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//////// INTRODUCTION //////////
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The purpose of this post is to help my fellow gun-nuts to use ballistic gelatin. I want to share my experiences of using gel to help others to conduct their own ammo comparison tests. I have made 57 gel shots.
Unlike other post, my post describes how you too can do gel testing WITHOUT SPECIAL "THIS OR THAT" !!!! Everything that you will need can be easily purchased from any large grocery store and Walmart / Kmart. Furthermore, the gel that you are making is the same as what the "Professionals" use.
I think that you will learn a lot from conducting your own gel testing. You will probably even change your carry-ammo after testing with gel. It really is an eye-opening experience. I highly recommend everyone to do it. I sure am glad that I did!!! I learned a lot more by testing with gel myself than I did by reading the Street-Stopper Statistics. SEEING IS BELIEVING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As you read this post (book???), it will appear to be too much work involved to test with gel. This is true that it is a lot of work and requires a lot of time and patience. But, the rewards are very much worth the effort. Also, the gel once it is made can be reused many, many times. Just reheat the gel, and you are good-to-go for another gel-shot.
If you test with gel, it is highly recommend that the vast majority of testing be conducted with some sort of an intermediate barrier. Do not test against naked gel. Use some type of material such as cloth or dense hard wood. I do not recommend rib meat. I can tell you that hitting rib bone consistently is very difficult. Plus, during my testing, I learned to distrust rib bone testing because each bone seemed to exhibit too much inconsistency. I switched to using hard cedar wood instead of rib-bones. The cedar wood had much better reproducible results. No, red meat is not a barrier …. It is the same thing as gel. Do not use meat as a covering. I recommend testing with medium cloth. The reason that you should not test against naked gel is because most ammo produces similar results when fired into naked gel. To see difference in ammo, some intermediate barrier is needed. The cloth covering is much more demanding than what you might guess.
If you test with gel, you must analyze the gel to gather data (see the section “Gathering Data”). You can not just look at the gel block and say that Ammo1 is better than Ammo2. Measurements are required. As a warning, if you attempt to use visual inspection to determine performance, be aware that the fissures (cracks from the disruption) will begin to vanish after a few minutes after the gel was shot. However, the fissures are still there but they are not visible from viewing the gel block from the outside. See the section “Gathering Data” to see how to obtain the results of your test.
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//////// MATERIALS LIST //////////
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1) Time - Preparing gel takes a lot of time. Be prepared to spend about 2 hours minimum (maybe 3 hours) in the kitchen. Plus, the next day you will need to spend another couple of hours in the kitchen to make additional gel.
2) Gelatin – I used Knot’s Unflavored Gelatin and also Kroger Unflavored Gelatin. By far, I preferred the Kroger brand because it was more translucent and foamed less during preparation. Be prepared to spend about $45 on the gel. You will need 6 boxes of gel. Each box contains 227 Grams (8 oz.) of Gel powder, which is packaged in 32 envelopes per box. Each box cost $7.
How to purchase – Go to a large grocery store, and find the Jello / pudding section of the store. Look around this area for
Knox
“The Original Unflavored Gelatin”
Unflavored Gelatin For Recipes
UPC Number = 41000-03502
Or if you have a Kroger grocery store nearby, look for their brand (which I prefer over the Knox Brand)
Kroger Unflavored Gelatin
UPC Number = 11110-67367
You will be looking for a small orange-and-white colored box that measures 3” length x 2” wide x 4” high.
By the way, both brands are 100% pure USP gelatin powder --- in case you was wondering. Both brands will produce gel that is identical to what you see in the gun-rags. Yes, the gel blocks will be transparent with an amber tint color. Yes, these gel blocks will produce the same penetration depths as what is published by others people (gunrags). And, of course, it is a 10% solution (If you would like to see the math, scroll to the bottom to the “Appendix A” section)
P.S., don’t forget to buy 3 gallons of Distilled bottled water while you are at the store. As a reference, you will need 1 gal of distilled water per every 2 boxes of gelatin that you buy.
3) Main Mold – Grab a ruler (to measure sizes) and head to Kmart, WallyWorld (Walmart), Target, etc. Go to the cooking supplies section where pots, cooking utilizes, trash cans are sold. Look for the area that sells plastic containers such as plastic water pitchers, plastic bread boxes, and plastic storage containers. Now look around for something that might work. Preferable look for something that is clear plastic, and vertical. I used a clear plastic container designed to hold cereal (??? I assume). Mine measures 7”x7” at the top, 6”x6” at the bottom (it has a slight taper), and is 8” deep.
Use a plastic container measuring approx 7" length x 7" width x 8" deep. As a minimum, you could use a 6” length x 6” width x 6” deep container. These dimensions are somewhat critical if you want reliable results. The reason that you need a 7" square container is because "top-notch" ammo should produce stretch cavities (fissure) that span 4" - 4.5" across. Therefore, you need 4" for the fissure, and allow 1" on each side to hold the block together. This totals 6". Now this leaves you 1" of leeway in aiming. Next, let's discuss why you need 8" of depth. As you will see during your testing, all ammo behaves the same after 8". That is, after 8" of penetration, the bullet is just not producing any significant fissures that are worth measuring and analyzing. After 8", the only useful data is the total penetration depth. On the other hand, the reason the block needs to be a full 8" is because any fissures will cease propagation if you ask it to span across another block. For example, do Not use two gel blocks measuring 4” deep to equal one block that is 8” deep. This will not work. As the bullet travels through the gel, it will be producing fissures (fractures, cracks, splits – you get the idea). These fissures propagate, which means that they grow outward and downward through the gel as the bullet disrupts the gel. HOWEVER, a fissure can not propagate (grow) across a seam such as when you stack two blocks of gel. The first fissure in the first block will cease, while a new fissure will be started in the next gel block. This will produce unreliable measurements in my opinion. Avoid using multiple gel blocks within the first 8” of travel. Use a single block for the first 8” of penetration.
No mold release agent is needed. At first, I did wax the sides of the container to aid the gel releasing from the plastic container. But upon further testing, I found that the gel released just fine without any help.
4) Backstop Mold – The purpose of this block is to capture the slug so that you can measure the total penetration. This container can be any size that you desire. However, it should be at least the same length and width as the main block because the main block will be sitting on top of this backstop (bottom) block. As far as depth, this is up to you. If you shoot heavy bullets, I think that you will find that too much gel is needed to stop those “things”. For me, I tested ammo that usually stopped within 12”. Therefore, my bottom block is 5” deep. For my bottom mold, I used a circular, clear plastic container approx 8” in diameter and 7” deep (however, I did not fill it up completed with gel).
5) Space in the refrigerator – You will need space in the refrigerator and preferably space in the freezer to accommodate your molds. It also would help if your had a refrigerator thermometer to verify the temperature of the refrigerator. My procedure was to place the gel in the freezer for 6 hours (or only 4 hours if it was only the Main mold without the Backstop mold in the freezer) to chill. After the 6 hours in the freezer, the mold(s) was moved to the refrigerator. The reason that I placed the gel in the freezer was to assure that it would reach 35 degrees within 20 hours. The freezer provides for faster cooling. However, after more than 6 hours of being in the freezer, the outside surface of the gel would start to freeze. Thus, this is why you are limited to just 6 hours of freezer time – because of uneven cooling. I try to get rid of as much heat as possible before the outer gel began to freeze. Then move it to the refrigerator for the remaining cooling.
Of course this is assuming that the molds will fit in your freeze. If not, then I would suggest allowing 48 hours for the blocks to cool in the refrigerator.
6) Location - You will need a location in which to shoot the gel. This can be difficult for some people to manage. To me, and probably many others, this is the one thing that is the most difficult that might prevent you from using gel to conduct your own test. The shooting-range is probably not an option for two reasons. One, most ranges will not allow you to shoot gel. Second, it is very difficult to keep the gel cold (pack the gel in an Igloo???) during the commute to the range. Plus, it would be difficult to get reliable results from having the gel sit for 30 minutes between Cease-Fires. For me, my solution was firing downward toward the ground into the gel (eliminating the danger of “flying bullets”) in my backyard.
7) Medium size ladder – You will need a 6-foot ladder. The type that looks like an “A”. This will be used to stand over the gel blocks, allowing you to aim downward toward the ground. In effect, you are using China as a backstop.
8) MISC –
a) Large pot - to heat the 1-gal of water, and mix in the gelatin powder. The pot should be large enough to hold two gallons.
b) Whisk – Guys, ask your wife what a “whisk” is. It is a stirring-thing that is made of many loops of wire (or plastic rods) that is used to beat liquids. You will need one (a whisk) to blend the gelatin powder into the water. This is a MUST HAVE item. The gelatin powder is not very easily dissolved in the water. It tends to forms lumps rather than dissolve. The whisk is your only weapon against lumps.
c) Paper towels – Other than for the obvious reason of cleaning-up your messes, the paper towel will be used as a filter during the Gel preparation.
d) Food thermometer – This is easily purchased at any large grocery store. Either a “candy thermometer” or “meat thermometer” will work.
e) Wire mesh strainer - This is easily purchased at any large grocery store. Look in the area that cooking utensil are sold such as knifes, pots, etc. This wire mesh strainer looks like a wire screen that has been formed into a bowl shape, and it has a plastic handle to hold it.
f) 3 gallons of bottled distilled water.
g) Test cloth, pork ribs, hard wood, etc. You will need to have covering-material. Please don’t plan to shoot gel that is naked. Most ammo including poor ammo does good when fired into naked gel. You will not see much difference between various ammo brands if you use naked gel. It is only when the bullet is asked to penetrate covering (such a cloth, dense wood, bones) that you will see differences appear among the different bullets. Whatever you use, make sure that you have a lot of it. You want to be very consistent in your testing. If you use something to test Ammo1, have enough of the identical stuff to test Ammo2, Ammo3, and Ammo4. As a side note, several layers of cloth placed on the naked gel is a very good test. Believe it or not. My theory is that the several layers of cloth act like a bullet-proof vest for a split microsecond in which vast amounts of energy is absorbed away from the bullet before it penetrates the cloth. Believe it or not. Cloth covering the naked gel is more demanding (more difficult) than a combination of cloth + bone. If the cloth has something rigid (hard) as a backstop, the bullet can easily perform work on the cloth to penetrate it. However, when the cloth is sitting on naked gel, the cloth gives way in an elastic manner preventing the bullet from doing work of penetrating the cloth, and instead this allow the cloth to absorb vast energy. This is very similar to how a bullet proof vest behaves. Just my theory. This was very enlightening to me when I discovered this phenomenon.
h) Safety gear – As always, wear your hearing protection and eye protection.
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//////// PREPARING THE GEL //////////
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You will make only one batch of gel at a time. You will need to make two batches on one day, and a third batch on the next day. Each batch is one gallon. To make a batch, take two boxes of gelatin powder (each box is 227 grams as per label on box). Cut open each little envelope, and collect the gelatin powder in a contain such as a bowl. Cut open all 64 envelopes (32 envelopes per box). Now, you should have a large bowl of pure gelatin powder (don’t sneeze).
Next, take a large pot that is large enough to hold two gallons. You will have only one gallon of liquid, but there will be a lot of foam formed during the mixing process. Thus, the extra height is to prevent the foam from spilling over. Place the pot on the stove. Pour in the one gallon of distilled water. Heat the water to 150 degrees. Place your thermometer in the water as it is heating, and watch the temp. When the temp reaches between 150 degrees, turn the stove off. You will Not be applying heat as you mix in the powder. Remove the pot from the stove.
Now we are ready for the hard part … mixing in the gelatin powder. You must have your whisk. You did buy the whisk that was mentioned in the Materials List, Right??? You Must have a whisk. Do Not try to make your gel without it. Without it, the gelatin powder will just turn into a huge ugly ball of sticky mess. With the water still above 140 degrees, begin to vigorously stir the water with the whisk (yes, your arm will be very tired after you are finished, but it’s worth it). SLOWLY add the gelatin powder while continuously stirring with the whisk. You MUST SLOWLY pour in the powder, do not rush it. If you pour too much powder at a time, lumps will form, and any lumps will Not dissolve later. Allow yourself 10 minutes to mix the complete bowl of powder into the water. When I say “pour slowly”, I mean that you pour about 1/8 cup of powder and vigorously stir this amount into the water until it has dissolved. Then, you pour in another 1/8 cup of powder, and mix it. Repeating until all of the powder (2 boxes) is mixed into the water (1 gallon). This takes a lot of time and patience, and your arm will be very tired. After the powder is mixed into the water, hopefully you will not have too many lumps formed in the liquid. A few lumps are expected to form. I usually have about four lumps that are approx 1/2" in diameter.
Here is a trick that I discovered to help you mix in the powder. After you have mixed approx 1/2 cup of powder, the liquid will develop a lot of foam. Use this foam to your advantage. Sprinkle the powder (1/8 cup at a time) evenly across the foam surface, and then vigorously mix it into the water. The foam acts as a buffer. In other words, the foam helps to hold the powder separate which prevents lumps from forming.
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UPDATED SECTION
I found a way to mix the gel more easy. The trick is to mix the gel powder to cold water, not hot water. Well, the water does not need to be cold, just room temperature is ok.
Here is my new method to mixing the powder. Get an electric beater / mixer from Kmart or Walmart ($14). Add approx 2 cups of cool water to a bowl. Sprinkle a little powder into the 2 cups of water. Mix with the electric mix for only one second. Sprinkle more powder in, mix for a second. Keep slowly adding powder until you have added about ½ cup of powder to the cool water. At this point the mixture will become thick. Pour the thick mixture to another large bowl. Then, add another 2 cups of cool water to your mixing bowl. Repeat these steps until all the powder is mixed into the water.
The mixture will look like cooked wheat grits (uhmmm, good eats !!!). In a large pot, slowly heat the mixture over a low heat. The grits-like mixture will slowly melt. Heat the solution to 140 degrees.
The beauty of this new-N-improved method is that NO LUMPS and NO FOAM is formed.
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Next, we are ready to pour the liquid into the mold. With a large spoon, scoop out most of the foam floating on the surface. Then, take a papertowel and place it in the wire mesh strainer. The papertowel will act as a filter to filter out the remaining foam and lumps. If possible, hang the mesh strainer on the edge of the mold. If your mesh strainer is not able to be supported by itself, you will need to find a third hand. Take a cup (anything will work) to scoop the liquid out of the pot and pour it into the wire mesh (which has a papertowel in it). The warm gel liquid will easily run through the papertowel as it is being filtered. Afterward, your mold will probably be 2/3 filled. Next, begin preparing the second batch of gel using your third and fourth boxes of gelatin powder (3 and 4 of 6) and second gallon of distilled water (2 of 3). After finishing the second batch, begin preparing the third batch using the remaining two boxes of gelatin powder and the remaining gallon of distilled water. Okay, just joking – you might want to make just the first two batches one day, and save the third batch for the next day.
However, do try to complete the second batch immediately after completing the first batch. Because the first batch makes enough gel to fill the mold only 2/3 full. You will need to make the second batch to completely fill the mold. The mold will use only about half of the gel from the second batch. Use any type of container for the remaining gel from the second batch. This remaining gel from the second batch will be saved in the refrigerator for future use. This spare gel will be used a little at a time to “top off” your gel when you are remelting it for further gel shots. Yes, your gel will be remelted after you make a gel-shot. You will reuse the gel many, many times. I have used my gel for one month, reheating it 20 times. That is, I made 20 gel-shots using the same batch of gel. I just remelt it after every gel-shot, and pour it back into the mold. I will explain this remelting process later in the section called “Reusing The Gel”. Back to the spare gel…. Each time you reuse your gel, some gel will be lost from the surfaces of the different containers that is used to remelt the gel. Therefore, you will need this spare gel to replenish (top-off) the mold to makeup for the small amounts lost during recycling. If not, your gel will gradually become less-and-less and will not be able to fill you mold to the top. And this is important because your Main Mold should always be approx 8” in depth.
After finishing the second batch of gel, you are ready to prepare the gel batch needed for the Backstop Mold. This will be your third batch of gel. You will be using your last gallon of distilled water (3 of 3) and the last two boxes of Gelatin powder (5&6 of 6 boxes). You might want to wait until the next day to prepare this third batch of gel. You will be very tired from making the first two batches. The purpose of this gel block is to capture the slug so that you can measure the total penetration. This mold can be any size that you desire. However, it should be at least the same length and width as the main block because the main block will be sitting on top of this backstop (bottom) block. As far as depth, this is up to you. If you shoot heavy bullets, I think that you will find that too much gel is needed to stop those “things”. For me, I tested ammo that usually stopped within 12”. Therefore, my bottom block is 5” deep. For my bottom mold, I used a circular, clear plastic container (Tupperware) approx 8” in diameter and 7” deep (however, I did not fill it up completely with gel).
Next we need to chill the molds to 35 degrees. First problem is finding space in the refrigerator – and preferably space in the freezer to accommodate your molds. It also would help if your had a refrigerator thermometer (which can be purchased at any large grocery store) to verify the temperature of your refrigerator. If possible, set your refrigerator’s thermostat down until the temp reaches 33 degrees.
My procedure was to place the gel in the freezer for 6 hours (or only 4 hours if it was only the Main mold without the Backstop mold in the freezer) to chill. After the 6 hours in the freezer, the mold(s) was moved to the refrigerator. The reason that I placed the gel in the freezer was to assure that it would reach 35 degrees within 20 hours. The freezer provides for faster cooling. However, after more than 6 hours of being in the freezer, the outside surface of the gel would start to freeze. Thus, this is why you are limited to just 6 hours of freezer time – because of uneven cooling. I try to get rid of as much heat as possible before the outer gel began to freeze. Then move it to the refrigerator for the remaining cooling.
Of course this is assuming that the molds will fit in your freeze. If not, then I would suggest allowing 48 hours for the blocks to cool in the refrigerator.
Yes, this is a lot of work to prepare the gel. But, remember that your labor will have a big payoff. This gel will be reused many, many times by remelting it. The remelting process is much more easy than making the gel from scratch. I have reused a batch for 30 days in which I made about 20 gel-shots, remelting the gel after each use.
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//////// MAKING THE GEL-SHOT //////////
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You will need a location in which to shoot the gel. This can be difficult for some people to arrange. To me, and probably many others, this is the one thing that is the most difficult that might prevent you from using gel to conduct your own test. The shooting-range is probably not an option for two reasons. One, most ranges will not allow you to shoot gel. Second, it is very difficult to keep the gel cold (pack the gel in an Igloo???) during the commute to-and-from the range. Plus, it would be difficult to get reliable results from having the gel sit for 30 minutes between Cease-Fires.
For me, I could use my backyard to conduct the gel-shots. This was very helpful. I could take the gel block from the refrigerator, take the block out of the mold, and carrying it straight outside, ready to be wacked. The thing that made this possible, for me, was to convince my wife that it was safe. I came up with a brilliant idea – use China for a backstop. That is, I use a small ladder (the type that looks like an “A”) to stand above the gel. The gel is placed on a small cork board on the ground, and I fire downward toward the ground. If the bullet was to penetrated excessively, or if I was to miss the gel (my wife’s lack-of-faith or over-caution), the bullet would be stopped by the ground and firing downward toward the ground into the gel eliminated the danger of “flying bullets”.
Here is the procedure that I used, but you may need to improvise to fit your situation –
1) Place the A-frame ladder in the yard (mine is an enclosed yard for privacy) over soft ground.
2) Position a small cork board on the ground on which to sit the gel blocks. This cork board is used to prevent the gel blocks from getting dirty from sitting directly on the ground. You must use something here. If nothing is used, and the test bullet penetrates into the ground, a lot of dirt will be blown into your bottom mold. I position the cork board next to the ladder legs that are on the opposite side from the ladder steps. Using this illustration -- ( *A, ) -- The ( A ) is the A-frame ladder. I climb up the ladder where the (*) is and the cork board is where the (,) is.
3) Prepare your pistol to be fired. Load the test ammo. Have your eye protection and hearing protection ready. This will eliminate wasting time as the blocks are sitting outdoors. The gel needs to be shot as soon as possible to keep the gel cold.
4) Remove your molds from the refrigerator. Remove the gel from the molds. To remove the gel blocks from the molds can be tricky. The gel will grip (cling) to the sides of the mold. Here is the solution – Pour a 1/8 cup cold water onto the gel block. Now, there is a small puddle of water in your mold. Next, use your finger to gentle break the seal along one side between the gel and the container. Allow the water to run down the side of the container between the block and the container wall. Hopefully, your container is pliable (soft) enough that you can bend it enough to allow the water to run all the way to the bottom along that one side. Now, repeat this for the remaining three sides. What this accomplishes is to wet the outside of the gel block. After the gel block is wet, it slides very easily. The only remaining problem is to get the block to release from the bottom. Turn the mold upside down at a 45 degree angle as you pull the mold container walls away from the block along each side allowing air to enter the sides. The bottom will gradually work loose. The block will come Whooshing out.
5) Carry the bottom (Backstop) block outside. Place the block on the cork board (or whatever you are using as a platform) next to the ladder. Carry the Main Block outside. Remember to bring a few papertowels outside with you. Before you stack the Main Block on top of the Backstop Block, wipe the moisture away (using the papertowel) from the mating surfaces immediately before stacking. The slightest amount of moisture makes the gel very slippery. If slippery, the Main Block will slide off of the Backstop Block.
6) Carry your test material (cloth, dense wood, pork ribs, etc.) outside. Place the material on the gel.
7) Put on your eye and ear protection.
8) Climb up the ladder enough until you are able to lean over the top and aim down the opposite side. Remember, Safety First!!!
9) After the dirty deed has been done, secure your pistol.
10) Place each gel block into it’s container (mold). Carry the blocks back indoors. Place them back into the refrigerator.
11) When time permits, remove the gel blocks from the refrigerator to gather the data (See next section “Gathering The Data”).
12) After gathering the data, the gel blocks will be remelted, filtered, and poured back into the molds to be chilled for another gel-shot (See section “Reusing The Gel”).
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//////// GATHERING THE DATA //////////
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Hopefully, you we have the energy to follow through with the testing to properly quantify your results. This should really be done, but I can’t force you to do this. I can tell you that it is somewhat difficult to say that Ammo1 is better than Ammo2 just by looking a the tracks produced in the gel block. There are extreme examples where Ammo1 is a real loser and crappy, and Ammo2 is a top notch performer – in this example, Believe Me, you can Easily see the huge difference in performance. However, when you are comparing ammo that is okay (not bad, not great, just average) to ammo that is “much better”, it will be very difficult for you to make judgement based solely on visual inspection of the gel block. You Need To Quantify Your Test Results !!! In other words, measurements need to be taken from the gel shot.
Perhaps the best way to explain how to gather data is for me to show you a sample of my data.
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Description Corbon 135
Date 00/00/99
Pentration 9.7
Slug_total 71.5
Retain_percent 53
1_span 0.5
2_span 3.2
3_span 4.2
4_span 3.7
5_span 3.5
6_span 2.5
Max_span 4.2
2_span_sum 3.7
3_span_sum 7.9
4_span_sum 11.6
5_span_sum 15.1
6_span_sum 17.6
Grade 74
Notes (record any observations worth noting)
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DESCRIPTION – Provide a description for the ammo that you are testing. Be sure to include what barriers was used, such as “Magsafe 84 gr - Rib Bone & Med Cloth” as part of your a description.
DATE – The day that you made the gel-shot.
PENETRATION – Total penetration depth.
SLUG_TOTAL – The mass of the recovered slug. Of course, this is assuming that you have a Reloader’s Scale.
RETAIN_PERCENT – This is calculated by dividing the Slug_total by the original weight. For example, my recovered Corbon slug weighed 71.5 grains. I divided the 71.5 grains by the original 135 grain bullet weight. 71.5 / 135 = 53%.
1_SPAN – This is hard to explain. First, you need to take the Main Block and lay it on it’s side. Take a long knife and slice the gel block as if it was a loaf of bread. You are creating cross sections. Make a slice every inch. In other word, measure down 1” from the top of the block. Slice the block. Measure another 1” down from where you sliced last, and make another cut. If your block is 8” deep, then you should have 8 slices that are 1” thick. Actually, I only slice the first six inches. I have learned that after six inches, all bullets behave the same for the most part. Therefore, it is the first six inches where all the “action” occurs.
Now that we have our cross-sectional slices, we need to measure the fissures in each slice. We will be measuring the length of fissures. Fissures are the fractures, cracks, splits that occur from the disruption. We are looking for the maximum distance between any two endpoints. Whichever two end-points that will produce the largest possible span across the two end-points. This Does Not include separate tracks from secondary projectiles (bullet fragments), but only includes fissures that begin (radiate outward) from the main central track.
If the bullet formed a “V-shapes valley” pulped cavity, then the maximum distance formed by the fanning V-Valley will be used. If the fanning maxes-out within a slice, the V-Valley's maximum span will be used for the next closest inch's measurements.
To obtain the measurements, I use a dial caliper. I round off to the nearest tenth of an inch (0.1”). Be very careful when you handle the gel slices. It is possible to cause the fissures to grow (or tear) further by mishandling the gel. This, obviously, would be catastrophic to your test results. I have learned to take my measurement, then I will split the fissure open to verify the integrity of my measurement. That is, after splitting open the fissure I can clearly detect any false tearing of the fissure. The inside surface of the fissure, produced from disruption, will have a dull frosted appearance. Any tearing of the fissure will have a shinny slick appearance.
Summarizing, the 1_span data reflects the maximum distance between any two fissure end points as measured from the back of the first 1-inch slice. The 2_span data reflects the same as measured from the backside of the second 1-inch slice. And so on, and so forth.
MAX_SPAN – This is nothing more than just picking the highest value that you record from the “1_span” –> “6_span” figures.
2_SPAN_SUM – This is simply a running total (cumulative) of the span values. For example, my 1_span is 0.5 and the 2_span is 3.2. Therefore, my 2_Span_Sum equals 3.7 (0.5 + 3.2 = 3.7). This is, in effect, the same as an average span figure.
GRADE – THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT CALCULATION . This is the effectiveness grade that the tested ammo has earned. This is the number one criteria of bullet performance (according to me). To derive this figure, multiple the Max_Span by the 6_Span_Sum. For example, my Max_Span is 4.2, and the 6_Span_Sum is 17.6. Therefore, Corbon (in this test shot) earned a grade of 74 (4.2 x 17.6 = 74). By the way, from the 39 gel-shots that I have made, the highest grade for any ammo was 76, and the lowest was a grade of 9.
As you can see, everything is dependant on you making very accurate measurements of the fissure spans. All the other data is generate from those simple six fissure span figures.
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//////// REUSING THE GEL //////////
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After you have obtained the data from the gel-shot, you can begin to prepare the gel for another Wack. Remember that you will be able to reuse the same gel many, many times. I have used the same gel over and over for 20 gel-shots within a 30 day period.
I will explain my personal procedure, and obviously you can pick-and-choose what fits best for your situation. After the actual firing has been made, I place the block in its mold and place it in the refrigerator. I will go back outdoors to cleanup my mess and put away the ladder. Then, I will remove the gel from the refrigerator. I will remove the gel block from the mold and sit the block on the kitchen table. I will then take a large pot (the same pot that I used to prepare the gel powder) that is large enough to hold the plastic mold inside of the pot. We are creating a “Double Boiler” (Double Boiler is a cooking term … go ask your wife what a Double Boiler is). Place the plastic mold inside of the large pot. Now fill the pot with water (regular water from the faucet) as you hold the mold down to the bottom of the pot (you are holding it to prevent the mold from floating). Place the double boiler (the mold sitting inside the pot) on the stove. Turn the stove on to approx medium level. Do NOT attempt to heat the gel directly in a single pot. You MUST USE a double boiler.
Now, as the pot is warming up, I will sit at the table to obtain my measurements. As I finish measuring a slice of gel, I will place it in the mold (which is sitting in the pot) to begin melting. After placing all of the used gel in the mold, I will allow it to heat. The gel will gradually melt. You will need to monitor the temperature with a candy thermometer or a meat thermometer. Do Not Allow the Gel To Exceed 140 degrees. Also, the gel will have completed melting before the temperature reaches a 140. But, continue to heat the gel until it reaches 140 degrees. The reason that the gel needs to be 140 degrees is to allow it to be filtered through a papertowel. If the gel is only 110 degrees, for example, the liquid is too thick to allow it to flow through the filter (papertowel).
As a side note, as the gel is heating, you may notice that the level is lower than normal. This will not occur the first time you melt the gel. But, as you reuse the gel more, the amount of gel will decrease from loses. This is where you use the spare gel that we made on the first day of preparing the original gel from powder. As the gel level decreases after every usage, use the spare gel to top off the mold.
As the gel is heating, find a few containers that you can use to temporarily hold the liquid gel. After the gel reaches 140 degrees, scoop (using either a measuring cup or a coffee cup) the liquid into a temporary container. After removing the liquid from the mold, wash the mold with soap and water. Dry the mold. Place your wire mesh strainer on top of the mold. Place a papertowel in the wire strainer. This will act as a filter. Next, pour the liquid through the papertowel filter into the mold. After the mold is filled, place clear wrap (Sheran wrap) film over the top of the mold. Do not use the plastic lid that came with the container. It is preferred that you use the clearwrap film as a cover. The clear film will allow heat to escape (dissipate) much more quickly than the normal lid. Place the mold in the freezer or refrigerator as per earlier instructions (See “Preparing The Gel” section).
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//////// A FEW PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS //////////
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Hollowpoint cavities do not plug-up. The bullet meets resistance which dissipates velocity below the point where the bullet is able to expand. For example, several layers of cloth placed on the naked gel is a very good example. Believe it or not. My theory is that the several layers of cloth act like a bullet-proof vest for a split microsecond in which vast amounts of energy is absorbed away from the bullet before it penetrates the cloth. Believe it or not. Cloth covering the naked gel is more demanding (more difficult) than a combination of cloth + bone. If the cloth has something rigid (hard) as a backstop, the bullet can easily perform work on the cloth to penetrate it. However, when the cloth is sitting on naked gel, the cloth gives way in an elastic manner preventing the bullet from doing work of penetrating the cloth, and instead this allow the cloth to absorb vast energy. This is very similar to how a bullet proof vest behaves.
Caliber does not matter. Entry holes are elastic. Wound tracks are elastic. The only thing permanent is the damage from the disruption (shockwave). As proof consider this point – the wound track during the last few inches of penetration is barely visible (1/16” diameter hole) and this is with the slug expanded to 0.80” diameter already. Furthermore, I have had slugs that were expanded to 1.0” diameter, but there was no track hole behind the slug during it’s last two inches of travel. Now, that is some strange magic.
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//////// APPENDIX A //////////
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Here are the numbers if you wish to verify that the gel is a 10% solution.
227 grams Gelatin per box X 2 Boxes = 454 grams Gel Powder
454 grams Gel Powder - 34 grams Lost from foam and lumps formed during the mixing process = 420 grams (Net) Gel Powder
1 gallon Water = 3775 grams
3775 grams Water (Solvent) + 420 grams Gel Powder (Solute) = 4195 grams (Solution)
420 grams Solute / 4195 Solution = 0.10 factor
0.10 factor x 100% = 10% Solution
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//////// MY TEST RESULTS ////////
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NOTE – You will see my Handload listed. My handload is new brass, Sierra 135 gr bullet, Alliant Power Pistol, 1.130” OAL. The amount of powder is indicated in the test (“Handload 10.9 gr” means 10.9 grains of Power Pistol powder was used).
ALL TEST (EXCEPT ONE 45 ACP TEST) WERE .40SW FIRED WITH A G35.
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TEST - WOOD & MED CLOTH
Description Max_span, 6_span_sum, Grade
Handload 10.9 gr (Wood, Med Cloth) 3.5, 17.1, 60
Corbon 135 (Wood, Med Cloth) 3.3, 17.1, 56
Magsafe 72 gr (Wood, Med Cloth) 3.5, 15.7, 55
Triton QuikShok New Design (Wood, Med Cloth) 2.4, 12.1, 29
HydraShok Personal 135 (Wood, Med Cloth) 2.1, 10.2, 21
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TEST - MEDIUM CLOTH
Description Max_span, 6_span_sum, Grade
Handload 10.9 gr (Med Cloth) 4.2, 17.8, 75
Handload Nosler 10.9 gr (Med Cloth) 4.6, 15.7, 72
Handload 10.9 gr (Med Cloth) 3.9, 17.9, 70
Handload 10.9 gr (Med Cloth) 3.8, 18.2, 69
Handload 10.9 gr (Med Cloth) 3.8, 18.2, 69
Handload Nosler 10.9 gr (Med Cloth) 4.0, 14.6, 58
Triton QuikShok Orginal Design (Med Cloth) 3.4, 16.8, 57
Corbon 135 (Medium cloth) 3.2, 15.2, 49
HydraShok Personal 135 (Medium cloth) 3.1, 14.7, 46
Corbon 135 (Medium cloth) 3.1, 14.4, 45
Magsafe 72 gr (Medium Cloth) 3.3, 13.5, 44
Triton QuikShok New Design (Med Cloth) 3.0, 14.2, 43
Magsafe 84 gr (Med Cloth) 3.1, 13.6, 42
Glaser Silver 115 gr (Med Cloth) 2.7, 14.6, 39
HydraShok 155 (Meduim Cloth) 1.9, 8.9, 17
45ACP Federal HydraShok 230 (Med Cloth) 1.3, 7.0, 9
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TEST - BARE GEL
Description Max_span, 6_span_sum, Grade
Magsafe 72 gr (naked gel) 4.0, 19.1, 76
Handload 10.6 gr (naked gel) 4.0, 18.4, 74
Corbon 135 (naked gel) 4.2, 17.6, 74
Magsafe 84 gr (naked gel) 4.0, 17.9, 72
HydraShok Personal 135 (naked gel) 3.1, 13.2, 41
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TEST - BONE + MED CLOTH
Description Max_span, 6_span_sum, Grade
Handload 10.8gr (Rib Bone,Med Cloth) 4.0, 15.8, 63
Handload 10.2gr (Rib Bone,Med Cloth) 3.8, 15.8, 60
Magsafe 84 gr (Rib Bone,Med Cloth) 2.8, 11.4, 32
HydraShok 155 (Rib Bone,Med Cloth) 2.7, 11.6, 31
