Rifle penetration 1/4 steel plate

[dennishoddy]

Now if we could just convince ALL the AR and AK shooters that the NO RIFLES sign on ITPSC pistol plate racks is there for a reason. Anybody need some perforated steel plates?

We have that problem at our range. Even though there are multiple signs saying no rifle rounds on the pistol bays, I've spent over 30 man-hours, and several hundred dollars repairing shot up range steel in the last 8 months or so.

 

[dennishoddy]

I once saw a 7mm Mag handload punch through 5/8" steel plate like nothing. It was a Sierra SBT (hunting bullet). I thought it would just vaporize on impact. Nope. (ETA: This was at 100 yards)

More recently a guy I know bought some AR500 targets and was testing them. At about 60 yards nothing up to .300 Win mag phased them (all soft point, no AP or steel core). What did phase them was a .454 Casull, but just barely. It dented it a little but just barely.

A couple of us welded up a steel plate that was 4'X6' of 1" cold rolled 1018 steel with some front supports so it was leaning at about a 40 degree angle thinking our 30-06 rounds would deflect into the ground. They didn't. Caused some major craters, but didn't penetrate. Buddy brought out a .300 Win Mag with some 180 grain SP, and he almost penetrated the plate shooting from 100 yd. Major bulge on the back side. If he had hit the same spot twice, we were sure it would have penetrated.
Redesigned it with some 1 1/2" smaller steel plates hanging in front of the big steel plate hung from chains, then put RR ties all around it to absorb any splatter. Its still sitting in the pasture from many years ago. We learned some lessons from that experience.

 

[aviator41]

50BMG at 1/2" cold rolled steel plate from 100 yards won't penetrate. Couldn't believe it until I saw it with my own eyes. We were shooting surplus ammo and made several passes at the plate. I've posted photos of the plate here before.

 

[dennishoddy]

50BMG at 1/2" cold rolled steel plate from 100 yards won't penetrate. Couldn't believe it until I saw it with my own eyes. We were shooting surplus ammo and made several passes at the plate. I've posted photos of the plate here before.

Do you still have the pics to put back up?

I got these specs on the .50 BMG:

Penetration capabilities of a single .50 caliber M2 AP round fired from a 45-inch barrel.


Range

Armor Plate (homogeneous)

Armor Plate (face-hardened)

Sand

Clay


219 yd (200 m)
1.0 in (25.4 mm) 0.9 in (22.9 mm) 14 in (355.6 mm) 28 in (711.2 mm)

656 yd (600 m)
0.7 in (17.8 mm) 0.5 in (12.7 mm) 12 in (304.8 mm) 27 in (685.8 mm)

1,640 yd (1,500 m)
0.3 in (7.6 mm) 0.2 in (5.1 mm) 6 in (152.4 mm) 21 in (533.4 mm)



Penetration capabilities of a single .50 caliber M2 Ball round fired from a 45-inch barrel.


Range

Sand

Clay

Concrete


219 yd (200 m)
14 in (355.6 mm) 28 in (711.2 mm) 2 in (50.8 mm)

656 yd (600 m)
12 in (304.8 mm) 26 in (660.4 mm) 1 in (25.4 mm)

1,640 yd (1,500 m)
6 in (152.4 mm) 21 in (533.4 mm) 1 in (25.4 mm)

 

[ldp4570]

I've got a 90MM Tungsten AP warhead at the house I use for a doorstop, damn thing weighs over 70lbs by its self. Imagine that moving at over 3500fps!!! Something left over from my EOD days.

 

[dennishoddy]

I've got a 90MM Tungsten AP warhead at the house I use for a doorstop, damn thing weighs over 70lbs by its self. Imagine that moving at over 3500fps!!! Something left over from my EOD days.

Can't imagine what barrier would stop that.

 

[carleb]

Do not try this at home! This experiment was done by a trained professional idiot! Many years ago, I had a 35 Whelen Improved, loaded with 250 gr. soft nosed bullets at approx. 2500 fps. I also had a random piece of steel approx. 5"X10"X7/8". I welded the piece of steel upon a channel steel "T" for a base and shot the steel with the 35 Whelen from 100 yards. It did not shoot through, but blew the steel and welded base approx. 3 feet backward and made a crater in the steel plate that resembled a wide mouthed volcano and put a sizeable bump on the backside of the steel plate. I have not tried any such experiment since. I surmised a 375 H&H with 300 gr steel jacketed bullets would have penetrated through, but I only surmised. Hard to imagine the 50 bmg would not have penetrated that plate, but I can only guess.