Bullet penetration is a crucial aspect of self-defense, and it is essential to use the firearm with which you are most comfortable and proficient. Most common calibers, such as 9mm,.357 Magnum, and.45 ACP JHP, can penetrate walls, doors, and floors. However, brick, concrete, and cinder blocks effectively stop most common calibers. Each bullet takes out chunks, so it can only protect you for a limited time.
The results of these tests show that 9mm,.357 Magnum, and.45 ACP JHP can penetrate interior components of houses. Over-penetration can be avoided in self-defense situations with the proper choice of caliber and type (shotgun, rifle, or handgun). Massaro and Officer Mark Nazi conducted penetration and terminal ballistics tests on both exterior and interior walls using ballistic gel and built interior/exterior walls.
Almost any pistol round will go through a whole bunch of interior drywall, and many will continue through insulation and out through just about anything but brick or stone exterior walls. Handgun rounds (9mm and.45 ACP) all penetrated at least six walls of sheetrock and, in the case of 10mm, over 10 walls. Though 5.56 bullets 30–06 will most likely penetrate through one or two residential walls, the outer wall of the home, and potentially can enter the house next door.
This study of the penetrating power of modern police ammunition when it hits various types of exterior house walls is intended to help police agencies assess the effectiveness of different types of ammunition. Most bullets cannot penetrate a brick wall unless fired from a high-powered weapon such as an assault rifle or sniper rifle. Most household objects won’t reliably stop a bullet, and bullets easily puncture most walls, doors, and floors.
📹 Navy SEAL test Ballistics through Walls | Tactical Rifleman
Special “Thanks” to all our Patrons, whos financial support was used to build these walls and purchase expendables and ballistic …
Can a pistol go through a wall?
Bullets can penetrate most walls, but most offices and workplaces are not designed for bullet-resistant bunkers. Common building materials like cinder blocks and bricks can resist gunfire, but they are often only used on outer walls. Bulletproof fiberglass is a potential solution for improving bullet-resistance in renovations. This blog will discuss building a bulletproof wall and discussing bulletproof wall building material options.
Can a pistol bullet go through wood?
The object fractured into eight pieces, subsequently overturning and splitting in half, thereby achieving the desired fragmentation.
How many layers of drywall to stop a bullet?
It is a common misconception that Sheetrock is bullet resistant. In fact, the bullet style does not matter; a 22 Long Rifle cartridge can penetrate 6-7 layers, while a 9mm can go further.
Are there bullet proof walls?
Fiberglass bullet-resistant wall panels are a popular solution for making walls bullet-resistant. These ballistic-grade panels, hidden behind drywall and wood, provide a layer of protection against bullets. They also have an UL 752 rating from Underwriters Laboratories, the industry standard for safety and security products, indicating how many bullets a specific caliber fired from a firearm the panels can stop.
How thick of steel can a 9mm penetrate?
A penetration test conducted by Schwartz indicates that an 89-grain 9mm slug traveling at 1, 280 feet per second can penetrate a depth of 3. A 67mm layer of mild steel plate.
Can drywall stop a bullet?
Ballistic panels, also known as bulletproof drywall, are essential for preventing 9mm bullets from penetrating standard construction drywall. These panels are invisible and can be easily forgotten, making them a crucial component of any ballistic barrier. Unlike cinder block and brick, standard construction drywall can still penetrate more than two dozen sheets of drywall and even several layers of plywood. Adding a single 0. 25 inch ballistic panel to a wall or reception desk can significantly reduce the risk of 9mm bullets.
However, Total Security Solutions CEO Jim Richards notes that ballistic panels are often neglected by companies without a system approach to bullet-resistant security. This is due to the focus on windows and doors in the ballistic security field, where bulletproof panels are often overlooked.
Do concrete walls stop bullets?
Most household objects are not reliable in stopping bullets, as they can easily puncture walls, doors, and floors. Brick, concrete, and cinder blocks can effectively stop most common calibers, but each bullet takes out chunks, so they can only protect for a limited time. A full water heater can stop handgun rounds, stacks of paper are effective, and trees are highly effective. The best place to take cover behind a car is behind the engine block and wheel, as bullets can penetrate other areas. Hard armor, which can stop almost everything, is recommended over soft armor that only stops pistols. This guide refers to shotguns, mainly 12 and 20 gauge, and pistols, including common calibers.
Is a rifle or pistol better for home defense?
Rifles are easier to aim and hit with compared to handguns due to their four points of contact (buttpad, cheek weld, firing hand, support hand). They are also more accurate at distances, with typical home defense rifles like AR or AK types being accurate out to 300 yards with open sights or 1X red dot optics in trained hands and 600 yards with magnified optics.
Rifles are also loud, with some advocating against using sound suppressors for home defense due to the potential deterrent effect of the muzzle blast. The intense noise and concussion from a rifle can signal home invaders to get out of Dodge, making them a valuable choice for those defending loved ones or property at significant distances.
In summary, rifles offer several advantages for home defense, including ease of aiming, accuracy at distances, and the potential for sound suppression.
Will 9mm penetrate a wall?
The videos on GunTalk’s YouTube channel demonstrate that the majority of ammunition, including 22 caliber and 9mm frangible ammunition, is capable of penetrating all three walls, even in instances where the walls are constructed with multiple layers, such as two interior and one exterior.
Can you use a pistol for home defense?
Home defense scenarios often require a variety of modern pistols or revolvers, but experienced shooters often prefer certain mid-range options. Three such models consistently make top-ten lists:
- The Sig Sauer P226 MK25, used by Navy SEALs as a sidearm, is a reliable and hefty handgun with a snug grip. It has a 15+1 round capacity for the 9mm model and low recoil, making it suitable for a few misses. The Sig Sauer P226 can also be found in the. 40 S and W version, with a 10-round capacity.
What weapon is best for home defense?
Shotguns are a versatile home-defense weapon due to their wide range of ammunition options, including birdshot, buckshot, and slugs. The latter can be customized for indoor use, where wall penetration is a concern, or for longer ranges.
📹 Handgun vs AR 15 vs Shotgun For Home Defense…
The debate is endless: Which type of firearm is best for home defense? While many factors play into choosing the best weapon for …
Brick + Cinder Block Wall 3:13 12ga 7 1/2 Birdshot 3:50 12ga 9 Pellet 00 Buckshot 4:21 12ga 1oz Slug 4:57 SIG MPX 9MM +P 124gr 5:41 ??? 5.56 55gr 8″ Cinder Block Wall 6:59 12ga 7 1/2 Birdshot 7:23 12ga 9 Pellet 00 Buckshot 7:57 12ga 1oz Slug 8:49 SIG MPX 9MM +P 124gr 9:41 ??? 5.56 55gr Brick w/ Dry Wall+ 11:56 12ga 7 1/2 Birdshot 12:45 12ga 9 Pellet 00 Buckshot 13:24 12ga 1oz Slug 13:57 SIG MPX 9MM +P 124gr 14:32 ??? 5.56 55gr 2 Sheets of Dry Wall 17:00 12ga 7 1/2 Birdshot 18:10 12ga 9 Pellet 00 Buckshot 19:59 12ga 1oz Slug 21:58 SIG MPX 9MM +P 124gr 23:49 ??? 5.56 55gr Vinyl Siding + Drywall 27:02 12ga 9 Pellet 00 Buckshot 28:12 SIG MPX 9MM +P 124gr
It seems like all the 5.56 testing I’ve seen done against walls has been Ball ammo (FMJ). A varmint bullet (Nosler Ballistic tip, Hornady V max etc.) completely changes the penetration characteristics. The over penetration debate should really be about the type of bullet used rather then pistol vs. rifle vs. shot gun. Any of these weapons can “over penetrate” depending on the TYPE of projectile used.
In European terms all these arent walls lmao. I appreciate the experiment and the amount of effort that went into this. In Europe we dont use any of these materials for building. Its always either solid historical 20-50 cm brick/stone walls or straight up 15-20 cm concrete, usually reinforced with steel and insulation materials.
Just want to thank you, your patreons, your on-camera shooter, your carpentry and behind the scenes tech assistants for a factual thought-through and article captured presentation of vital ballistics vs barrier info. So much opinion junk and “I heard” nonsense floating around. Would love to see similar tests vs window single pane and double pane, vehicle laminated windshield and side safety window glass with common rounds. Perhaps most common JHP self defense rounds against glass and interior walls as well. And thank you for reminding us of importance of target background, hitting your target, and being part of the training you constantly recommend.
Karl is right about knowing your house. Know what angles you can shoot where there are good backstops if the bullet misses the bad guy. Know when you need to shoot up or down. I use an AR because it’s a pain to shoot a pump shotgun from compromised positions, and I have found that the shell will fall out when the ejection port is facing down when racking a round into the chamber.
ALRIGHT BOYS, great article. Next let’s put the gel in front of the walls and use some of the most popular self defense rounds through AR, 9mm, shotgun and let’s see how much if any over penetration takes place on the target. Cuz I think that’s what most people are concerned about. Maybe contrast it with cheap FMJ stuff afterwards to show the importance of good quality self defense ammo.
Majority of the Southwest homes are built using paper mache but most people know it as stucco. It’s all terrible regardless of the terminology. If your residence isn’t built from brick, stone or concrete in some manner then all you have is shelter – not protection. Regardless of the material, I recommend you defend that residence by any means necessary to keep you and your family safe. Happy Thanksgiving everybody. Keep up the good work my friends.
Appreciate the amount of work that went into this article. For all the comments asking for a different caliber/ammo combination, I would simply ask “where’s your donation?” Nothing I saw in this article was done on the cheap. These gentleman’s time, the materials and construction effort, the weapons, the ammo, the article/sound equipment and the editing were all top notch.
Fantastic article and impeccable level of scientific rigor in your tests. It also totally backs up an anecdotal story I heard a few months ago. A guy I know was telling me about his mate that emigrated to America and works as a forensic investigator. He constantly bangs-on that if you rent or buy a place, make sure its an old building, because the walls will be made of brick. He keeps telling his friends that since he moved to America, most of the cases he’s working on are people that got shot incidentally, through dry-wall partition who were not even involved in the gunfight directly. Apparently some of the fatal shootings are people that live 2-3 apartments away, who get hit by bullets passing through 4-6 layers of Gyprock. perusal your article makes me think this guy is not paranoid.
Really appreciate putting all the work in for this highly informative article! I’d love to see a follow-up article testing multiple rounds against the cinder block and brick walls. Some of those rounds were really close to penetrating, and I think a follow up shot in the same area would penetrate. I would contest that a brick wall isn’t much good as cover if it only holds up against one round.
Wow I had always over estimated my 5.56 never would have thought of using it for home defense cuz of the speed of the bullet but now seeing this I’ll be keeping it close by knowing that the penetration ain’t that dangerous, but of course always pay attention to what behind whatever you’re aiming at Here’s my like fellas 🍻 gracias!
Outstanding to see the 556 vs 9mm penetration on drywall. Some generic “tried and true” ballistics saying are what a lot of people seem to reference nowadays on HD guns and it’s awesome being able to see it on article and in gel. Really cool to see that 556 does actually penetrate less than the pistol caliber rounds. Did the vinyl siding / 556 clip get cut out? Not sure if I missed something there.
I really want to see this test but put the ballistics gel further from the wall. Give the 556 more time to tumble after coming through the wall and see how bad it is in the gel. I realize this would probably take more shots to achieve because the round wouldn’t be going where you expect anymore, but I think it’s potentially more ‘real world’ simply because you’re not usually 6″ from an interior wall.
If the discussion is about self defense and subsequent over penetration my suggestion is 5.56 with something like a 60 grain fragmenting such as the vmax or ballistic tip. That wouldn’t likely over penetrate a person much less sheet rock. I know people worry about the bullet fragging before it penetrates enough to stop the bad guy but I seriously doubt a down vest would be that helpful against 10 rounds of 5.56 if any kind.
In the UK the typical house external wall is double-skinned masonry with a cavity, usually filled with insulation these days. The outer wall is often brick, sometimes reconstituted stone (like mine – basically a type of concreted made with local limestone made to look like natural stone) with the inner wall being the load bearing one made of aerated block on modern constructions. Proper cinder block (made from ash from power coal power stations and held with cement) hasn’t been used for a long time. There are some brick-skinned wooden-framed houses too, but in the minority (and they will be filled with insulation).
I have Hornady 40gr A-MAX loaded in my 16″ barreled .223 AR. From what I’ve seen/tested this is a great balance of devastating close quarters terminal ballistics in soft tissue with minimal overpenetration through that soft tissue target. I shot a 140 pound whitetail with the same 16″ barreled AR from 10 yards through the lungs and it took two steps and dropped. On field dressing the deer, the closest lung was like cranberry jello. The round fragmented in the closest lung and macerated the first 1/3 of the far lung. Tons of hydrostatic shock. No exit wound. .223 is not an ideal deer cartridge by any means but it’s legal in my state and I wanted to see what my home defense set up would do up close. In short, it worked on this one deer. Probably will work well on a 2 legged critter too. This set up will barely penetrate 2 layers of 1/2″ drywall hit directly. When I tested it, the round fragmented in the first layer of drywall and peppered the second layer of drywall essentially losing all of its energy after exiting that second layer of drywall. I like your set up with the ballistics gel behind the wall. I’m going to have to try that to see just how much energy is left in the bullet fragments as it exits the second layer of drywall. Thanks for the article!
Very good article. I learned alot. On that note i think he should have used more than 1 round. Fill the catalog of the shotgun with slugs. Empty it on the brick wall then check the damage. Same with the 9mm and 5.56. Bet the out come is different. On a side note. Ive read that a pistol is best for home defence. There is less chance of home invader to get leverage of gun and take it from you.
Question, because I keep getting conflicted information on 556, why is it obviously going to go through the interior to exterior test? It traveled the least distance in ballistic gel on the interior interior test. I hear well it has more power that’s more penetration obviously but then I hear well because it’s smaller and faster it breaks apart and slows down faster incurring less penetration. Like how when shooting water the slower the round the deeper it goes slowing down slower and the faster the sooner. I really need information because despite training and conditioning there’s what if I miss. Because that’s the mindset I have it for what if. I’m on a budget but want to buy. What I really need as my first gun and really can’t fuck up because it’ll be awhile before I can get another one. I’d prefer to get home defense right the first time. I live in an apartment with two roommates. One is also looking for the same thing. I’m 19 and can get pistol from unlicensed seller altho it may be harder to train with it and harder to get ammo it’ll be worth it if the glock 17 in 9mm is what works best for my situation. But if 556 will stop sooner should I miss I’d rather fish money for the 556 while having an easier time going to the range and buying ammo even if it is more expensive. I’m sorry I really won’t get a shotgun. I’ve looked into it extensively and it’s not for me. Nothing about it appeals to me and my fiancé wouldn’t be able to handle the recoil if she had to use it when no one else is home.
I like the article but based on the discussion of overpenetration and missing the target, how about shooting through the gel first and evaluating the remaining energy of these rounds and residual overpenetration risks? I ask this because the general consensus in CCW classes is that you should use hollow point 9mm or other pistol ammo to protect against overpenetration after hitting your target.
Fabulous article. Not surprising that brick is the best defense, as it is a crude ceramic, the same material category as body armor plates. The cinderblock doesnt offer as much protection, as it is a low density aggregate (the material as well as the interior websites). Although cinderblock worked, the best choice is brick. My takeaways – 1) Dont use birdshot for home defense as it has no stopping power; 2) whatever round you use indoors, you better not miss!
Very informative you guys broke it down perfectly as far as the difference in wall styles and everything and the end note about communicating with your loved ones and using angels to your advantage is great advice and a reminder,I’ve had to have that talk with my woman and teenager in the home that if anything happens and we here a break in if we aren’t together or can’t get together get low stay safe and listen for me because I know my house and my walls and what I have loaded in the different weapons around the house and how to use those in my favor,I have a hallway leading from my garage through my laundry room into my home if anyone breached that door at my laundry room the wall they would be behind is the drywall wall shared by my room I know lots of other shit about my house nobody could have figured out before it would probably have already caused them to fuck up,as we know there’s a difference between concealment and cover a bad guy might feel a false sense of safety hiding behind a wall I’m positive I could penetrate.
Thanks for the vid. I did a lot of (probably way too much) research on this prior to choosing my firearms and calibers. I too settled on 9mm for pistols, 5.56 for rifle. I keep a couple 12ga shottys around loaded with #4 buck… they’re inherrited (family guns), I’d have never spent my own money on shotguns for defensive use but I have them so I put them to use. The shotgun is wayyyyyyyyyyy over-hyped imo.
Therefore, no matter what gun and what caliber, no ovetpenitration through brick walls (to neighborhood, if any of the two houses has brick wall). All bullets will penetrate internal wall (typically two dry walls) no matter what gun and what caliber. Conclusion: buy most stop powered gun and rounds for home defense.
Thanks for putting in all that work. Good article with relevant, useful data. Can’t wait for the follow ups. While it is important to select ammunition that is going to provide a responsible amount of penetration in urbanized areas, it is also important that we acknowledge the importance of adequate penetration to stopping a threat. I don’t advocate M80 ball from a 7.62 NATO or a 250 gr Keith-style hardcast from a .44 Magnum, but anything with enough penetration to reliably stop a threat is going to go through interior walls. An 8 year old boy can punch through drywall. Meanwhile, penetration is required for effectiveness. We want 12 to 18 inches of penetration in bare gel. Birdshot is no go. I’ve seen birdshot fail to stop a ground squirrel at in home ranges too often to trust it. Neither is frangible or varmint bullets. Again, sacrificing adequate penetration over fears of “over penetration” will get you killed. Quality JHPs in handguns, buckshot in shotguns, and something like a 75 gr Hornady OTM for 5.56. Watch your backgrounds and train to proficiency so you can place rounds accurately. I keep a 10mm Glock loaded with 200 gr XTPs and a Colt AR-15 with a white light and a red dot loaded with 62 gr Barnes.
Another excellent and very informative article from Tactical Rifleman! Thanks for putting this together. Looking forward to more of these in the future. Great to see over penetration potential from inside home/structure shooting out as well as how much protection we may (or may not) have being shot at from outside the home/structure. Definitely looking forward to AK-47 tests to understand what type of walls really offer protection in a terrorist event and what types only offer concealment.
I’d be super curious about the exact opposite. Over penetrating your target. I’m not so worried about accuracy as I am having my rounds go through the bad guy, through our walls (ours are drywall with siding), and into a neighbors house. I’ve always wondered how 5.56 would perform in that regard. Maybe y’all could set this exact scenario back up, just going through the gel first?
theboxotruth dot com did a similar test many years ago with four walls spaced about 10′ apart to simulate room spacing (#12 – Insulated Walls and #14 – Rifles, shotguns and walls). All three pistol calibers, slugs, and 5.56 penetrated all four walls, but the 5.56 tumbled so severely it swerved about 2′ off course.
I’ve had plans to do something like this for a quite a while. Great test! Edit: I know you said you are going to do 300blk, 308 and such. I would like to see how hollow points do also. I would also like to see a 6.5 grendel. That is quickly becoming my go to caliber for everything so I would like to see how it works, hollow points included. This test helped enforce to me why I wouldn’t use buck shot. You have a higher chance of missing the target and it is still very lethal even after going through an exterior wall. Shot placement is key
True, a good amount of very useful visual info. However, I could do with a lot less of the extraneous fill-in Bovine Secretion. At first, I wanted to take issue with one thing the SEAL said about the short-barrelled SIG MPX. He made the comment that it added to the power of the 9mm round. How so? I now realize that he was referring to the length of its barrel as opposed to the length of a typical 9mm pistol barrel. At first I thought he meant compared to the length of a normal rifle barrel, which would have increased the velocity of the 9mm projectile over the MPX barrel, up to a point. Conclusion: Good article.
Hey TR first time commenter here, I know you have been inundated with requests for 7.62mm testing, but could you add .300blk subsonic to that list please? I love your website and have been subscribed since the first article I saw. And that was the tactical humvee setup article. Great article and one I have always wanted to see done right. As soon as I can afford it I will be supporting you on patreon as well. Thumbs up.
Alright gents..Karl, your great at this. Other guy, 1st off, did you REALLY think that 556 ball, not even m855, was gonna penetrate brick and cinder block and concrete?!?! You bet your nickleback tickets on it. smh. . lol. . 2nd, I highly suggest having a script or a good editor rather than just saying things. Just my opinion as a viewer.
Great article. I do wish you would have fired the 5.56 and the rest through the outside wall. I as an instructor understand why you didn’t but those that I have shared this with don’t understand penetration very well and they asked questions on what would have happened. Gentlemen this is a great article but a lot of new to guns and gun things type of people are looking to those that have the knowledge to show them. Just some thought process. Everyone asking the questions have no problem perusal a long informative article they said. Thanks for doing all you do.
Alright great article! However, I’m confused is this article meant to show us which walls and ammo yo use to shoot the bad guys on the other side of the wall or to show us what not to use to avoid injuring loved ones in the house? People worry about over penetration to save loved ones while inside. At least that’s my opinion I could be wrong.
Clearly a lot of effort and that’s appreciated, certainly since it’s not like I paid to watch this. But man I have to wonder about some of the thought and truthfulness. For example were you really wondering if birdshot would penetrate brick or if a slug would penetrate drywall. And what’s with the “SEAL” that doesn’t appear to know much about or be good with firearms?
im just here because i wanted to see if the bs i experience in article games is realistic. nope, the article games that claim to be “realism” are not realistic at all. i would be curious to see some hotter rounds lke 308 and some type of 7.62 or 7.54. thanks for the article. He’s right about the rifle for home defense IMO. You’re a lot less likely to hit a friendly because of the increased accuracy.
High school teacher here. We were going through our lock down procedures today. I have a nice size closet that is within an older warehouse building, and is surrounded by a cement wall on all sides. I feel like its a perfect spot to hide. I wanted to see how 5.56 holds up against this style of wall, and I think we’re good. In a perfect world, we wouldn’t have to do this, but sadly, we are not in a perfect world. In a near perfect world, I would protect my students by carrying, but I live in California, and we don’t have much we can do here but hide and fight with generic classroom supplies. Thanks for the article, guys. I hope we never have to worry about this, but we have to be prepared.
Very valuable information for me as a police officer, and an owner of a brick home, I feel a lot better knowing that if some gangbangers do a drive by while I’m off duty that I’ll be safe as long as I’m not in the front of windows. Just wish you would have tested 7.62x 39 and saw what it took to make it through and do decent damage
Fuckin outstanding article as always!!!! So, what this vid proves is that like any time you choose to fire a gun you need to do your damndest to hit what you’re targeting. The .556 through interior wall didn’t pass through the ballistic gel on the other side. But, if the gel was a loved one on the other side of the wall they’d be smoked. I pray I never have to use my gun in a defensive manner. If I ever have to, I squeeze my hands together a lil tighter praying that every round i use hits what’s threatening my family and/or me. There’s nothing wrong with over penetration as long as the bad guys dead and there’s nothing you cherish on the other side.
Soooo… what if a couple shots hit almost the same spot? Sure a cinder block wall would stop a single slug but what about 2, or 3, or a whole tube full of 8? I think if these walls were shot more than 1 time each there would be different results on all of them except probably the bricks over cinder blocks.
Great test and info. As a firefighter I would say you covered all of the common wall types, with the exception of oddball things like membrane structures and metal out-buildings. If you still have the setup, would you consider testing standard velocity ball rounds and hollow points out of a pistol, through gel then interior wall to see what the over-penetration potential would be for rounds hitting the target rather than misses? Maybe half a gel block to represent the target and another one behind the wall to test the remaining potential? Thanks for the great content!
Wide load multiple rounds in the mag if you’re only going to shoot once. I know you guys are very capable people but it seems a little pointless to put multiple rounds in the mag if you’re only shooting once because when you’re done you have to clear the weapon of a live round in the chamber when all that can be eliminated by only putting the bullet you intend to shoot in the mag during the demonstration .
Very cool info. I use a rifle too for penetrating flack jackets, and slugs in a shotgun to fire at vehicles. But one thing I think is missing from the article – if it’s talking about “over penetration” it’s missing the part where it goes through a person before hitting the wall (otherwise it’s not over-penetrating, it’s just missing the target). Would be awesome to have another similar article to show ballistics gel before a dry wall, then the dry wall and then seeing how far a bullet penetrates into the ballistics gel on the other side of the wall.
Good article. While I understand your logic for using the SMG to get maximum velocity from your 9mm I disagree with your choice. You’re NEVER going to please everybody anyway but to use NATO ball ammo pretty much makes it useless for comparison purposes. If you want to demo a realistic 9mm find the factory pistol with the longest barrel and use a cartridge like Cor Bon HP for the hot round. I understand costs to make the article, but you went that far so why not follow through completely? Still, again well done and thanks
With the 12 Gauge Buck, through the internal Drywall @ youtu.be/7VeqqNuQU_4?t=1113 …you are ALREADY gonna be having a BAD DAY!, THEN I saw that 1 ounce slug plough through, knock the Ballistic gel off the table(and damn near kill a GoPro!) and still traveling, looked like it impacted something behind the whole setup!, Tis gonna be interesting to see what the 5.56 does!, lots of speed, tiny projectile.
Nice vid. I’d really like to see another one featuring common rounds used by enemies of your everyday superhero (in other words, the American sheepdog.) Maybe some .40 S&W, a little o’ that 7.62×39, and some o’ that crazy ass 7.62x54R? That might prove a little more exciting, especially when tackling those “hard” barriers made from brick and block. Thanks for all your time and hard work, guys. Have a great holiday.
Ouuuuuu that 5.56 got some love. It’s all you need until you need a .300 WINMAG from a Mk13. Internet Ninja: “But what if I wanna shoot past 500 without carrying a sniper rifle wahhhhh?!” Then have at least a 14.5″ bbl, shoot 77 grain and hotly loaded like SOST ya boot. Or even better, just shoot the fuckin bolt gun!
Hey.. I watched this article, and listened to everything that has been said. My view is i think everyone has forgot about the main issue here! SELF DEFENSE! : / I understant what this article is about, BUT Should it be about how much damage different types of bullets can do to a structure??? If we are being attacked by any type of bullet assault? we need to take cover if possible anywhere, and draw our hand gun and return fire to stop the attack. OR try to get away from harm. THIS IS THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS! We arent going to have the luxury or the time, or even the mindset to be thinking about ” over penetration” IF WE ARE BEING ATTACKED. ESPECIALLY IF SOMEONE OR SOMEONE’S, BREAK INTO OUR HOMES AND ATTACK!! : / We have to remain REALISTIC when discussing these topics.. Obviously when we choose our self defensive systems ( guns and ammo ) we are going to want the best we can afford to get! for everyday carry and home defense. And we also have to consider the other things we can all do to protect our selves and homes. For ourselves, we need to maintain optimal health, strength, fitness, well being, adequate rest, hydration, nutrition, so that we can all function personally first, at our best.. Then make sure we have the right everyday carry gear on us. For home, we can reinforce the door frames, the widow frames, add some strong locks, triple ply glass or even bullet proof glass for the windows. these days bullet proof glass is more easily available and not that expensive. replace all the windows in our homes with bullproof glass.
Come on, Seal. Birdshot? How’s about 7 1/5 or 8 or 6. Stop talking to 1st graders. 00 buck vs 4 buck, etc. and….00 buck pellets are 9( yes, I heard you correct it) of .32 cal shot. I know you said you weren’t a “ballistic scientist” whatever the hell that is but come on, Bro😒. Do the Teams a solid when in front of the camera. They’ll appreciate it. 👍🏻🇺🇸
#4 shot shell, it is .32 caliber equivalent, should be about like birdshot. I didn’t see stucco or clapboard siding either. Aluminum siding over regular sheathing/insulation. I am more worried about the neighbors if the rounds really fly, at least mine would not be their problem. (patty hurt/SLA, and what just happened in Kentucky, 1000’s of rounds.)
I’m back after looking for brick wall vs bullet. Nobody seems to have built a wall like yours. You built what is a really good representation of a real wall. A plain cinder block wall is not the same thing. Did you do another article of that wall vs 7.62X39 or a 7.62X51 ? Such a great article but the possibilities for a zombie Bubba attack were not explored. Nov 2018? Is the wall still up? Good article BTW
I’ve read many comments. Lots are GOOD.. Yet the assholes are out there. I believe it is honesty to say you ARE seals!!!!! The disrespect hurts my heart and stomach!! We all ie. Educated people know what will penetrate the outer brick wall and all else!! So put rebar and cement in the block.just a suggestion… Honest out of great respect THANKYOU for all your service!!!!!!!! Please let The Lord bless and keep all of all of you safe and loved..!! DB
Take the Sig MPX short barrel pistol, a .308 caliber round, and incorporate it into the AR 15 platform and you get a 10.5″ 300 AAC Blackout pistol. A 220 grain, subsonic round traveling @ 1050 f.p.s. that packs one hell of a wallop, with little over penetration. You can easily move about your home with a pistol that is barely 2 feet long. Add to that a 1,000 lumen 3 mode light, a $200 stamp stamp, add a vertical grip, and you have one hell of a defensive rifle! Just don’t forget that the law will take possession of it if used in an altercation, CrosshairsAcademy.com/Veronica.html
This is a very interesting and thorough tests, with a lot of elaborated preparations. Thank you very much. I know that it might be too much and too long a article, if you shoot too many types of bullets, but I am still curious to know how the following types of bullets do: 1. 9mm Jacket Hollow Point 124 grains. 2. 9mm Jacket Hollow Point 115 grains. 3. 300 ACC Blackout 150 grains, FMJ. 4. 300 ACC Blackout 155 grains Boat Tail Hollow Point. 5. 7.62×39 AK 123 grains FMJ. 6. 7.62×39 AK 123 grains BTHP. Some soft tip rifle bullet tests are also good. Nevertheless, the article you made here is very informative.
Nice article. I carry a tiny 9 mm DA semiautomatic. For homedefends I plan to buy an AR caliber 308 win, suppressed. A 223 with subsonic ammo is quite a shity 22 LR. I don’t wonna mess my dogs, kids and my own ears up and it lowers stress level, while killing bad guys as well. Overpenetration in homedefends is not a deal for me, because we are prepared. This is more importend with my 9 mm carry gun, therefore I use holopoints only.
27:50 there’s so many wrong information about the ammo in this article… we all know 00 buck is 33-34 caliber and it’s 9 pellet unlike the 38 caliber 8 pellet he’s voilcalized during this. Maybe he’s got special ammo I’m not aware but the violicties of the ammo with barrel length have all been wrong as well. Im splitting hairs Maybe but I think it’s important to have every detail right in all things. I dont like laziness with information and when I’m wrong I like it when people correct me
Ok, ignoring “Alright boys” or techniques shooters actual experience. The article shows, you NEED to know what’s downrange. And what is on the other side if you’re shooting in an urban or suburban environment. I live in a two story condominium, walls between units are just drywall with fire retardant insulation. However, first defensive position is from top of the stairs shooting down to a landing, if I miss or have a through & through with my AR running 77 gr OTM the round will go through the wall into a dirt and block planter. If for some reason I feel the need to move to the landing, misses will hit the concrete floor and bounce back into the ceiling, joists and subfloor etc. I might lose a computer or monitor cause that room is my office. If I go down, the wife will be shooting her AR from behind an old AR500 IPSC C zone target out the door of the closet. If she misses, the round has to penetrate at 45 degrees, 4 walls and a solid wood dresser before hitting the wall between the units. Know where your bullets are going. We also follow Clint Smith’s direction of tossing a laminated floor plan with sign/counter sign out a window so we don’t accidentally have a blue on blue situation when the police arrive.
If the requirement of meeting the FBI ballistic standard n depth of penetration into a test medium, the bird shot shouldn’t even on the table for consideration. Punching your fist through a person doesn’t happen. But your first through an interior wall? Sure! Now, the problem with the debate with over penetration is taking a bullet that has the capability to penetrate into a body is going to have power to pass through most walls.
Good demonstration, very informative. However you left out one wall type that is heavily used for about 20% of the country’s population. Stucco exterior, chicken wire, and drywall. All states with earthquake potential do not build solid brick type walls as they fail in earthquakes. Most houses on the west coast are stucco exterior. I belive also goes for many states west of the Rockies. I would like to see tests on this common structure in the US.
I really like the low velocity shotgun shells. I have birdshot that travels faster than the slugs that was used. but I do understand the cost ammo 😂😂😂 Also noticed a lot of errors. You do know a whole point is not known to penetrate better than ball ammo. The whole point of a hollow point is to expand and stop. And you will never get the velocity out of a 9 mm pistol (even if it does have an arm brace lol) that you would have being fired from a 16 inch carbine rifle. Was that pistol barrel length 6 in?
I was kind of bummed I didn’t see 308, 762×39 or 300blk in this article I think it’d have definitely been worth testing. And green tip 556 just for shits and gigs. Any future plans to do Test with 308/762nato, 762×39, 300blk or even 6.8spc? Either way still a great article and should dispel some myths and teach people something new. Good work!
Lop not going lie I wanted to see a 50 cal go through the wall. Lol, personally I like the 410 shot gun, with bird shot, short barrel, now if it’s a hostage situation different story. Then I want rifle. And again do not care about holes in wall I can fix them, just what’s on other side of wall, other thing wonder about plaster and lath or plaster and plaster board. This was information article and liked it. I always was concerned about bullet going through target, through outside wall and finding the neighbor house or a bystanders, so this helped in that..
I’m from Australia and the best thing I have for home defense is foul language and my fists. Yes even using a knife or baseball bat will most likely see me either sued for injury or jailed for murder. If I was living somewhere that I could use a firearm I would be looking for a 12 gauge shotgun with a 5+ capacity and loading it with no.6 shot. It reduces the risk of over penetration into other rooms and will drop anyone who comes into your house unannounced.
You both say you would use a rifle for home defense but decided to leave out that one and only piece of information. I am shocked. You shot 3 different brick walls 15 times with no penetration but the 556 round (from the most common rifle in the country) through the most common exterior wall construction in the country……that you decide in the interest of time to skip over. The 556 round through the exterior wall would have made this article worth while. Without it, It was a waist of time. I already knew those bullets don’t go through brick walls.
Have you done this kind of test with an inch layer of stucco on the outside? Been looking for that, and haven’t been able to find one that shows it. I think the sand in the stucco would help keep it from going through similar to sandbags. 1/2 my exterior is some basic wood siding, but half is stucco about an inch thick with drywall on the inside.
This is an awesome article and alot of good info .. Thank you so much.. My Go Too is a LE6933 HBAR and G17 G4 MOS . With the 6933 I only use 77g OTM either Federal or Black Hills. For 9mm I only use Hornady Critical Duty 135g standard Velocity. Yes you are 100% . Knowing angles and communication is key . .
Awesome and love that you guys took the time to build common walls. I would like to see one that I see in the midwest. Where its Aluminal/Vinal siding, intermediate siding, insulation, drywall. And also using self-defense rounds and now FMJs when utilizing sub guns, pistols and rifles. Would be curious to see common 9mm JHP (124, 147), 40 cal, 45, 223/556 (55gr and 62 JHP) and even a 300 AAC ( super and sub).
Excellent test. Would like to have seen 308 and 7.62×39 included. By product of the test was to reveal the walls structure for cover. Most individuals don’t think about having 9 .36 caliber balls going down range all at once when shooting buckshot as compared to a single round from a rifle or handgun. God bless!
Never mind I just answered my own question. I remember talking to a man that was a National Guardsmen way back when Newark New Jersey had riots. There were snipers in brick high rises and the guard would come in force and open up on the snipers position. Brick construction was useless. Even hiding in a cast iron tub was not enough. What was the guard shooting? M1gerands with armor piercing rounds. 30-06 black tip. From what he said they would go up to check and they would find pieces of the sniper all over the place. I remember he said they would find fingers. That’s what he said “fingers here and there.” I guess you don’t really have to shoot that nice wall with a 30-06 after all. A 7.62 X39 might be interesting though.
Excellent demonstration. I have #4 buck loaded in my 870. Paul Harrell did a article where he showed #4 buck went through the interior wall, but didn’t exit continue on through the exterior wall that was 10′ away. Smaller pellets loose their energy faster than those of 00 Buck. I don’t think birdshot is enough to stop a threat.
I know a 22lr will penetrate interior walls. In Saskatoon where I live I believe some idiot gang members stole a 22 rifle and while being idiots played with it in an apartment in the middle of the night. Long story short one of the two dummies “accidentally” fired a round through a bedroom wall. They shot one of the idiots kids in the head. I think the poor kid survived but it’s proof of two things. 1 a 22 can penetrate an interior wall no problem and still penetrate a human being. 2 it proves idiots should not be allowed to handle firearms. But I loved your guys article. Lots of work went into it and it does show how dangerous firearms are indoors if people are not careful.
Excellent article Thanks. If you get around to doing another similar article, Do you think you could add a test where you place the gel blocks in front of and behind an interior wall to see what effect the weapon ( in my case a shotgun ) would have if and after penetrating the first gel block. Also wouldn’t mind seeing the effect of the 7.62X39 on exterior wall penetration.
I’m seeing a lot of comments about using higher caliber rounds against these structures. Gents, I think you are missing the point being made. This is about common self defense / home defense rounds/weapons. I suppose they could have used 20mm or 155mm for that matter, but we all know at some point there are calibers that would defeat any structure.
It may seem counter intuitive but 556 penetrates walls better after about 200ms for standard ball ammunition. Reason being it slows down enough that it’s designed ballistic instability no longer occurs. It goes fast enough that it can punch through and through a cinder block but not fast enough for it to lose its energy rapidly from yawing spinning tumbling.
An eye opening article. I am an older guy, but new to handguns and the concealed carry “lifestyle”. I have obtained concealed carry permits in two states, but I’m really not qualified, in a practical sense, to carry. I don’t shoot much and I don’t have any advanced training. I appreciate the emphasis USCCA puts on practice and training. If I am going to be a responsible gun owner, I need to step up my game.
You know now that I think about it every house I ever lived in as a kid had brick walls. And my parents always stressed when buying a new house that it had to have one. And when I look at ballistics versus brick and mortar walls even 308 ammo has a hard time getting through it so it just makes sense. I think my parents knew this and took advantage of that. My parents always handled a lot of money so they were constantly worried about something happening. I just never thought about it as a kid
Really good article. I’d love to see this expanded on. I think the takeaway is pretty much that anything worth using for self defense does not care about your walls, but I’d still be interested in seeing what a 45acp hollow point and other slower rounds would do. A very expensive test could be getting one of those human torso equivalent things made of ballistic gel with organ bags and seeing what happens after a good hit on an intruder.
I use #9 bird shot for home defense at home for the safety of my family and neighborhood, I have shared your article with all my friends and family to educate them on firearm safety for home defense because they all think double odd buck and slugs are good for home defense, which I know is the worst thing for home defense because of over penetration, my dad educated me before I was even in kindergarten, coming from being a US ARMY MILITARY brat. I am proud of my father for all his training that he taught me!
Great article! It would have been good to include .22LR. I know it’s hotly debated but I live in a condo/apartment community. My home defense tools are loaded with .22LR and #7, and I load frangible 9mm in my EDC. I also carry a mag of JHP just in case things get really bad. A word about my 12ga defense tool. The tube holds 7 shells and I keep the chamber empty. The first 3 shells are #7, the next 2 are 00 buck and the last 2 rifled slugs. I have a shell sleeve on the stock that has the same distribution. Hopefully I’ll never have to even put my finger on the trigger. The shell escalation sequence is in case things really go sideways. When I practice, I make sure I know exactly what’s in the chamber of whatever tool I’m using and exaclty how many of what type I have left. By the way, it’s a good to practice knowing exactly what is left in your mags when training for tactical reloads. Few things are worse during a fight than swapping mags and trading one that’s half full for one that’s almost dry.
One of the big questions is what will it do to a target after going through a wall. A better test would have been to have ballistic gel behind a wall or two. In tests I’ve seen before, shotguns and handguns tend to just pierce right through. Rifles lose enough velocity that the hydrostatic wound website is significantly reduced.
We used “Birdshot” in 12 gauge in the Entry Team shotgun. Weighed 1 ounce and penetrated less than 00 Buckshot. ANYONE who doubts the effect of 12 gauge Birdshot up close and personal can feel free to step in front and experience it! I have heard the “experts” argue against it but until you have actual used it for defense, you do not have an argument.
I liked this article, gets you to think. I have 9mm light reloaded ammo with hollow point that was given to me by a family member who reloaded them and I trust, during ammo shortage. My wife was shooting this ammo for practicing and has not had any problems with it. Wondering if that ammo should be used for home defense inside the home even if they are reloads. Just a thought, welcome any opinions.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t have drywall outside my home. I have brick. None of those rounds would murder my neighbors, who also have brick. Even if I saw them in their home, aimed at their head, and fired into an outside wall with my 198gr 7.92x57mm K98k rounds, what are the odds it penetrates my brick, stays on course, penetrates their brick, goes through their drywall, is still on course, and hits them? I only bring this up because you mentioned neighbors. I believe your demonstration would only be valid in something like a duplex, apartment, or other form of multi-family setup.
The FBI did similar ballistic testing, though I believe they showed testing with some different insulations as well as having plywood or OSB and had more distance between them. If I recall correctly their most limited penetrators were lighter weight 5.56x45mm and #4 buckshot with everything else going though multiple walls which would equate to as many as like 8 homes. Demonstrates the need to know your target and what’s behind it. As a side note I wouldn’t choose birdshot as a self defense load given its limitations in actually stopping a determined aggressor. I personally like both polymer tipped 55 grain 5.56x45mm and #4 buckshot in my home defense weapons. Regardless of what you choose ensure you have a light with it to help with putting any rounds on target. I also have a couple of defensive areas in my home with hard backstops that will stop rounds, namely a couple chimneys; I’ve also tested walls like the ones in my home with rock hard cement plaster on both sides of interior walls with wood lath as well as on exterior walls with double layers of wood sheathing, wood siding, topped with cement board siding,hard plaster makes a big difference as does cement siding in stopping both polymer tipped 5.56x45mm and #e buckshot in no more than 2 walls. Also depending on your angle the odds of hitting only drywall through numerous walls and missing any studs which are 1.5″ and 16-24″ on center is really a worst case scenario.
My home defense rounds are 20g #4 bird shot for the shotgun, I don’t care what people think about bird shot because in the close quarters of home defense it’s deadly and not one person is willing to take a hit to prove that false. My ar I use 62g speer bonded soft points, they expand instantly upon impact in soft tissue or hard surfaces. Pistol round is 124g jhp. I also live in a mobile home with 1/4 dry wall and crap wood studs and outside walls aren’t even a barrier for my 22 pellet gun. I also only have one neighbor to worry about and that’s over 100 feet away and in the least likely direction I would be shooting. Bigger concern is knowing where my family is within line of fire so I committed to memory where they are and if they will be laying down or sitting up depending on time of day. Family knows to hit the floor if they hear someone breaking in or me issuing commands to a bad guy so I have more room for error. Another thing I have done is stage furniture in such a way that if a stranger bursts through the doors they will be slowed down buying me more time since the teenage boys are at the opposite end of the house from me at night unless I’m in the office then she who must be obeyed is opposite me. Come in the back door and I’ve got a clear line of fire from wherever I am and it’s a narrow dark hall working to my benefit. Home defense is a planned out situation, you have to know all safe shooting angles and locations of family members at any given time. For me that’s rather easy and very predictable.
Interior walls are usually not 3 feet from each other, not only that, wall studs are 16 inches from each other and a lot of homes have brick on the outside. Another thing to mention is most people will not be shooting from 12 feet away, maybe 20-40 feet, that coupled with dry wall, studs, and bricks I don’t see bullets really exiting that often. But of course their are always different variables that could change that!
Great article. Probably should have started with a .22lr pistol. Curious how far that would have penetrated. This also teaches us that interior walls are not cover, but merely concealment. I’d like to see a test with typical cheap hollow core interior doors. Could build up to a discussion about interior construction and what it would take to protect your family.
It really does depend on what you’re defending from. 7 1/2 birdshot will gut a perp in your apartment or small house. And it probably won’t go through him if you hit him. But if you’re defending a ranch or Buckingham Palace a rifle or buckshot would be better. An AR is definitely MUCH better if dealing with multiple opponents.
Would love to have seen a 20 gauge used as well. Also he should attached the 2x4s together if he was trying to keep all the same distance between the walls for an accurate experiment and demonstration. Also showing different distances between walls would also have made more accurate representations of what really happens. All in all his point about making every shot count and being accountable is the cold hard truth.
There are a few key features missing in this experiment such as insulation mud texture and primer and paint as well as there different thicknesses of drywall material as well as different Manufacturing depending on which company the board was purchased from also angles if a bullet goes at an angle through drywall it will drag through more gypsum potentially slowing it down more