Penetration Results from Three Handloads

Al57 · November 2, 2009, 09:46 PM

I acknowledge this fits under the category of " worthless information ", but I thought I'd share my findings anyway in case others out there load similar loads and / or there are other shooters who'd find interest in how these three loads fared and compared . Medium used was completely soaked, sopping wet, but tightly packed newsprint, backed by dry newsprint . Shots were fired into such medium from 4 feet away . My main goal was to affirm the .44 mag load I may use for our late , antlerless deer season in Jan., would penetrate sufficiently . While I had the soaked newsprint, and enough room so all three had undisturbed from other shot paths, I went ahead and tried 2 others. I have no idea how this medium compares with ballistic gelatin, but I have always thought this likely offers more resistance based on previous tests I've done with soaked newsprint and factory loads compared to what the same factory loads did in ballistic gelatin you read about.

.45 acp 4 1/2 " BBL
230 gr. FMJ RN
5.8 grs. UNIQUE
775 FPS
Penetrated 12 " of wet and stopped after penetrating 3 " of dry

.44 Mag 5 1/2" BBL
260 gr. Cast Keith
9.0 grs UNIQUE
950 FPS
Penetrated 12 " of wet and stopped, denting & tearing the 1st 1/2" of dry

.357 Mag 4" BBL
158 gr. JHP
7.5 grs. UNIQUE
1050 FPS
Penetrated 9" of wet and expanded to 5/8 " or .62 cal

Bigjim3 · November 2, 2009, 09:48 PM

You might think its "worthless information" But I think its cool

Any chance of pics??

Al57 · November 2, 2009, 10:23 PM

Thanks, Jim . Hey, what can I say ? It was raining, I was bored, wife wasn't home yet , boys will still be boys, even at age 52...... No, ya know I thought about pics AFTER I had the 40 lbs or so of paper & water in the dumpster. FWIW, the .45 holes were only about that throughout, which I expected, without much surrounding area disturbed, maybe a triffle. The .44 load, with it's wide meplat, plowed a hole a bit over 1/2" all the way with some obvious evidence of disturbance of the surrounding area from start to end . The .357 load really made a gaping hole almost an inch or so in diameter from about 4" in to it's stopping point at 9 ".

IllinoisCoyoteHunter · November 2, 2009, 10:28 PM

Thanks for posting! Not surprised with the results...show how different styles of bullets react....fmj's, LSWC's, and HP's. Well done!

reloader28 · November 2, 2009, 10:30 PM

N eat. I've thought of doing this same thing several times too cause I was bored but havent yet. I might have to try it now.

Al57 · November 2, 2009, 10:35 PM

ICH, thanks to you as well .

November 2, 2009, 09:46 PM	#1
Al57 Member Join Date: December 5, 2006 Location: Nebraska Posts: 69	Penetration Results from Three Handloads I acknowledge this fits under the category of " worthless information ", but I thought I'd share my findings anyway in case others out there load similar loads and / or there are other shooters who'd find interest in how these three loads fared and compared . Medium used was completely soaked, sopping wet, but tightly packed newsprint, backed by dry newsprint . Shots were fired into such medium from 4 feet away . My main goal was to affirm the .44 mag load I may use for our late , antlerless deer season in Jan., would penetrate sufficiently . While I had the soaked newsprint, and enough room so all three had undisturbed from other shot paths, I went ahead and tried 2 others. I have no idea how this medium compares with ballistic gelatin, but I have always thought this likely offers more resistance based on previous tests I've done with soaked newsprint and factory loads compared to what the same factory loads did in ballistic gelatin you read about. .45 acp 4 1/2 " BBL 230 gr. FMJ RN 5.8 grs. UNIQUE 775 FPS Penetrated 12 " of wet and stopped after penetrating 3 " of dry .44 Mag 5 1/2" BBL 260 gr. Cast Keith 9.0 grs UNIQUE 950 FPS Penetrated 12 " of wet and stopped, denting & tearing the 1st 1/2" of dry .357 Mag 4" BBL 158 gr. JHP 7.5 grs. UNIQUE 1050 FPS Penetrated 9" of wet and expanded to 5/8 " or .62 cal

November 2, 2009, 09:48 PM	#2
Bigjim3 Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 2008 Location: Alabama Posts: 419	You might think its "worthless information" But I think its cool Any chance of pics?? __________________ Jesus according to Luke:22:36: Then said he unto them, ,,,,,, and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one......... Thomas Jefferson: "No man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government." Last edited by Bigjim3; November 2, 2009 at 09:50 PM. Reason: more info

November 2, 2009, 10:28 PM	#4
IllinoisCoyoteHunter Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2008 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 1,527	Thanks for posting! Not surprised with the results...show how different styles of bullets react....fmj's, LSWC's, and HP's. Well done! __________________ ~~IllinoisCoyoteHunter~~ ~NRA LIFE MEMBER~ ~NRA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR~

November 2, 2009, 10:23 PM	#3
Al57 Member Join Date: December 5, 2006 Location: Nebraska Posts: 69	Thanks, Jim . Hey, what can I say ? It was raining, I was bored, wife wasn't home yet , boys will still be boys, even at age 52...... No, ya know I thought about pics AFTER I had the 40 lbs or so of paper & water in the dumpster. FWIW, the .45 holes were only about that throughout, which I expected, without much surrounding area disturbed, maybe a triffle. The .44 load, with it's wide meplat, plowed a hole a bit over 1/2" all the way with some obvious evidence of disturbance of the surrounding area from start to end . The .357 load really made a gaping hole almost an inch or so in diameter from about 4" in to it's stopping point at 9 ".

November 2, 2009, 10:30 PM	#5
reloader28 Senior Member Join Date: October 13, 2009 Location: nw wyoming Posts: 1,061	N eat. I've thought of doing this same thing several times too cause I was bored but havent yet. I might have to try it now.

November 2, 2009, 10:35 PM	#6
Al57 Member Join Date: December 5, 2006 Location: Nebraska Posts: 69	ICH, thanks to you as well .