Ballistic Gel testing at 300yds

[okiecat]

Has anybody done bullet testing with Ballistic Gel at 300-400yds. Would like to see results on 107 TMK, 120 Bal. Tip and 90gr TNT. I can’t figure out why everybody does it a 10feet. I never get a shot that close.

[cwlongshot]

I have watched these excellent set of videos on uTube. Shooting many bullets @ 400 yards. Very well done!!

CW

[JASmith]

I share the pain!

Many people use reduced loads to simulate long range terminal ballistics. That may be adequate but I am not convinced.

The bullet's rotational speed may have an influence on the rapidity and degree of expansion.

The centripetal force goes with the square of the angular velocity. So, a bullet impacting gel at 2800 fps will have FOUR times as much force in the radial direction as one downloaded to impact at 1400 fps.

The bullet's spin rate decreases very slowly, so impacting a few hundred yards out will still have almost all of it remaining out 'yonder, so will have the original centripetal force acting to tear apart the jacket, core, etc.

[Konocti's Wigwam]

The bullet's rotational speed may have an influence on the rapidity and degree of expansion.

JAS,

The 8.6 blackout uses a 1:3 twist, which is crazy, but it works. I've heard that SAAMI was applied for, but rumor is they may have used a 1:5 twist. With the copper bullets, such as Barnes TSX/TTSX/LRX, act like a blender when entering the game. So much so that some of the bullets fired supersonic will actually shed the petals on a copper monolithic bullet. Where a 210 grain TTSX will shed 41 grain petals.

[okiecat]

Yes. That’s what Im trying to do is find a bullet that works at 300-350 and will be good to go from there on into point blank. I agree the spin has a lot to do with expansion and destruction. I have a block. Just can’t get good weather or having to work on nice days. I dang sure ready to retire and take up shooting full time. Ha

[trubulator]

Yes. That’s what Im trying to do is find a bullet that works at 300-350 and will be good to go from there on into point blank. I agree the spin has a lot to do with expansion and destruction. I have a block. Just can’t get good weather or having to work on nice days. I dang sure ready to retire and take up shooting full time. Ha

I can tell you from experience that SSTs and ABLRs will work just fine at 300 yards and close up. Based on bullet construction, I would be shocked if Gold Dots didn't do the same.

[okiecat]

Thanks Tru, I have 120 GD and 129ABLR’s I think I just want to do this and see the results myself.

[Wanheda]

This YouTube video is a guy shooting 123gr SST into gel at 500 yd. I don't know if this is what you want, but at least it isn't a 10 or 15 yd 'test'.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=XiEx_JQCfbg

[LRRPF52]

Here’s a cool video where the guy shot many different hunting bullets out to 400yds into a 55 gal drum, so he was able to recover the bullets:

[LRRPF52]

Here’s another one he did with the middle weights:

[JASmith]

Very Nicely Done!

[okiecat]

thanks for video info. I have watched the guy shooting sst, and he does a great job. I wonder how the water test compares to the ballistic gel medium. I realize that there is a lot of liquid inside a deer.

[JASmith]

Water appears to be 'harder' on bullets than is flesh.

The principal factors are strength and viscosity

Consider how little a bullet penetrating wood expands. The wood has greater strength, so the cavity tends to expand less and more slowly which limits the bullet's expansion.

On the other hand, water gives a more conservative determination of the minimum velocity needed to start expanding. That is because water is slightly less dense than flesh, so the pressure on the nose is slightly lower.

The biggest uncertainty in the video is how much the plastic affected expansion.

[Konocti's Wigwam]

If you don't have the 6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks, I highly recommend starting there. Possibly one of the best reloading references for the 6.5 Grendel.

https://www.ar15buildbox.com/shop/c/p/65-Grendel-Reloading-Handbook-Combo-Volumes-1-2-x9555123.htm

[okiecat]

I was thinking the same thing about the plastic. Might start the expansion early or more intensely? Dont know what Im trying to say for sure. I have both of the reloading books and they are invaluable. I have plastic barrels to shoot, but I think I’m going to try to shoot my bal gel. One shot bare and one shot with a plate of plastic in front to compare the same bullet. That’s the plan. Wish i had the time and cameras to record, or even make a video.