handguns for stopping vehicles

S

simonrichter

New member
Using handguns to stop cars or even trucks is a scenario often depicted in movies and for LEOs or security personnel, it is not a completely hypothetical scenario even in real life.

When I think back to Bond's good old PPK, the respective performance of pistols seems a little overrated in the movies, thus my question: What is the minimum caliber that has the potential to

a.) penetrate a tire
b.) stop an assailant through the windshield

Let's assume that "potential" means a 50% penetration probability out of a advantageous angle, from 20 feet away...
 
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I wouldn't call it common, but LE do have to shoot through windshields at drivers who are driving towards them in an aggressive manner. I'm sure the bullets path is changed after going through the glass, but most will go through. It comes up from time to time.

Taking out tires is something that has been attempted in the past with limited success. Engines, I have my doubts. Even if you get enough penetration to damage an engine it'll run for a while before it quits.
 
Shooting out tires falls into the same category as shooting a gun out of the bad guy's hand. Looks great in the movies and TV, and is such a nice, humane way to stop the BG without hurting anyone, but it doesn't happen. The dangers to innocent people are the same as shooting at the evil (presumably) person, and the likelihood of it working are a lot less.

Jim
 
Here’s a video of the Mythbusters stopping an engine with what appears to be a SIG 9mm. The bullet penetrates the grill, radiator and timing chain housing and stops the engine. So, if you want to penetrate the engine block with a handgun go S&W 500. However, fire most any handgun into the engine compartment and you might get lucky and hit something like the battery, alternator, distributor, etc that stops the engine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpDQUBfQVy8
 
Civilian cars offer nearly zero protection from any direction from even 9mm handgun rounds, with the notable exception of the large piece of metal known as the engine, and perhaps the layers of steel located behind the axle and wheels.

Think of cars as concealment (only behind the metal parts), and not cover.

Bullets behave weirdly, and can be deflected from windshields or otherwise non-bullet proof items placed at weird angles or during movement.

But I wouldn't bet on a windshield or tire to reliably stop a 9mm. The engine will reliably stop a 9mm (except the lucky bullets that weave their way past it) but the engine and necessary parts will suffer debilitating damage and soon stop working (radiator, hoses, belts, pullys, fans, compression, spark plugs, etc.). A car isn't going to go very far once some of these items are compromised.

In the real world, it would be nonsense to aim for the tire. Using lethal force means using lethal force, and an unarmored driver's compartment offers almost zero protection except from the direct front, protected by the engine block. Doors are thin sheet metal offering zero ballistic protection, and vertical windows offer zero ballistic protection.

Experience: An evasive driving and shooting school sponsored by US Army Special Forces. Shooting through windshields and car parts. Learning how to mildly makeshift up-armor a civilian vehicle with common household items in an emergency. But the windows are always a weakness. Also, curiosity has led me to a lot of 2nd hand experience regarding ballistics and watching videos, reading, etc.

Here's a couple of good sites:
http://www.theboxotruth.com/the-buick-o-truth-3-pistols-and-car-doors/
http://www.theboxotruth.com/the-buick-o-truth-2-windshields-outsidein/
 
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A friend was a fine shot and was tasked by his department with making sure a vehicle did not leave the scene of a drug transaction.
Never mind the handgun, he showed up with a .30-06 and some AP.
Not needed in the event, but ready.
 
I am not a peace officer but I work with some on a regular basis. I know one that shredded the tire of a truck he was chasing with a shotgun. He said it took four tries to hit it and it was all very exciting. This was at night in a rural area stopping a smuggler at high speed. He's sort of an adrenaline junky.
 
I think your best bet would be disabling the driver

A car close enough to be a physical danger won't stop very quickly unless you hit it with a howitzer.
 
As being a auto tech for Ford and Chrysler for almost 20 years I can put some input into this. I have seen cars(trucks) run for a long time with out coolant or oil. A shot through the radiator will take several minutes if not longer depending on how hard the engine was being run. Same with oil. During the cash for clunkers deal we had to drain the oil and lock up the engines. We have a large field behind the dealership. We would pull them in and drain the oil then drive them out to the field and run the ish out of them. None locked up until we poured liquid glass in them. Taking out the alternator the vehicle will still run for several miles on the battery alone. On modern vehicles there is no distributor to take out. Best bet would be the pcm which is normally hidden and would be very difficult to hit. Or possibly hit the wiring harness in just the right place(almost imposible). Hitting the timing chain and breaking it would also work( again almost impossible). Maybe the best would be a shot in the trans pan once it drains out (which wouldn't take too long depending on hole size) the trans will stop puling as long as it is a automatic. I would not try to stop a vehicle buy shooting the engine. I am sure it has happed with lucky shots in the past though.
 
BarryLee said:
Here’s a video of the Mythbusters stopping an engine with what appears to be a SIG 9mm. The bullet penetrates the grill, radiator and timing chain housing and stops the engine. So, if you want to penetrate the engine block with a handgun go S&W 500. However, fire most any handgun into the engine compartment and you might get lucky and hit something like the battery, alternator, distributor, etc that stops the engine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpDQUBfQVy8
Click to expand...
Is the sw 500 even feasible to shoot accurately under stress along with carrying on a saily basis and recoil?

I ask because i was offered it in a trade but i turned it down
 
Knew a guy once who had a friend try and shoot out a car tire with a pistol. The bullet bounced off the tire and struck a bystander. He was arrested along with the bad guys stealing his car.
 
They all stop if you remove the loose nut behind the wheel. :rolleyes:

Car door are thin sheetmetal, except for those that have a steel beam in them. And you know Murphy, if you need to shoot through a car door, odds are good you will hit the beam. :D

If you are a cop, or a solider, do what they teach you to do.

If you aren't, you pretty much don't have any business shooting a car.

#1, "Stand your ground" when a car is bearing down on you is kind of STUPID!
#2, the car is not the threat, the driver is
#3, good luck with legal justification if the car is trying to "get away"

You can kill a car with a handgun. But the "one shot stop, DRT" isn't likely. IF you are legally justified to shoot, SHOOT THE DRIVER. That's the threat.

Shooting the car might be considered "proof" that you were in doubt about the use of deadly force, and if you ARE in doubt, you cannot legally shoot.
 
MY S&W M500 with 700 gr. Hardcast http://www.ballisticsupply.net/default.aspx?tabid=252105
694991d1401064179-glimpse-my-little-collection-m-500.jpg
 
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Having been in a class with extensive testing of all kinds of rounds on various car parts -

1. Most 9mm, 38, 40, 45 will go right through the glass on all sides. Hit it square and it may straight through. Thus in the circumstance that you were attacked by someone while you were in the car, you can do.

Of course, if you can drive away - do so. You can shoot through the windshield - but you must think of circumstance.

These were tests for extreme incidents.

2. The car sides won't stop anything except in some quixotic circumstances. For example, I saw a 12 gauge slug deflected down by the crash bar. Wouldn't count on it.

If you crouch besides the car, it is fairly easy to shoot you under the car by skipping rounds.
 
If someone you don't know just shoved your granddaughter in his car and took off I'm sure you have good reason to try for the tires or engine compartment instead of the driver.
 
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