.  Tactically.

On a serious note:

Provided that there is no penetration, and there is no protrusion of the vest into the body cavity (meaning that the plate does its job and spreads the impact over the surface area of the plate) the shootee will feel no more impact than the person shooting the rifle.

The plate, pushing into the shootee, being of much greater surface area, will impart LESS psi of pressure than the shooter feels from the butt plate.

It's a provable fact.

ETA: I should've read the origianl question again. I thought we were discussing a plate that would actually stop the round.

Like a hot knife through butter! THWACK!

Banned by ATF as AP.

bounce`s off....

That would be the case if the gun in question did not have a brake or suppressor.