1/4" steel armor test

[DocGKR]

We had a chance to shoot some "special" 1/4" steel armor plate today that the vendor assured us would stop .30-06 M2AP.

Testing was conducted at 25 yds:

.30-06 166 gr M2AP at 2700 fps--full plate penetration
7.62x51mm 147 gr M80 FMJ at 2850 fps--full plate penetration
7.62x51mm 147 gr M80 FMJ at 2650 fps--successfully stopped
5.56 mm 55 gr M193 FMJ at 3200 fps--full plate penetration
5.56 mm 62 gr M855 FMJ at 3000 fps--successfully stopped
5.56 mm LeMas 45 gr Landwarfare JSP at 3800 fps--full plate penetration

This is typical performance from every 5-6 mm steel plate we have ever tested.

So much for vendor performance claims; without independent testing such data is not worth much...

[SpankMonkey]

That is special Doc.... It is amazing what some businesses will claim.

I am not sure how some people can sleep at night, knowing what they have sold to the public.

[morpheus6d9]

Did you report the findings to the vendor?

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

[Ned Christiansen]

I don't think I'm hanging my neck out too far by saying I don't believe any steel or other metal, of any composition / heat treat, at 1/4" thickness, will by itself not be penetrated by .30-'06 AP. Not to say it will never be, and certainly not to say I know all there is to know about armor.

[bzdog]

If they knew you were going to test it, reason suggests they *thought* it would work. Curious why the disconnect between reality and their belief. You'd think they would test before making claims. Or did they not realize you were going to test?

-john

[STONE-YARDER]

Hopefully these are not for sale yet on the open market... I am surprised that the 855 was stopped while the 193 penetrated, interesting.

[vicious_cb]

Hopefully these are not for sale yet on the open market... I am surprised that the 855 was stopped while the 193 penetrated, interesting.

Not really since anyone who shoots steel targets knows that its velocity is what kills steel plates.

[DocGKR]

It is quite a normal finding for 855 to be stopped by steel, but 193 to punch through. Likewise 855 is a poor choice against automobile windshields.

[STONE-YARDER]

Not really since anyone who shoots steel targets knows that its velocity is what kills steel plates.

I do shoot steel and I am confused why the FMJ barely leaves a mark in them(AR500) and the green tip leaves craters. Seems opposite of what you are saying... Is it the 200fps difference?

"5.56 mm 55 gr M193 FMJ at 3200 fps--full plate penetration
5.56 mm 62 gr M855 FMJ at 3000 fps--successfully stopped"

[Ned Christiansen]

My experience with Level III armor has also been that M193 does more damage than M855.

However M855 does more damage to a Soviet helmet at 500M if that's important to ya .