44 Magnum through water ballons

[tipoc]

Maybe this was discussed before and I missed it but any ways...

NatGeo did a piece in late April on shooting water filled balloons with a 44 Magnum round.

Though they did not explain what bullet was fired there was no trickery to the test and you can see it here...

http://www.wideopenspaces.com/many-water-balloons-will-44-mag-shoot-video/

The original piece here...

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/street-genius/videos/bulletproof-balloons/

The bullet appears to be a exposed lead soft nosed hollow point. The graphic has it going at 1115 fps before it hits the first balloon.

So why didn't it penetrate more?

Some results of tests from BrassFetcher with 10% and 20% gel for comparison...

http://www.brassfetcher.com/Handguns/44 Magnum/44 Magnum.html

tipoc

 

[newfalguy101]

Water does an impressive job of stopping bullets.

Mythbusters did a piece on bullets in water, the showed that if you are under something like 24 inches of water, you would be safe from just about any highpowered round

 

[Panzerschwein]

This.

And one reason why water testing is not a reliable indicative of the performance ballistics of JHPs for defense/hunting work.

 

[Crayfish]

If I remember that Mythbusters episode correctly I believe the best penetration of all the rounds they shot into the pool was a 50 caliber muzzle loader? Slow and heavy, and that's no surprise.

Edit: Just looked it up and conclusion was "all supersonic bullets up to .50 caliber disintegrated in under 3 feet of water and slower bullets like handguns took up to 8 feet to slow to non-lethal speeds." "Shotgun slugs go even deeper with lethal velocities"

 

[481]

Water does an impressive job of stopping bullets.

Mythbusters did a piece on bullets in water, the showed that if you are under something like 24 inches of water, you would be safe from just about any highpowered round

Since the forces (pressure) encountered by bullets increases exponentially with the speed of impact, high-powered rounds are literally torn apart due to the speed at which they hit the water. IIRC, the 9mm subsonics (147 gr) went farther.

 

[MICHAEL T]

I accidently shot my above ground pool. With a 30 30 very old Winchester . When lever came up it would fire period. I didn't know this at time. I had just bought and brought home. Any way 150 gr came to rest approx. 9' from point of entry . I had 3 unhappy daughters as was to be a party later in day . I patch pool and refilled Water was a little chilly but they survived . Rifle went to gun smith

 

[Sheepdog1968]

I accidently shot my above ground pool. With a 30 30 very old Winchester . When lever came up it would fire period. I didn't know this at time. I had just bought and brought home. Any way 150 gr came to rest approx. 9' from point of entry . I had 3 unhappy daughters as was to be a party later in day . I patch pool and refilled Water was a little chilly but they survived . Rifle went to gun smith

At least you had a good backstop.

 

[Dain Bramage]

Apparently, a couple of feet of Easter candy peeps will deviate a .50 BMG.

50 BMG Peeps Video

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Mythbusters did a piece on bullets in water, the showed that if you are under something like 24 inches of water, you would be safe from just about any highpowered round

IIRC that was only if the firearm was fired from outside the pool, into the pool.
If a gun is submerged in water from the beginning it was actually lethal further, as evidence by a .30-06 penetrating over a foot of ballistics gel and blowing the end of the trough out.

 

[deadeye dick]

Due to the resistance of the water. Wouldn't firing a gun under water cause excessive pressure due to the resistence of the water in the barrel fighting the water.

 

[cowpoke]

I have done the same test, penetration depends greatly on bullet type. Solids are best.

 

[tipoc]

If a gun is submerged in water from the beginning it was actually lethal further

Well I'm not so sure this is true. A bullet fired underwater does no better than a bullet fired into water. In fact worse as it does not get the "running start" the the bullet fired into water does as a result of traveling through air before it hits the water. If it's "lethal further" it's by a matter of inches.

http://www.sciencechannel.com/tv-shows/outrageous-acts-of-science/videos/firing-a-gun-underwater/

http://www.dlsports.com/underwater_handgun_shooting.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/02/firing-guns-under-water-andrew-tuohy-video_n_1929909.html

tipoc

 

[Eb1]

Lets see them try this with a Beartooth 255 grain Solid Lead bullet with a meplat of .34. I doubt very seriously that 4 balloons would stop it, and also lets get some H110 or 2400 in there to get it up to around 1400+ fps.

 

[grter]

If you want to see a youtube vids of all kinds pistols as well as an AK being fired under water in a backyard swimming pool check out cokeman2324 vids.

I don't advocate every thing he does or says in all his videos but most if it is just for show. The water test though he actually appears to have done.

None of the bullets penetrated the other end of the small round backyard swimming pool.

 

[rskent]

^^^ Unless you want to hear an excessive amount of foul language and mindless drivel don’t waste your time with cokeman2324.

 

[481]

Due to the resistance of the water. Wouldn't firing a gun under water cause excessive pressure due to the resistence of the water in the barrel fighting the water.

Yes, firing a gun underwater increases pressure due to the additional mass of the water in front of the bullet (that must be pushed aside) as well as the slightly higher ambient pressure (if the gun is submerged just a couple of feet below) which increases resistance, too. It is something that I wouldn't do with anything other than a high quality gun in sound mechanical shape.

 

[deadeye dick]

Yes, firing a gun underwater increases pressure due to the additional mass of the water in front of the bullet (that must be pushed aside) as well as the slightly higher ambient pressure (if the gun is submerged just a couple of feet below) which increases resistance, too. It is something that I wouldn't do with anything other than a high quality gun in sound mechanical shape.

481 Thanks for the reply. Makes a lot of sense to me.

 

[tipoc]

I'll link to this site again in case some missed it.

The writer reported of results of firing a few guns submerged under water. Signs of high pressure were evident.

In front of the guns was a single board placed 4 feet from the muzzle. While the bullets dented the board non penetrated through.

http://www.dlsports.com/underwater_handgun_shooting.html

There are many vids available of shooting under water and into water.

tipoc