Ballistics Gel

[Cru]

I have been wanting to make some ballistics gel for a while. Since making it involves work in the kitchen, the wife said she would help

We figured making some for the PW shoot would be a good excuse to try it, so we did a "test mold" a few days ago. It takes about 40 hours total to have it work (not all work, most of it is just setting time) so we wanted to give ourselves plenty of time to make more. We also made the test mold small because we didn't want to waste a lot of it.

(I say "we" a lot, but honestly, I think I was more in the way, wife did most of the work)

Well the test mold came out today and I am EXCITED! This stuff is cool. it doesn't LOOK like much, but here is the test.

And since I didn't figure a picture would give you the FULL idea of what this stuff is actually like, I made a YouTube video of me smacking and squeezing it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCiW-D40i4k

To anybody going to the PW shoot next Saturday, we are working on larger molds to shoot at!

 

[MeAndMyXD]

Where can you find that stuff at? Good job on the mold as well.

 

[kimmi]

You just use non-flavored gelatin and cold water.
8 fl oz water for every 1 oz of gelatin, and then there's a setting - melting - setting process to get the consistency that you need.

 

[HandK]

So! Wacking the ol jell!! and had to share it! Great stuff!!

 

[Cru]

So! Wacking the ol jell!! and had to share it! Great stuff!!

You are gonna be at PW shoot right? This is just a TEST! We have much bigger plans for this stuff for next Saturday!!

 

[U.S. Patriot]

What did you, use for a mold? I want to make some!

 

[philagothon]

Did you do the calibration test? I think it's suppose to be a bb @ 700 something fps penetrates 1". Very cool experiment either way!

 

[Cru]

What did you, use for a mold? I want to make some!

for this test mold, we used a pitcher (like an iced tea pitcher.) we have more bigger block things to use for the PW shoot. I also have surprises I don't want to give away yet.

 

[lawrra]

I have a couple different .40 self defense rounds to test.... Someone will need to bring a decent sized knife to retrieve the boolets afterwards

 

[TopDog]

Where can you find that stuff at? Good job on the mold as well.

MidwayUSA has some Perma-Gel on clearance (it ain't cheap):

Was $189.99 Now $173.48 You Save $16.51

from the web site: "Perma-Gel is a substitute for the 10% ordnance gelatin commonly used by the FBI and ballisticians to evaluate bullet performance, yet incorporates convenient improvements that make using ballistic gel a viable option for regular sportsmen. Perma-Gel remains solid at room temperature, is reusable by melting it down and reshaping it, has superior clarity, is not affected by water and is not subject to bacteria growth. Results are very similar, but not identical, to ordnance gel. Comes in pre-packaged blocks and in mix kits to be prepared by the user."

Here is the link: Perma-Gel Ballistic Gel Mix - MidwayUSA

 

[451_Detonics]

A drop or two of cinnamon oil is used to help keep the ballistic gel clear (one drop per liter), not sure if it would help with Knox or not. Also the blocks do have to be large enough to contain the temporary cavity created without splitting open or the resulting data is going to be wildly skewed. We always used blocks cast in 12X12X30 blocks.

Sounds like a fun target for your shoot but don't take the resulting numbers too seriously. There is a reason that the method for making gel according to FBI protocols is very regimented and requires the gel to be calibrated.

 

[Cru]

A drop or two of cinnamon oil is used to help keep the ballistic gel clear (one drop per liter), not sure if it would help with Knox or not. Also the blocks do have to be large enough to contain the temporary cavity created without splitting open or the resulting data is going to be wildly skewed. We always used blocks cast in 12X12X30 blocks.

Sounds like a fun target for your shoot but don't take the resulting numbers too seriously. There is a reason that the method for making gel according to FBI protocols is very regimented and requires the gel to be calibrated.

thanks for the tip on the cinnamon oil. We thought it was just our water here in Noblesville.

 

[cornfused]

Got any bones you could put in one?!

 

[slinkus25]

Cool stuff, will be interested to see some results from it.

 

[a.bentonab]

very interesting, but it seems from youtube videos that you need about 2 feet of it to capture a hollowpoint 9mm. From this I would think penetration in homemade ballistics gel is far deeper than real gel. YouTube - Ballistics Gel Testing---HAZARDOUS PRODUCTIONS

it looks like a 4x4x15 inch block would take about a gallon of water and about a pound (16 ounces) of gelatin. My amazon search said that that much gelatin will run you about $15-20.

Looks easy enough to make.

add one pound gelatin to one gallon warm water
put in fridge for 3 hours
melt completely by putting container in hot water
pour into final container
put in fridge for 24 hours

 

[cosermann]

There's no reason you can't make "real" gel, but it's neither inexpensive, nor a trivial process. The following procedure is simplified but effective.

A Simplified 10% Ordnance Gelatin Preparation and Test Procedure

If you just want some to goof around with, any old stuff will do. If you want to write an article or compare your results to published results, only the real deal will do.