quilbilly
10-08-2013, 02:48 PM
This morning I did another terminal ballistics test with two rifle calibers. The medium was 24" of soaked phone books with a 3/16 piece of veneer plywood at one inch to simulate a clipped rib. The calibers were 6mm 87gr Loverin style RNGC at 1900 fps and a 357 Max 173 gr Keith style SWC plain base at 1400 fps (fastest I can push it without leading). The distance is 40 yards.
First lesson learned - I need to do a softer alloy since there was no expansion whatsoever in either. My current alloy is 60% pure + 36% chilled lead shot + 4% tin water dropped. Boolits looked almost new.
Results:
6mm - 22" average penetration and boolits began tumbling at 16".
357 max - 10-3/4" average penetration
For reference in a similar test a couple years back, my 7mm TCU carbine with a 130 gr RNGC at 1950 fps got 17-1/2" of penetration and my 32-20 in T/C pistol, 113 gr RNFP-GC at 1400 fps got 15" of penetration.
First lesson learned - I need to do a softer alloy since there was no expansion whatsoever in either. My current alloy is 60% pure + 36% chilled lead shot + 4% tin water dropped. Boolits looked almost new.
Results:
6mm - 22" average penetration and boolits began tumbling at 16".
357 max - 10-3/4" average penetration
For reference in a similar test a couple years back, my 7mm TCU carbine with a 130 gr RNGC at 1950 fps got 17-1/2" of penetration and my 32-20 in T/C pistol, 113 gr RNFP-GC at 1400 fps got 15" of penetration.