Can A Sandbag Stop A Bullet?

[Liberty's Teeth]

Sandbags are a commonly overlooked item on everyone's prepping checklist. Why a tool with so many uses can be so easily overlooked is beyond me. They can provide expedient shelter, keep a flood at bay, and can even shield from radiation. They've been used in military fortifications since at least the 18th century so everyone assumes they can stop bullets..but can they? What calibers will they stop? How many do you need to stop a bullet?

To answer these questions I setup this test and fired different calibers at a single row of sandbags. To me, the results were pretty amazing.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiY80JgB26Q

 

[Slawburger]

I wonder if the weight of the top bags was increasing the pressure in the lower bag and enhancing the ability of the sand to stop the projectile? Would the top bag be as effective? Would two staggered rows be necessary to stop bullets from passing between bags or are they malleable enough that if there is no gap the result is the same as a center of bag strike?

 

[Liberty's Teeth]

I wonder if the weight of the top bags was increasing the pressure in the lower bag and enhancing the ability of the sand to stop the projectile? Would the top bag be as effective? Would two staggered rows be necessary to stop bullets from passing between bags or are they malleable enough that if there is no gap the result is the same as a center of bag strike?

There was only one bag on top of the bag I was shooting. I would do two staggered rows if you wanted to be certain but I did fire a couple .223's at the gap and none made it through.

 

[jontheturboguy]

We need some volunteers to step forward and help you make a part two: What WILL go through a sandbag? Surely someone here on the forum has a 50 cal and BIGGER that you could test.

Id be curious to see if the sandbags would stop metric cannon rounds with enough structural support behind them......

 

[Hookeye]

Arrows and spears can go through.

http://www.thudscave.com/npaa/articles/howhard.htm

 

[Clay]

Arrows can go through.

go through, ie in the front and out the back, OR just get stuck in the bag? big difference there.

 

[Liberty's Teeth]

We need some volunteers to step forward and help you make a part two: What WILL go through a sandbag? Surely someone here on the forum has a 50 cal and BIGGER that you could test.

Id be curious to see if the sandbags would stop metric cannon rounds with enough structural support behind them......

I'd be willing to do the video. I don't have a 50 cal. If I did...It would have been in the video! Even a 338 would be nice. And different types of rounds.

 

[Hookeye]

Field point would stick out the backside of the bag, fletch drag helped stop arrow from complete pass through.
I suppose one could try to build a "bunker buster" arrow.

I'd like to see a fletch type tests on low and extreme FOC arrows

 

[nsolimini]

I might be in to help, depending on when and location. I don't have anything huge caliber, but I have options.

 

[SERparacord]

Having visited a few sandbag bunkers in Nam, yes they can.

 

[Bill B]

Well, the obvious flaw in your test: you didn't use a .45, it would have totally destroyed the entire wall.
But seriously, I would love to see shotgun and muzzle loader tests done as well.

 

[Jaredjosh]

Great video. Well done. Plus one for you.

 

[Hohn]

As impressive as that is, a Hesco barrier is even more. Think of it as a sandbag 2ft thick.


Used to ring our bldgs in the desert in Hesco barriers with concertina on top. Surprisingly effective and cheap.

ETA video:

http://youtu.be/4ghOoYiN80w

 

[Hohn]

I'd be willing to do the video. I don't have a 50 cal. If I did...It would have been in the video! Even a 338 would be nice. And different types of rounds.

I don't think you'd see a huge difference even with the mighty 50BMG. It might knock down the wall or burst a bag, but I doubt it would actually penetrate with any energy sufficient to do harm.

Why are sandbags so effective? It's because of how energy is dispersed. The incoming energy of the bullet is divided into so may tiny particles-- the average energy per particle is tiny. It ends up acting like a super-duper catcher's mitt.


Barriers like sandbags are far less effective against diffused energy sources like explosions. Small arms where the incoming energy is concentrated allow the sand to diffuse and defeat the energy.

Not so much with, say, a 155mm round loaded with HE.

 

[Liberty's Teeth]

I don't think you'd see a huge difference even with the mighty 50BMG. It might knock down the wall or burst a bag, but I doubt it would actually penetrate with any energy sufficient to do harm.

Why are sandbags so effective? It's because of how energy is dispersed. The incoming energy of the bullet is divided into so may tiny particles-- the average energy per particle is tiny. It ends up acting like a super-duper catcher's mitt.


Barriers like sandbags are far less effective against diffused energy sources like explosions. Small arms where the incoming energy is concentrated allow the sand to diffuse and defeat the energy.

Not so much with, say, a 155mm round loaded with HE.

I think a 50 cal might be close if it holds together. Having 4 times the energy of the 7mm it should penetrate twice as far. If it were to break apart though, all bets are off.

 

[flatlander]

Double layered walls of sandbags stopped pretty much all small arms that were tossed my way. They also were damn good for blast protection.
Hesco were great if you had heavy machinery but REALLY sucked doing them by hand.

Bob

 

[Hookeye]

I think a 50 cal might be close if it holds together. Having 4 times the energy of the 7mm it should penetrate twice as far. If it were to break apart though, all bets are off.

And an arrow has minimal energy compared to a 7 mag, but will go through a sand bag.

It's not so much how much energy a projectile has, it's how it is used.

SD and momentum.

Note that the arrow tip (field point) doesn't deform.

 

[cosermann]

Not sand bags, but similar ==>> The Box O' Truth #7 - The Sands O' Truth - Page 1

I've also seen some documentation of this in military manuals. Something similar to this:

Stops ball ammo from 10 feet.

material.....5.56 mm....308/30-06...50 BMG

mild structural
steel...........1/2".....1/2".........3/4"

mild aluminum....1"........1"..........2"

soft pine wood..14".......22".........32"

gravel...........3"........4".........11"

dry sand.........4"........5".........14"

wet sand/earth...6".......13".........21"

I'll poke around and see if I can find the source. Might have been something like FM 5-15 Field Fortifications.
Edit: Nope, FM 5-15 isn't it.

 

[Liberty's Teeth]

Not sand bags, but similar ==>> The Box O' Truth #7 - The Sands O' Truth - Page 1

I've also seen some documentation of this in military manuals. Something similar to this:

Stops ball ammo from 10 feet.

material.....5.56 mm....308/30-06...50 BMG

mild structural
steel...........1/2".....1/2".........3/4"

mild aluminum....1"........1"..........2"

soft pine wood..14".......22".........32"

gravel...........3"........4".........11"

dry sand.........4"........5".........14"

wet sand/earth...6".......13".........21"

I'll poke around and see if I can find the source. Might have been something like FM 5-15 Field Fortifications.
Edit: Nope, FM 5-15 isn't it.

FM 5-103?

 

[SmokinSigs357]

Well, the obvious flaw in your test: you didn't use a .45, it would have totally destroyed the entire wall.
But seriously, I would love to see shotgun and muzzle loader tests done as well.

It's not the caliber, it's the gun. I bet a Glock would have crushed that sandbag wall!