.38sp +P 135gr Gold Dot Short Barrel

[jason867]

Did a quick penetration test at Wilbur Wright today

I only shot one bullet, cause these things aren't cheap.

I used 4 milk gallon jugs of water back to back for the test.

The bullet went through the first 3, poked a hole in the 4th, and fell out onto the ground between the 3rd and 4th jugs.

I then proceeded to blast the jugs to bits with my new (to me) Mossberg 20ga

Anyways, looking at this mushroomed bullet, it appears it has either a solid copper chunk in the back, or the jacket is just thicker in the back. You can see copper in the middle of the mushroom...

Thoughts?

By the way, was there a formula or something to figure out how the water jug penetration would apply to flesh? Seems I heard something a while back...

 

[g00n24]

Looks like it did it's job. Were you able to get a final diameter? Was this from a 2incher?

 

[jason867]

yes it was a 2" taurus snubnose

took a tape measure to the bullet, seems to be right about a half inch in diameter.

 

[38special]

4 milkjugs = 12 inches of human flesh which is what is necessary for effective stopping power.

3 doesn't quite cut it

 

[Amishman44]

Very nice to see the real results of a .38 doing it's job. I picked up a Ruger LCR in December and I've liked the results of the +P's I'm carrying in it. I currently carry the Federal 129 grain JHP/Hydra-Shok (or rather, my wife does...she stole it after she shot it.) I may switch to the heavier GD after seeing/hearing this.

I went shooting with a PO buddy, along with his department issued Sig 9mm, at a junk yard. We watched his 147 grain 9mm rounds bounce off of windshields and ricochet around, while the .38, .357 mag, and .45's went right though and caused considerable damage (the heavier the round...the more the damage.) It was an 'eye-opener' to see the real world effects of these different rounds instead of just how many holes one can put in a paper target! The lighter rounds sort of bounced around whereas the heavier/faster rounds just plowed right through! He liked the .45 whereas I favored the .357 magnum.

 

[jason867]

4 milkjugs = 12 inches of human flesh which is what is necessary for effective stopping power.

3 doesn't quite cut it

I sure wouldn't want one of these going 9" into me...

it did pop a hole in the 4th jug, it just fell out afterwared

 

[schapm]

The Box O' Truth - Ammo Penetration Testing

Check out this guy. He does ammo testing much like what you've done and explains the results in terms of penetration in water vs. flesh.

 

[jason867]

Yeah I read their article on some shotgun rounds comparison...

 

[kludge]

Anyways, looking at this mushroomed bullet, it appears it has either a solid copper chunk in the back, or the jacket is just thicker in the back. You can see copper in the middle of the mushroom...

Thoughts?

It's due to the way the bullets are made. Gold Dots start out as plated bullets, then the hollow point if formed. The "gold dot" in the center is left over as part of the process.

Speer Gold Dot Hollow Point Pistol Bullets

Link above show the bullet at different steps in the process.

 

[jason867]

oh... so the tip is just punched inside the bullet?

 

[kludge]

yup.

 

[nonstop]

hows the recoil?

 

[jason867]

My taurus weighs 28oz empty. I'm not a big guy, but I'm not small either, 5'8" 200lbs, and the recoil doesn't bother me.

 

[gglass]

4 milkjugs = 12 inches of human flesh which is what is necessary for effective stopping power.

3 doesn't quite cut it

There has never been an exact analog between water in multiple plastic jugs and and human flesh. The FBI has created a decent analog between ballistics gel and human flesh, but even those tests have to be administered with some very tight controls.

To get a better idea of how the OP's test conforms to similar test, you would have to look to a source like Steve's pages. Steve's tests do not claim to be a direct analog to human flesh penetration depths, but it does give a better view of the performance qualities of different bullets.

terminal 38 special
terminal 9mm luger
terminal 40 s&w
terminal 45 acp
terminal 357 magnum

 

[VERT]

I have been carrying the 135 grain short barrel loads in a taurus snub. Have not shot milk jugs, but they are the most accurate cartridge I have shot in this gun. Recoil is very manageable. Yes, they are expensive, but really not any worse then other defense ammo. I paid $24 for a box of 20.

 

[FreeLand]

Thanks for the links to The Box O' Truth & Steve's Pages! Looks like interesting reading.