Deadly little buggers

[North Star]

I saw this at our range recently. The military uses 1/4" thick stainless steel plates to cover the holes where the target frames move up and down. I guess the military had these plates sitting on the mantlet, when someone managed to shoot through the edge of one of the plates. I'm surprised that a copper jacketed piece of lead could do so much damage to a piece of stainless steel! I'm guessing these would be 5.56 FMJ type ammunition?

[safetyfirst]

I had a 1/4” steel target tree, little steel swingers, the rimfire used to spin them round with a nice audible ping!

When I got a .223 I took a shot at one and was surprised it didn’t move, thought I’d pulled he shot. Tried a second shot, no movement in the 1/4” steel swinger.

Walked downrange, two holes straight through them, like they were made of butter.

[DL.]

Probably something to do with the nato ammunition steel penetrator.

http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2015/0 ... mmunition/

[safetyfirst]

My tale above was shooting cheap privi.

[dromia]

17 Hornet on my 1" thick steel 6" gong at 100 yrds completely vaporises leaving a 1/4" deep 1" crater in the steel. Velocity can do some damage, as they say "speed kills".

[Thorney]

Any cheap .223 will go right through 10mm steel plate at 100m, not tested beyond that.

[breacher]

As I understand it, the "requirements" of 5.56 nato ammo included being able to penetrate a kevlar helmet at 600m.

[North Star]

Ah yes! But if you hold a thick hardback book to your chest, that would stop it!

[kennyc]

I've seen 17HMR damage that didn't look too different to that

[pluginal]

I had a 7.62 Schultz & Larsen that used to punch clean holes through the base of a frying pan like a hole punch at 50mtrs.