testing bullet performance... what is most practical / cheapest ???

Magnum Wheel Man · June 22, 2009, 06:52 AM

got alot of new test loads to run through the chrony this year, & I'm also interested in testing bullet performance for a couple cartridge / bullet choices in particular...

The 22 Hornet...er well kinda... my 8 shot 22 Hornet revolver project with changable barrels (ala Dan Wesson style ) is nearly complete... the new barrels are 1 in 9 twist 223 barrels, so the new Hornet revolver should be able to stabilize 223 bullets up to around 68 grain or so, albeit at a lower velocity than the 223... the Hornet is an interesting cartridge, in that it falls into a group of earlier cartridges that often have "too much" case capacity for the bullets they shoot... while not as cavernous as the 45-70 for example, at normal Hornet bullet weights, there is normally a good amount of air space... but by going to a tighter twist 1 in 9" rather than the normal 1 in 14" twist, I find I can stuff a 55 grain bullet quite nicely into the case, & am very interested in trying this project out...

anyone ever try chambering a faster twist 223 barrel in 22 Hornet & loading heavier bullets before ???

anyway... I have test loads done up from 33 grain TNT bullets ( a normal Hornet bullet ), up to Sierra 55 grain spitzer boat tails... I'm curious as to how some of these bullets will perform at lower velocities ( like the 36 grain Barnes Varmint Grenades, or the banded solids ) or those 55 grain spitzers... I expect velocities out of a 6" barrel with the powders & loads I'm shooting to range from 2200 - 2300 fps on the ultra lights, down to maybe 1700 - 1800 fps on the heavies...

obviously gel would be a great test media, & I've heard wet news print, but for an old farm boy... what is the most practical test media ( no, sorry, no dead pigs or ??? laying around to shoot )

I've also done up test loads similar to the Hornets, to the 5.7 X 28, as well as several others, some designed as hunting type loads, some designed as self defense type loads...

I'm open for suggestions for practical test media ??? thanks

Suicide*Ride · June 22, 2009, 09:50 AM

Testing handgun ammunition for:

max expansion of HPs, I shot into an above ground swimming pool.

penetration of solids/FMJs, I shot into wet phone books.

evaluation of overall destructive power, I built & shot into a bullet box. (1 gal. water jugs in a row)

Shooting into the swimming pool worked great until I tried out some of Cor-Bon's "Hunter" ammo. A 305gr 44mag rd. went through 4.5ft of water & another foot of earth below the pool liner. (OOPS!!!

)

The bullet box worked great for testing destructive power & penetration.

Magnum Wheel Man · June 22, 2009, 10:00 AM

I have seen the boxes that hold gallon jugs used before, & that's the kind of practicality I'm looking for... I could probably do a few layers of old denem in front if I designed the box right, for self defense loads, or even a layer of leather for hunting rounds

...

how many jugs did your box hold... I'd expect the spitzer boat tail Barnes banded solids to penitrate quite deeply...

wondering if a box that held 6 jugs is enough, or if a normal bullet deflects off enough after 3-4 jugs to where it goes out the side or out the bottom or top 1st ???

mnhntr · June 22, 2009, 12:02 PM

Stuff old phone books into a 5 gallon bucket and fill with water. Cut a 6x6in section out and shoot into the opening.

res45 · June 22, 2009, 03:44 PM

Lot's of penetration test here as well as several variation of bullet stopper you can build yourself to do your own test.

http://www.theboxotruth.com/

June 22, 2009, 06:52 AM	#1
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	testing bullet performance... what is most practical / cheapest ??? got alot of new test loads to run through the chrony this year, & I'm also interested in testing bullet performance for a couple cartridge / bullet choices in particular... The 22 Hornet...er well kinda... my 8 shot 22 Hornet revolver project with changable barrels (ala Dan Wesson style ) is nearly complete... the new barrels are 1 in 9 twist 223 barrels, so the new Hornet revolver should be able to stabilize 223 bullets up to around 68 grain or so, albeit at a lower velocity than the 223... the Hornet is an interesting cartridge, in that it falls into a group of earlier cartridges that often have "too much" case capacity for the bullets they shoot... while not as cavernous as the 45-70 for example, at normal Hornet bullet weights, there is normally a good amount of air space... but by going to a tighter twist 1 in 9" rather than the normal 1 in 14" twist, I find I can stuff a 55 grain bullet quite nicely into the case, & am very interested in trying this project out... anyone ever try chambering a faster twist 223 barrel in 22 Hornet & loading heavier bullets before ??? anyway... I have test loads done up from 33 grain TNT bullets ( a normal Hornet bullet ), up to Sierra 55 grain spitzer boat tails... I'm curious as to how some of these bullets will perform at lower velocities ( like the 36 grain Barnes Varmint Grenades, or the banded solids ) or those 55 grain spitzers... I expect velocities out of a 6" barrel with the powders & loads I'm shooting to range from 2200 - 2300 fps on the ultra lights, down to maybe 1700 - 1800 fps on the heavies... obviously gel would be a great test media, & I've heard wet news print, but for an old farm boy... what is the most practical test media ( no, sorry, no dead pigs or ??? laying around to shoot ) I've also done up test loads similar to the Hornets, to the 5.7 X 28, as well as several others, some designed as hunting type loads, some designed as self defense type loads... I'm open for suggestions for practical test media ??? thanks __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust... Last edited by Magnum Wheel Man; June 22, 2009 at 09:23 AM.

June 22, 2009, 09:50 AM	#2
Suicide*Ride Member Join Date: March 31, 2009 Posts: 44	Testing handgun ammunition for: max expansion of HPs, I shot into an above ground swimming pool. penetration of solids/FMJs, I shot into wet phone books. evaluation of overall destructive power, I built & shot into a bullet box. (1 gal. water jugs in a row) Shooting into the swimming pool worked great until I tried out some of Cor-Bon's "Hunter" ammo. A 305gr 44mag rd. went through 4.5ft of water & another foot of earth below the pool liner. (OOPS!!!) The bullet box worked great for testing destructive power & penetration. __________________ SR "The Price of Freedom can be seen here" ******the sign seen outside every VA hospital******

June 22, 2009, 10:00 AM	#3
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	I have seen the boxes that hold gallon jugs used before, & that's the kind of practicality I'm looking for... I could probably do a few layers of old denem in front if I designed the box right, for self defense loads, or even a layer of leather for hunting rounds ... how many jugs did your box hold... I'd expect the spitzer boat tail Barnes banded solids to penitrate quite deeply... wondering if a box that held 6 jugs is enough, or if a normal bullet deflects off enough after 3-4 jugs to where it goes out the side or out the bottom or top 1st ??? __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

June 22, 2009, 03:44 PM	#5
res45 Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2007 Location: NC Posts: 753	Lot's of penetration test here as well as several variation of bullet stopper you can build yourself to do your own test. http://www.theboxotruth.com/ __________________ The Reloaders Network discord Channel https://discord.gg/Nafuzht

June 22, 2009, 12:02 PM	#4
mnhntr Senior Member Join Date: April 9, 2008 Posts: 972	Stuff old phone books into a 5 gallon bucket and fill with water. Cut a 6x6in section out and shoot into the opening.