Can 45 gr varmint ammo penetrate a level III steel plate?

[Andrew Wiggin]

It's widely known that M193 will penetrate most Level III steel armor when fired from a long enough barrel due to its higher velocity. Winchester 45 gr varmint JHP can generate even more velocity, about 3,500 fps from a 20" barrel, but it obviously has much lighter construction. So here's the question: Will that tiny little bullet still have enough mass to get through? If so, which barrel length will do it? I messed up the multiple choice part so vote for the shortest barrel length that you believe can get through.


Link to test

 

[1stmar]

No poll. My response would be no unless multiple hits to the same poi

 

[Andrew Wiggin]

You're fast.

 

[dakota.potts]

If it does, I'm betting it does so by heat transfer and none of the material makes it through.

 

[Andrew Wiggin]

That's not how armor fails with rifle rounds. Take a look at the high speed video and you can see the bits of projectile and armor exiting the water jug that was placed behind the plate.

 

[dakota.potts]

But you said to guess before watching the video lol

 

[Andrew Wiggin]

Lol. Yes, because taking about gun stuff is fun, and I usually learn something in these threads. You guessed, now watch the video and tell us what you think.

 

[dakota.potts]

I did watch the video, and I'm honestly surprised that so much of the bullet remains intact enough that it can do notable damage coming through the other side. I'm not sure what the make up of the Winchester varmint rounds are, but I'd be surprised if it's anything other than lead and copper. I guess speed really is the most important factor. I would have guessed that, at a certain hardness, no amount of speed would have carried a softer metal through the armor intact.

 

[Andrew Wiggin]

I'm certainly no expert, but I think that what's happening is that the bullet is mostly annihilated on impact, but a chunk of steel is knocked out of the impact site, almost like a perverse Newton's cradle.

 

[rickyrick]

You would not want to get hit outside the armor with these.

I've used these hunting, with surprising results. A hit in a large vascular area in the upper body will result in immediate incapacitation.

Winchester varmint is my favorite ahead of hornaday vmax

 

[Andrew Wiggin]

I wouldn't want to be shot with anything, but I wouldn't recommend a varmint load for defense. The penetration on this load is way too short.

https://youtu.be/jkJAebfGm4k