After last week's adventures, had someone ask about metal covered doors and how they would stand up to bullets.  So....to the range.

Here's the setup.  Neighbor was throwing away a metal front door.  It is standard construction around here, thin metal over a wood frame, with foam insulation inside.  We set up a drywall wall panel behind it to see what would happen.



Next pic, top left and right, 9 mm JHP.  Bottom left .45ACP Federal Hydroshock and right, Black Talon.
To the right, two rounds of .223, South African surplus, 55 gr.

All rounds exited without any problem and went completely through the wall behind.  As usual, the .223 started to tumble as it left the wall.



Next is a load of 00 Buck as it leaves the other side of the door.  It also completely exited the wall.



An interesting photo.  The Buckshot drove little round pieces of the metal door into the wall.  They didn't penetrate much, but I thought it was an interesting find.



Lastly, we fired a load of birdshot, #8 field loads into the door from 10 feet.  They didn't even penetrate the first layer.



As a matter of interest, some of us have discussed that we carry a Keltec P-32 in our pockets sometimes.  I tried two rounds of JHPs on the door from the P-32 and they went through the door, through the wall, and were singing along last I saw of them.

The mighty metal door slayer, the P-32.



Findings:

1.  Metal front doors provide concealment, not cover.

2.  Don't think a metal door will slow down any common round.

3.  If it's easy for you to shoot through, it's easy for the bad guy to send them the other way.

There it is boys.  Everything you ever wondered about metal doors.

Good job.  Keep shooting stuff and reporting back!

You get the "Most Useful Poster of the Month" award OP.

Thank you for the informative posts. What's next? Garden Gnomes in the front yard?

The only test I ever did was with an expended propane bottle you use on your grill. A .223 poked nice clean holes through the front, tumbled and exited with a tear. To my surprise, a .45 just dented the container and it looked as if you hit it with a ball hammer. Distance for the .45 was 20+ feet; the AR, 75 feet. We shot 9mm and .308 but I can't recall what they did.

There was no science, just fooling around.

Thanks, Lumpy.

I'm trying to make up for those "Most Useless Poster" months. [:D]

Very well written...and with photos!

I also suggest pumpkins, stuffed animals, and small city dwelling creatures for future ballistic test.

PULL!!!

Sgtar15

I think that just confirms the unwritten first rule of CQB.

.308 might seal your fate, but don't fuck with Buck.

[lol] I like it.

Good report!  Only thing I would add next time would be the venerable but overly available .22LR.  Almost all of us have them, so the bad guys probably do too.  Just an idea.  Thanks!  Shoot more stuff!

We get alot of left over stuff from jobs and do some testing too. The guy I work and shoot with has alot of videos and pics of some of our "tests". I'll see if I can get some posted.

Your tests are more "scientific" than ours. Keep up the good job.

I guess I was a little surprised.  I knew that a rifle would go through, and also a .45 ACP and 9mm.

But I was surprised that the birdshot would bounce off without any penetration.

And I was surprised that the lowly .32 ACP went through with no problem.



Yep.  I've often opened the door and stood there leaning around it like it was 6 inches of armour plate.  Now I will remember that it might as well be balsa wood.  It can hide you, but it can't protect you.

[b]Old_Painless[/b], once again you 'da man![beer] Thanks again for your tireless contributions to education.[:D]

Birdshot bouncing doesn't surprise me,  it bounces of my levi's too.  It hurt like a MOTHER but it didn't penetrate.  

I had me some helllacious welts though.

so.. what we need to find is something that will serve as proper 'shielding' against bullets.

crouching behind the engine of a car or the tires if your near a car

anyone try to make their house 'bulletproof'?

As Clint Smith says, "The best protection is a wall of lead headed toward the bad guys."

Simple way to make one of those bulletproof.

Take the metal sheets off the frame, remove foam. Cut holes in wooden frame. Place Metal sheets on door frame. Weld Seems, Pour Concrete into now empty door.

That should help, if you don't have any concrete, sand could be used but it probably wouldnt slow down the bullets as well.

You're welcome.

The question is:

The next time someone says, "You can't use an AR in a house because it will shoot through all the walls.  Give me a shotgun.  It won't over-penetrate", is anyone going to remember these tests?

I plan on dragging them out of the past when silly stuff like that is posted.

It is no longer a matter of, "I think...".  It is a matter of fact.