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Thread: Redneck Ballistic Testing protocol and results.

  1. #1
    Member Baldanders's Avatar
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    Redneck Ballistic Testing protocol and results.

    The protocol: 4 1 gallon milk jugs placed label side facing the shooter filled with water, placed as tightly together as possible, with a big water-filled kitty litter jug as backstop at the end of the stack, shot from about a yard away.

    Results:

    .32 ACP PPU 71 grain JHP--I fired 7 rounds from my p32, shifting poa after each shot so it would hit water. 6 rounds sailed through all 4 jugs. The 7th round stopped in the 4th bottle with very minor nose deformation. I forgot the kitty litter jug on this one.

    .38 Special from my 2" 640
    --.Hornady Critical Defense 110gr +p = stopped by 2nd jug, jacket mostly separated

    --Speer Gold Dot 125gr +p = went through 3 jugs, bounced off 4th

    9mm

    --147 Ranger-T from a 4" px4= stopped in 3rd jug

    --115 Critical Defense from a 4" Springfield = identical results to the .38 version above

    .357 from 2" 640

    135 gr. Critical Defense = stopped in 4th jug

    .45ACP from a Kahr CW45

    --230 gr Gold Dot=stopped in kitty litter jug

    --230 gr PMC Starfire =stopped in kitty litter jug

    Everything expanded great, aside from the .32 PPU and the .45 Starfire (posted pics awhile back)

    Once I get a battery for my calipers again, I'll post some pics and expansion numbers.

    Yes, I know it doesn't mean jack compared to gel. More loads to follow.
    Last edited by Baldanders; 06-02-2019 at 08:09 PM.
    REPETITION CREATES BELIEF
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  2. #2
    Member lyodbraun's Avatar
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    Yeah I had same results with that starfire round as well lol junk, nice testing .

  3. #3
    Hoplophilic doc SAWBONES's Avatar
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    So the .45 Auto rounds penetrated better than the or 9mm, .38 Special or .357 Magnum, and at least one of those deepest-penetrating .45 Auto rounds even expanded?!

    That's not how these tests are supposed to turn out.
    [Irony]The best 9mm load is supposed to equal or out-perform the best .45 Auto load nowadays.[/Irony]
    "Therefore, since the world has still... Much good, but much less good than ill,
    And while the sun and moon endure, Luck's a chance, but trouble's sure,
    I'd face it as a wise man would, And train for ill and not for good." -- A.E. Housman

  4. #4
    Member Baldanders's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SAWBONES View Post
    So the .45 Auto rounds penetrated better than the or 9mm, .38 Special or .357 Magnum, and at least one of those deepest-penetrating .45 Auto rounds even expanded?!

    That's not how these tests are supposed to turn out.
    [Irony]The best 9mm load is supposed to equal or out-perform the best .45 Auto load nowadays.[/Irony]
    Out of a short barrel, and 230 grains too! Of course, .45 also had the only expansion failure from a "premium" round. But maybe Starfire just does suck. I don't think they ever got LE contracts for it.

    I found yesterday's test with the .38 Gold Dots the most surprising, actually. Petals- folded back expansion and it equalled/beat (barely-- cracked the forth jug) 9mm 147 Ranger-T in penetration--also "blew up" first jug, not as impressively as 9mm+p /.357 /.45ACP, but way more impressive than the 110 grain Critical Defense.

    I think I have some 129 grain +p Hydrashock sitting around, that should be an interesting comparison. But when I have enough jugs saved, I think I will try the 125 GD .38+p through my 4" Trooper next.
    REPETITION CREATES BELIEF
    REPETITION BUILDS THE SEPARATE WORLDS WE LIVE AND DIE IN
    NO EXCEPTIONS

  5. #5
    Member Baldanders's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by lyodbraun View Post
    Yeah I had same results with that starfire round as well lol junk, nice testing .
    What did you shoot with it, and what vintage were you using?

    My box was a 2000- ish purchase.
    REPETITION CREATES BELIEF
    REPETITION BUILDS THE SEPARATE WORLDS WE LIVE AND DIE IN
    NO EXCEPTIONS

  6. #6
    Member lyodbraun's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Baldanders View Post
    What did you shoot with it, and what vintage were you using?

    My box was a 2000- ish purchase.
    It was with a glock 30 and it was prob something like 2010 or so IIRC .. ended up just using that for target ammo ..

  7. #7
    Member Baldanders's Avatar
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    More useless/dubious "data.."

    All from a 2" 640 pro:

    Remington 125 grain .38 +p SJHP= good expansion, stopped in 3rd jug, some jacket loss

    Gold Dot 135 grain Short Barrel .38+p= good expansion, comparable to the 125 grain Gold Dot, stopped in 4th jug.

    Gold Dot 135 grain Short Barrel .357=explosive expansion, jacketing shredded, remaining core almost looks like it has a hydrashok post, stopped in 4th jug.

    I have 135 grain .38s as my new 640 carry/home load. When/if I work out the rest of my current flinch, I may switch to the .357 short barrel. The .38 short barrel seems a bit lighter on recoil than the Remington 125 grain load. The .357 Short barrel isn't bad at all for .357, but the increased flip had me grouping a few inches lower than my poa at 7 yards, so I will stick to the dead-on .38 version for now.

    Sorry, still haven't got a chrony, still haven't got a battery for my calipers, and I still have no photos-- but I have saved all the bullets and I will get photos up soonish.

    Definitely need a scale too.
    REPETITION CREATES BELIEF
    REPETITION BUILDS THE SEPARATE WORLDS WE LIVE AND DIE IN
    NO EXCEPTIONS

  8. #8
    Member Baldanders's Avatar
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    Sorry still no photos but a few more loads from my 640 pro 2".

    129 grain Hydrashok .38+p: 3 jugs, almost exited the third jug, moderate expansion

    158 grain XTP .357 Fiocchi "Extrema": went through 3 kitty litter jugs and stopped in a fourth, cracked the first jug in 4 places, will re-test in milk jugs, moderate expansion with petals bent back--milder recoil than .38 Special Wolf 130 grain FMJ

    158 grain standard pressure .38 PPU LSWHP: stopped in the second kitty litter jug, no expansion but hollow base is deformed


    I think this shows how things that won't expand in gel will often expand in water. The Hydrashok seems to never expand in gel and I doubt the .357 Fiocchi would do much in gel either-- it feels like a .38+p.
    REPETITION CREATES BELIEF
    REPETITION BUILDS THE SEPARATE WORLDS WE LIVE AND DIE IN
    NO EXCEPTIONS

  9. #9
    Abducted by Aliens Borderland's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Baldanders View Post
    Sorry still no photos but a few more loads from my 640 pro 2".

    129 grain Hydrashok .38+p: 3 jugs, almost exited the third jug, moderate expansion

    158 grain XTP .357 Fiocchi "Extrema": went through 3 kitty litter jugs and stopped in a fourth, cracked the first jug in 4 places, will re-test in milk jugs, moderate expansion with petals bent back--milder recoil than .38 Special Wolf 130 grain FMJ

    158 grain standard pressure .38 PPU LSWHP: stopped in the second kitty litter jug, no expansion but hollow base is deformed


    I think this shows how things that won't expand in gel will often expand in water. The Hydrashok seems to never expand in gel and I doubt the .357 Fiocchi would do much in gel either-- it feels like a .38+p.
    I'm seeing a new YT channel coming soon. Wazzup PFer's.
    In the P-F basket of deplorables.

  10. #10
    Member Baldanders's Avatar
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    If I wasn't a schoolteacher, I'd think about it. Maybe without my face on screen?
    REPETITION CREATES BELIEF
    REPETITION BUILDS THE SEPARATE WORLDS WE LIVE AND DIE IN
    NO EXCEPTIONS

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