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Posted: 4/14/2010 12:42:33 PM EDT
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Below is an unscientific penetration comparison test of different calibers. I'm not so much interested in body cavity tests as I was curious in what I or my enemy (if it comes to that) can hide behind for protection from different calibers.
The bullets used were as follows: 9mm - Aguila 124gr Full Metal Jacket .45 - Speer Lawman 230gr Full Metal Jacket .357 Magnum - Hornady 185gr Hollow Point .223 - PMC 55gr Full Metal Jacket .44 Magnum - Hornady 240gr Hollow Point In this first test I used simple pine 2x4s. I taped 3 of them together for ease of removal to check for penetration. They are in order of penetration from left to right. All shots were from 50 feet away. The top 2 shots are 9mm. I shot twice because the first shot was close to the edge and I wanted a more centered shot. The rest of the shots below are .357, .223 and 44 mag at the bottom. 
In this pic the 2nd board is flipped over. 
The 9mm's have penetrated all the way though and are lodged in the 3rd board (see pic below). 
The .357 didn't pass through. It expanded and is lodged in the 2nd board. The .223 penetrated all the way through all 3 boards. The .44 Mag didn't pass through. It expanded and is lodged in the 2nd board (see pic below). 
Here is the test of the .45 cal. 
In this pic the 2nd board is flipped over. The .45 has didn't pass all the way through and is lodged in the 2nd board (see pic below). 
-Cody |
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In this next test I used a piece of scrap steel plate. It was about 2 inches thick. I have no idea of the hardness, only that it was pretty dense and weighed around 100 lbs. Pretty heavy for a small piece like this.
Only .223 / 5.56 were tested here. All shots were fired from 150 yards away (from fear of ricochet). The four rounds I tested were as follows: .223 Hornady 55gr V-Max Ballistic Tip Lake City 5.56 XM855 62gr Green Tip Full Metal Jacket .223 Sierra Match HP 75gr Hollow Point .223 PMC 55gr Full Metal Jacket 
.223 Hornady 55gr V-Max Ballistic Tip Penetration minimal 
Lake City 5.56 XM855 62gr Green Tip FMJ Penetration significant 
.223 Sierra 75gr. Match HP Penetration medium 
I flipped the plate over for this test. 
.223 PMC 55gr FMJ Penetration significant (slightly less than the Lake City but more than the 75gr HP) 
-Cody |
| Thanks for the testing and the info. I am especially and happily surprised at the penetration of the PMC 55 gr .223. I have a bunch and it has proven to be very accurate and reliable in my guns. The published ballistics of it are very good but there are a bunch of nay-sayers around that continue to say it is underpowered and weak ammo, no matter what the ballistics would have you believe. You have gone a long way to prove it is quite powerful ammo and have helped show what is published for it's ballistics is correct, and that it's good powerful ammo....Thanks again for your objective and unbiased test....<><....:) |
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