Hog Plate Penetration Testing

[Ratdog68]

With that amount of Smack-Daddy going down range... I want video of them doing the stiff-legged pirouette when they get hit with 'em.

 

[rgilbert]

I've had no problems killing them with 300 grain Remy hollow points. My go too bullet is the 325 FTX. Never found the need for the Barnes on hogs. This has been with my 458 Socom.

 

[FrankT]

I just don't typically shoot them in the shield, I started that way just don't do it much anymore. When I do the 6.8 SSA Barnes 110TSX is a killer, don't need anything bigger.

 

[Chopperdrvr]

The shield is not as formidable obstacle as many people want to believe. It is a firm cartilage material of varying thickness, but doesn't possess magical bullet absorbing properties. It will initiate bullet expansion prior to getting into the vitals, but if you are using anything other than varmint style bullets, you will still end up with a hog with a very large hole punched through its innards.

 

[TXCOONDOG]

I think wet phonebooks are what the self defense shooting guys use to simulate human tissue.

The problem with trying to simulate hog shoulder plates is that they are extremely variable in thickness. They are not a uniform medium within an individual or between individuals.

Related article
http://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/Wound Database/Boar shoulder shields.html

Good read and thanks for posting.

Since I have access to lots of phones books, I figured why not soak five or six and bind them together and use my .308 and 6.8 for a baseline since I know their performance from 35 , 250 (6.8) and 500 yds (.308).

I can't wait to see what the 45-70 and .22 TCM will do at 35-100yds

Not trying to be Scientific, just want to have fun and shoot stuff

 

[Itsazonik]

I always measured the outside of the groups. Was the way I was taught. I prefer when they all go through the same hog.

I would love to get 2 hogs lined up side by side and try testing penetration that way. I have shot 2 hogs with them but never found the bullet.

 

[Itsazonik]

With that amount of Smack-Daddy going down range... I want video of them doing the stiff-legged pirouette when they get hit with 'em.

I have been looking for a better way to set up the gopro for my next hunt so I can get video of the shot with my 458. That's what's going with me next time. My friend is taking the 454 casull lever action. Going to be an interesting hunt

 

[Itsazonik]

Here's a comparison. From right to left....

55gr 223, 110gr 6.8, 147gr .308 and 525gr .458 pile driver

 

[RattlesnakeDan]

A chunk O' lead there.

 

[Itsazonik]

Even at the range you can hear how hard they impact the sand back drop

 

[RattlesnakeDan]

Well, if there are no hogs to shoot you can rig them on your fishing line as sinkers and catch some cats for dinner!

 

[JPK]

I have 525gr gcfn hard cast I would love to see testing done with

I used to do a fair bit of elephant hunting. One trip, as a favor to a fellow who wondered if a 45/70 loaded to about 1450fps and using 525gr gas checked hard cast would kill an elephant, I loaded some of his bullets in 458wm cases at 1450fps using H4895, iirc.

After I killed an elephant I shot his loads into the dead elephant from the front, as if I was taking a frontal brain shot, but from a slightly different angle than my shot which killed him. (An elephant's head is made up of different types of bone, from rock solid and able to turn, bend or destroy any solid - which is the type of bullet used on elephant, for penetration- to honeycomb filled with air or a mucous like fluid. The brain is surrounded by homey comb, with a thin shell of hard bone holding the brain.To brain an elephant you must choose a POI leading to the brain through primarily skin, muscle amd homey comb, no thick hard bone. Distance from POI to brain can range from about 10" to maybe 4', depending on the height of the elephant and how it is holding it's head at the shot.) The frontal angle for the shots made with the 45/70 type load were made as if the elephant was about 15yds away and looking at the hunter, which was typical for my elephant hunting. Maybe 30" of penetration required, no hard bone except for the thin brain pan. All of the bullets made it into the brain, but none made it whole, all broke, with angular facets to the breaks. None exited the back of the brain pan.

Moral of the story: I wouldn't want to hunt live elephants with the 525gr hard casts, and I don't think they like velocity. I suspect they would have done better, as far as staying together, at slower velocity. Or perhaps a softer blend (I don't cast bullets, but these seemed "too hard" and we're brittle as a result.)

Also, fwiw, I killed one 250lb ish boar with a 500gr Woodleigh .458" soft point at about 2050fps. Through and through no issue with the plate on either side. Quarter size exit, with a good spray of blood, etc. Range was maybe 25yds. He kept running, second shot was low and broke his front legs and he went down. Dead when we walked up.

I know a couple of (former?) elephant hunters who live in TX and use their .458" rifles for hogs to keep in practice. They report excellent results with the 350gr .035" jacketed Hawk bullets, as well as the 350gr Hornadays and Woodleighs.

JPK

 

[RattlesnakeDan]

I hardly ever shoot elephants anymore. What happened to the good ole days? Dang.

 

[JPK]

Me either. It's been six years. Seems like a life time.

 

[RattlesnakeDan]

My last elephant hunt caught on video. ://youtu.be/vHTUDwc1fd8

 

[RattlesnakeDan]

 

[FrankT]

Nothing I would like more than go to Africa on a hunt..sounds like fun adventures JPK

 

[RattlesnakeDan]

My heroes growing up were African hunters. I would read every hunting magazine there was as a kid and always drempt of adventures like that. Howard Hill one of the greatest archers ever killed Tembow, a rogue elephant that was killing natives. Afterwards he stepped back and shot him in the forehead to see what kind of penetration he could get. The deepest was like 11" which was still a long way from the brain so he knew it couldn't be done with bow and arrow.

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

I can't wait to see what the 45-70 and .22 TCM will do at 35-100yds

Not trying to be Scientific, just want to have fun and shoot stuff

I did this in 2010 on Marlin owners forum.

I am a firearms instructor at work and I had to test and evaluate some weapons and ammunition with the FBI today. I know its a hard job but someone has to do it. After all the official shooting was done we had some blocks left over so I got out the unfired GBL and tested my pig loads. First was rem 405gr SP with WLR primer and 41 gr H322. My speer book put this at 1285fps from 22" barrel. I got an average of 1522fps. Second was a 405gn FP cast bullet I bought at Southwest Ammo Supply same primer same powder.

1. 405.gr Rem Sp 28" penetration 1st round. / 29.5" penetration 2nd both held 100% weight average diamiter was .852

2. 405gr Cast FP 1st shot 54+" Had three blocks penetrated all three. 2nd shot 53" very little expantion all weight retained.

Here you can see the awesome wound channel from the SP below the second one I changed the colors so you could see better.



http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll99/TEXASLAWMAN54/IMG_4948copy.jpg.html

 

[RattlesnakeDan]

I like the expansion damage over the drilling holes.
So what were the super classified secret weapons you had to test today. Because it's important that we know these things. haha