SpudFiles

for my current project i am looking at getting solid 1inch plastic balls for the ammo. i fount 2 fairly cheep options of either HDPE ($0.14 each) or Polypropylene ($0.16each).
my question is which has better properties for a projectile, such as impact resistance. i also dont want them to deform so i can use them again and again

I do know the HDPE will shatter in very high impact applications. My T shirt catching bucket failed as well as another bucket used for golfballs and marshmallows. How hard is the target?

I do not have first hand data for Polypropylene.

I simply assumed my ammo was going to take abuse, get lost and such and looked to biodegradable ammo instead in my local grocery store. Jawbreakers, gumballs, marshmallows, etc. Sureshot has good results with the UHMWPE. Can you get balls in that stuff?

the plastic in those buckets is not very think so you cant expect any plastic to withstand impacts with very much engergy.

targets will mostly be wood and such so not hard like brick but not soft either

and UHMW balls are not avalible form the place i found the others

edit: i found that HDPE has a much higher ductility while polypropylene has a higher compressive strength. im not sure i want ductility in a reuseable projectile

As far as I know, HDPE is less brittle than polypropylene so I would go with the HDPE ammo rather than the polypropylene ones

http://www.usplastic.com/
Boomer-Rang had good luck with the plastic balls from here on his combustion rifle

clemsonguy1125 wrote:http://www.usplastic.com/
Boomer-Rang had good luck with the plastic balls from here on his combustion rifle

thats the site i found them at, they have 5 different types and the two are in my price range, polypropylene and HDPE

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i think i am going to order the HDPE ones. and i think 200 should last quite awhile before i have to pick them back up off my back stop even out of a full auto gun

so i will order $30 worth of balls as soon as my house regains parental supervision!