Mattress Cover

[sboza]

Alright, probably a misleading description but my question is serious.

A couple of years ago, a well respected instructor advised that we load/unload into a mattress if we don't have a better option at home. The reason being that the coils in a mattress are so tightly wound that bullets rarely pass through and if they do, with very little momentum. I use an old plate carrier (w/ front plate only) for load/unload/dryfire so that was not a practical use for me and I asked if in the event of a home invasion, a mattress would provide some level of cover (not concealment). He said that he didn't see why not.

Fast forward a couple of years and the mattress still plays a role in my girlfriend and my SHTF home invasion plan. I just got to thinking that all of my kit is tried and tested and that my tactics regarding this scenario are pretty well thought out EXCEPT this assumption that my mattress will absorb a couple of rounds in a gunfight (which I WILL end). We are in the market for a new mattress soon so I'll lug this one up to the range and light it up in the next month or two. But in the meantime, I was wondering if anyone here has any knowledge regarding this? I think I've made a glaring, untested assumption here.




A minor point, my girlfriend is in grad school and so our rental is a duplex. No matter how I position our bed, any intruder approach will be from the direction of the other unit. So, I have to be sure of my shots! No shooting through doors and walls. I am confident in my abilities but this requirement makes it more likely that I may see a few rounds in my direction before the threat is ... well, no longer a threat.

Also, no kids so no superhero one man clearing.

[kartoffel]

Ever burn a mattress and see the coils inside after the fluff and fabric is gone? It would be a total gamble even to hit a coil at all.

But hey, if you want to shoot up your old mattress go for it. Just clean up the mess afterwards.

[sboza]

Ha, I appreciate the feedback brother but I didn't literally mean light my mattress on fire. I meant take it to the range and shoot at it with various calibers and see what kind of damage a target set up behind it would take. I'll take pictures and post them when I am able to get around to it.

And no, I didn't know how few coils are actually in there. Maybe the instructor meant the compression on the other material from the coils is enough to provide some cover. I don't know and it sickens me to think that I bought into this idea without testing it myself. Thanks for the info though.


Edit: Sorry kartoffel, I reread your post and realize you had interperated my post correctly. My bad man.

[kartoffel]

No worries, sboza. I was just saying that the amount of actual metal wire in a mattress is pretty minimal. If you stood one up and shot at it, plenty of bullets wouldn't even hit a metal spring wire.

But you raise another good point: the fabric and foam might slow down the bullet, too. Maybe a little.... but I wouldn't count on a mattress as a bullet stopper.

Anyway, I'm all in favor of you or anyone doing a little "Mattress O' Truth" testing just to see what happens.

[mpom]

Did shoot a mattress once, before I had any handguns.
303 British went clean through, as expected.
Would think a spring would deflect a bullet, not stop it.
Suppose its better than nothing, as it would absorb some of the bullet's energy.
Now if you leave the mattress in place and hide behind it, then a bullet travelling through much of the width rather than thickness of the mattress, may stop before exiting.

Mark

[Wildcat]

Alright, probably a misleading description but my question is serious.

A couple of years ago, a well respected instructor advised that we load/unload into a mattress if we don't have a better option at home. The reason being that the coils in a mattress are so tightly wound that bullets rarely pass through and if they do, with very little momentum.....

I suspect that you will be underwhelmed by the stopping power of the average mattress versus fighting caliber weapons.

Your source may have some personal experience to validate his assertion but the anecdotal can become dangerous when its provided as a general statement. There are way too many variables involved for such confidence.

If you need a cheap, easy unloading station, get a sturdy 3 or 5 gallon bucket and fill it 3/4 full of sand. Keep the lid on it. A pistol bullet would penetrate the lid and be arrested by the sand as long as the barrel was close to the central axis of the bucket.

[Zhurdan]

Precisely why I bought a Tempurpedic mattress. It'll conform to the bullet and put it to rest in no time flat!

Hiding behind the bed as it lays on the floor would present far more material than propping it up. Besides, if it's more than a twin bed, you'll be in a fairly awkward position to return fire.

Better than moving stuff around to hide behind is to move yourself to a more advantageous position in the room, assuming your in the bedroom. Use the corners to your advantage. Use the layout (that you know well and they probably don't) to shield you from view until the last second. You'll probably know where they are approaching from and they probably won't know where you are. Seems much better than making noise moving stuff and letting them know where you are.

Just some thoughts from my wife and I's personal plan.

[Quiet-Matt]

About twelve years ago a good friend of mine was getting ready to clean his HK USP in the bedroom of his duplex. Well, the dork had a ND and shot into the mattress in the direction of the dividing wall of the duplex. I showed up about thirty seconds later to find him in a dead panic. He found where the 9mm bullet entered the mattress, but couldn't find the exit. Luckily no one was home next door so he breathed a sigh of relief that he hadn't shot someone. After some searching we finally found two exit holes in the mattress and eventually found both halves of the bullet in the closet.

So, yes a mattress can affect the path of a projectile, but only if it is lucky enough to hit one of those tiny wires. I'd say that it would be as effective as taking cover behind a chain-link fence in a gun fight.

Oh yeah, that friend of mine is now with the FBI and on their SWAT team. LOL! I laugh when I see him as I recall the video of the DEA agent shooting himself in the classroom.

[Redmanfms]

Mattresses don't offer cover as has already been said, but they can provide some concealment and make it difficult for an opponent to target vital areas.

The fact is that there really isn't much in an ordinary home/apartment that is capable of stopping bullets. Not even the studs offer much in the way of the protection, unless the bullet comes through the wall at an oblique angle and hits multiple studs.



As an aside, I'd like to know who the "respected instructor" was. Granted, mattress construction isn't typically in the expected expertise of an instructor, but making suggestions from a position of ignorance is not something I'd accept from an instructor.

[mpom]

The fact is that there really isn't much in an ordinary home/apartment that is capable of stopping bullets.

An exception to this might be a tall bookcase filled with books, packed so there are minimal to no gaps. An adjustable shelf system, and books selected for height to match the vertical spaces might work better than a mattress. Books can be obtained pretty cheaply at library sales, or flea markets.

Mark