.223 gel test: Hornady 55 gr soft point hand load

[AndrewWiggin]

Link to video of test




Hornady 55 gr SP over 25.4 gr TAC fired from 11.5" and 16" AR-15 pattern rifles into calibrated 10% gelatin. Surefire FA556AR silencer was attached to both rifles.

BB: 590.5 fps, 3.7"

16" barrel results

Impact velocity: 3,014 fps
Penetration: 10.7"
Retained weight: 26.9 gr
Max expansion: 0.425"
Min expansion: 0.335"

11.5" barrel results

Impact velocity: 2,751 fps
Penetration: 12.1"
Retained weight: 31.3 gr
Max expansion: 0.410"
Min expansion: 0.350"

[BufordTJustice]

Excellent work, Andrew.

[AndrewWiggin]

Thank you, sir.

[Pilgrim]

Outstanding!

I've been running just 25 grains of TAC over Nosler 55gr SP's and getting very good accuracy... I will try bumping it up to 25.4 and see what I get.

[RVTMaverick]

Any idea as to WHY the Penetration is Deeper with the Slower round?
1.4" deeper while being 263 fps slower...?

I see the faster round opened up .015" more, so this would slow it down faster but then again, it is also .015" smaller which wouldn't slow it down faster...?
By the way, isn't this strange as all get out, it has changed exactly the same amount bigger and smaller!

OH I see, the slower round held more of it's weight, that's why..... I guess LOL

Thanks for sharing this Andrew, very cool indeed.

Peace Jeff

[markm]

Interesting. Slowing the bullet down helps is penetrate better it seems. I have an AR barrel that will spin half of those bullets apart for some reason.

[AndrewWiggin]

I'm no expert but I have two thoughts on it:

The faster bullet might expand earlier.

Some variation in penetration is normal. That's why single round tests like my own are not remotely definitive. Illuminating and entertaining, sure, but when it comes to selecting a load for defense, look at tests performed by professionals with a statistically relevant samples size.

[markm]

I'm no expert but I have two thoughts on it:

The faster bullet might expand earlier.

It's not uncommon at all. I remember reading a mil study on 7.62 bullets where they penetrated wood deeper when they slowed down the velocity (diminishing returns apply of course)

With these bullets, I bet the higher velocity caused more aggressive expansion and the bullet dumps more energy faster. I bet those results are very repeatable.

[RVTMaverick]

I'm no expert but I have two thoughts on it:

The faster bullet might expand earlier.

Some variation in penetration is normal. That's why single round tests like my own are not remotely definitive. Illuminating and entertaining, sure, but when it comes to selecting a load for defense, look at tests performed by professionals with a statistically relevant samples size.

Yes, but the MAIN thing as to Why,
(I believe now) is because the slower bullet held together better, in turn retaining more of it's weight and helping it to penetrate deeper.

[MegademiC]

This is seen a bit with .40 rounds loaded up to 10mm. They overexpand and underpenetrate.

Once again, awesome test.