Different calibers' effectiveness against vehicles

very interesting, thank y'all for the comments!

Again, please note that my interest is of a purely theoretical nature. I don't intend to shoot anything, neither on wheels nor legs :)
 
never say never....

Don't say never just yet, in the late 1990s, I watched a VHS video of the Second Chance CEO, a ex cop who did Mythbuster type stuff shoot a old car that was running.
A bullet fired from a large revolver cracked the engine and the car broke down.

It was interesting to view.

Clyde
 
I think we're down the wrong bunny bath. Wasn't the .357 mag intended to defeat the body armor of the day? What it might do with a vehicle would be incidental.
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Actually no. S&W thought it was too powerful for a police round. They developed it as a hunting round. The first guns they sold for it were not aimed at the police market but for sportsmen. They chambered it in a new gun which they called "The Registered Magnum", a very beautiful and hand fitted gun. Each one had a special serial number and a letter attesting that the gun was "Registered" to it's owner and came with the name of whoever bought it on the letter. S&W advertised as how it could take the biggest game etc. But they didn't aim it at the police market. They already had a gun for that, actually more than one.

The one intended to "beat" the body armor of the day was the 38/44 Heavy Duty with a hot loaded .38 Spl.

They didn't stop any vehicles unless it was by luck and an accident. Back then cars and trucks were made of steel and cast iron. I've seen old ads for a snubby M&P (the Model 10) claiming it would send a 38 Spl. round clean through a Ford. OK.

Colt had the 38 Super.

But anyway the .357 was soon in demand and law enforcement wanted it so S&W came up with the Highway Patrolman which was aimed at law enforcement. This was in the post war period. This became the M28 and later there was the Combat Magnum which became the M19.

tipoc
 
.45 Colt Super X goes clear though a helium tank. Ought to do some damage to a car. I can only imagine a 45-70 BFR or a .30-30 BFR.
 
Even if you vaperized the radiator most cars will drive for several miles. Expecially my 66 bug. ;) plus you ever try to shoot through old german duraglass. Tough stuff.


Boomer
 
Even if you vaperized the radiator most cars will drive for several miles.
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Same if you just crack the block or shoot thru a valve cover and disable a rocker. Its still gonna run until it overheats. It might not run too sporty with a busted rocker but that wont be enough to stop it. It would take a mighty round indeed to bust an engine bad enough to stop it right there. Even if you put a hole in the oil pan you'd be surprised at how long it will run. I took an old Buick 455 once with a rod knocking and held it to the floor to see how long it took to blow. After about five minutes the rod and parts of the piston came out the side of the block and oil pan but it still ran for several minutes until it seized up from lack of oil.
 
This is a job for the .50 BMG. :D

I manage low rent housing. We have had several drive-bys, two while I was present on the properties, one that I think was directed at me (I'd had a violent, gang involved eviction the day before). When we have active "issues" I keep an AK47 in the car, though it is very unlikely I'd ever use it to return fire, or even have time to access it. But I'd rather drag it around and not need it than not have it if I did.

The drive-bys I witnessed were over almost before anyone realized what was going on. By the time it registers on you that someone is shooting, the car is driving away. About the only time one might reasonably engage in such an event would be if they stopped or returned. Even then you would probably only have time to access whatever was on your person.

That is one reason I carry a .45, it will generally shoot through a car door or window. Even HP will penetrate a door if it doesn't hit a frame member.
 
I'm guessing this is relevant, GM claims the Cadillac Northstar can run 30 minutes with no oil before it locks up. It can do it with the ability of turning cylinders off and on. They also make them run crazy rich in this condition. So this would be a tougher car to take out.
 
Unless you're military/LE what is the concern with penetration???

A civilian CCW will be shooting "up clos" or "in house."

Deep penetration can a positive for LE, but negative for the rest of us.
 
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