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

Magnum Wheel Man · June 22, 2009, 07:52 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, 10:50 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, 11:00 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, 01:02 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, 04:44 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, 07:52 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 Last edited by Magnum Wheel Man; June 22, 2009 at 10:23 AM.

June 22, 2009, 10:50 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.

June 22, 2009, 04:44 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, 11:00 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 ???

June 22, 2009, 01:02 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.