SpudFiles

I have long been aware that high velocity lead striking a hard surface tends to disintegrate like a minature grenade but a recent shooting session illustrated the kinetic energy these fragments retain. I was using a granite slab as a backstop against which the lead pellets were fragmenting, the beer can illustrated was in line with the slab about 2 inches away from the point of impact. As you can see some fragments actually penetrated both sides of the aluminium can.

Food for though for those shooting frangible projectiles indoors

Interesting. Didn't think lead would do that since its soft and all. But now that i think of it, it makes sense. What were you shooting it from?

The same thing happens with brittle plastic projectiles. Shooting at a cardboard box with my q-tip gun would result in a single entry would, and often multiple exit wounds. A coke can was usually too small to get a good spread, but under some circumstances there would be multiple exit points.

wannabie wrote:What were you shooting it from?

1 gram of lead at around 900 feet per second from my Monsoon.

The same thing happens with brittle plastic projectiles. Shooting at a cardboard box with my q-tip gun would result in a single entry would, and often multiple exit wounds

What fascinates me about this is that the fragments spread out radially from the point of impact along the flat surface, travelling perpendicular to the original path of the projectile.

reminds me of using a ramset... cement shrapnel flying everywhere even back at the user somehow.

Where else do they have to go if they don't go through. Any fragments have to roll and bounce along the surface. Clides high speed camera would be good for getting a video of this happening.

It's basically this effect:

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There isn't much difference between the forward speed of the bullet and the velocity of the spreading fragments, clearly they will still be carrying a hefty amound of kinetic energy.

Ive always thought it was fun to shoot steel with a .22, then go pick up the little round disks. they are kinda cool. you can watch them hit, then fall to the ground.

Some more intensive testing done by someone else using firearms: http://ingunowners.com/forums/general_f ... heavy.html