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VIDEO: Weapon Penetration Effects

Sent in by a reader, an interesting video for the USMC showing various weapon penetration effects. 
It’s a good video, but I noticed a couple of oddities:
When you watch it, it would appear that the AK, firing 7.62 x 39mm rounds, is very effective at all angles against the structure. When you get on to the M240, which fires the 7.62 x 51 rounds (i.e. .308) it almost appears less effective, with not all rounds passing through the cinder block at a 45 degree angle. Personally, I’m not convinced by that part i.e that the AK is shown as more effective than an M240.
The M16 and the SAW are both firing the same 5.56mm ammo. I’m not sure what ammo they used for these tests, but if you walk my ranges and see the trees, where people are firing a mixture of 55 grain 5.56 and 62 grain 5.56 M855 green tip, you will see multiple trees where, (guesstimate) anything up to at least 8 inches wide has rounds passing right through the tree trunks. 
Also note the effect of the grenade, and how the fragments tear through the walls of the room. 
Food for thought, and comment. I have mentioned in my writings how rounds will just tear through structures, and you have to be  careful over what is cover, and what is concealment only. For those who want to defend from inside your house, think about this stuff ripping through. 
Let’s not start a 5.56 bashing debate hey…..
Live Hard, Die Free.
MV

10 responses to “VIDEO: Weapon Penetration Effects”

  1. Hey Max, I saw this video once a while back and was impressed.

    Most structures today offer almost zero true cover. Lots of concealment, but little cover. I was in a friend’s house that once belonged to a paranoid DEA agent. Let me tell you, his place was set up for defense. 100m clear filed between the security fence and his house. Cinderblock exterior walls, steel plate sandwiched in the doors (no kidding), high, impractically small windows, long, slightly curved hallways favoring a right-handed defender, a safe room- no kidding. Plenty to hold out against his fears and worries (I imagine angry drug folks), but certainly nothing stout enough to hold out long-term against medium and heavy machine gun fire.

    Anyway, about 5.56. I’ve been shooting green tips at 1/2″ steel plate the last few times out. True, it’s only plain mild carbon steel, but those green tips nearly punch through. I’d say there’s 3/16″ or less steel remaining, and it’s seriously bulged. I know for a fact that regular 55 grain FMJ rounds will punch through a 1/4 inch mild steel plate with no problem. A 5.56 is not going to blow through true cover like a .50 might, but the round can do more than many people give it credit for.

    Anyway. Thanks for the video.

  2. Having a debate over whether or not the 5.56 or 7.62x39mm is better is the same as the 9mm v .45 argument. When it comes down to it, no one wants to be shot with either. Both are equally devastating depending on load and shot placement.

    To see what a 55gr .223 HP did to a hog at distance, check this video out, it’s pretty devastating:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw94uHXzfP0

    Good stuff.

  3. 5.56 has good penetration and killing power at 175 yards or less. 7.62X39 has good penetration and killing power at 220 yards or less. 7.62X51 is good a out to 600 yards. 3006 about 700. BUT ALL OF THEM will kill you grave yard dead. It really has more to do with what you trust, what you want to carry, and how much ammo you think is “good enough to get the job done” . I myself love the ’06 and hate the 5.56, but I’ll not bash any man who had the balls to get off his A** and do the deed, with the weapons he choses to go to work with. I think it much more productive to thank the man backing me up with an AR-15 and save the 5.56 V. .30CAL. argument for a later date and a cold sixpack……. After we win(God willing)—Ray

    • I’ll not bash any man who had the balls to get off his A** and do the deed, with the weapons he choses to go to work with.

      Very well put, Ray! I agree- the debate is best held over cold beverages, after a long hard day of ringing steel with assorted calibers!

  4. Chaps, that’s why I didn’t really want to have a caliber debate, but instead illustrate the effects of incoming, in general. Oh, how easy it is to fall into the AR/AK/caliber debate, it like a slippery slope….;-)

    • Sorry! I didn’t want to debate, just share observations. If someone wants to debate it these days, I surrender the field.

      Or, better yet, I invite them to shoot my steel plates with me. Usually the ringing of steel from all calibers (even my .45-70 guide gun!) is enough to provoke smiles and squash debates. ;-)

      I agree with Ray- Training and familiarity trumps internet debates. Thanks again for the video.

    • Justin My brother has a Marlin .444. G.G. That thing make HOLES in EVERYTHING, using monolithic solids, but man I hate to shoot it. It is just like getting hit in the head with a ball bat. —Ray

  5. Back in my days as a FP/AT Officer and Physical Security Inspector, I often referred publication called Military Handbook 1013. It had tons of information on building hardening, physical penetration times through various materials and structures, blast resistant glazing, etc. It is a great addition to a serious library. Here is a link to the book http://www.wbdg.org/ccb/NAVFAC/DMMHNAV/1013_1a.pdf

  6. Another great post! This video is a great example for people that spend all of their training shooting cardboard silhouettes and steel and not having the experience to fully comprehend the ability of those rounds they are shooting! Thanks Max!