Ballistic Gel testing at 300yds

[Konocti's Wigwam]

okie,

If you have the reloading handbooks, you have about as much data as you're going to get on the subject. In regard to twist, the 6.5 Grendel is pretty forgiving in the sense that people are using 1:11 down to 1:7. Both of my 6.5 Grendel barrels are 1:8 twist. The 16" is an AR Stoner and the 12" is a Faxon.

Alan

[Lemonaid]

Simple minded fella does reduced loads to simulate distance. Lots of bullets tested so it might be on his site. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE3gqMyfD8U

[JASmith]

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.

Looking forward to seeing your results!

Might even be interesting to see if a sheet of 1/2" wafer board / plywood has the same effect.

What might be really interesting is to see if a beef pelvis or other large in area bone could be used too,

[LR1955]

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.

OKC:

If you have ballistic gel, go for it since it is considered the closest thing to living flesh. Just no bone. Probably a PITA since the gels I am aware of need to be kept within a certain temp range (cold) and you only get one shot per block.

Would bring a barrel and water too since you can get multiple shots before the water drains. Probably the easiest and will give you decent results.

I doubt you will see anything significant by shooting through a sheet of thin plastic into the gel.

If I was wondering what bullet to use on game, I would 'axed' the guys who shoot feral hogs. Would save me a lot of time and effort.

Need ten each five gallon cans to fill one of those plastic barrels. Would be a pisser if you got er ready and the lid blew off from the water pressure before you got to shoot!

LR-55

[okiecat]

Well I actually got to shoot a few this afternoon. It was windy. so I only had 7rds of GD loaded. but a bunch of 120 Bal tips. So I figured I would sight in with BT at 200,250,300, and then 350 before trying the GD. And the gel. Well that didn’t work. They dont shoot the same place windage wise. Drilled all targets with BT and then waisted 3rds hitting 200 another 2 at 250 and 2 at 300. give up and decided to shoot the BT into gel. This is a new 16”X6X6 block setting on a crate with a 1 gal jug of water behind it with a piece of rubber backed carpet behind that at 350yds. Shot it with BT and hit dead center and 2” high. Went tru gel, thru water bottle and kept going. Got lucky and found lead core on crate. Gel, 21/2 penetration then started rapid expansion and shedding copper pieces for the next 12” then exit Pretty impressive wound channel considering 350yds. Dont like the fact it separated but it stil moving on.

[LRRPF52]

Unless a cup and core bullet is bonded, there are no guarantees that you won’t have jacket and core separation, but your 120-129gr class of cup and core bullets from Grendel impact at moderate velocities that still exhibit plenty of expansion within 350yds, with the core remaining relatively intact. The close range shots from longer barrels/faster velocities are more likely to cause fragmentation of the core, usually with quick kills due to the amount of resonant shock wave effect.

The 100gr and 125gr Nosler Partitions are meant to retain the base core behind the partition wall, and do well at that with moderate velocity loads. The higher velocity cartridges were having problems blowing the back out, while the front exploded, so this is where they started getting into the bonded bullets with the Swift Scirocco, Nosler Accubond, Hornady Interbond, and Speer Gold Dot.

[lazyengineer]

From the video series posted in this thread, it would appear
123 SST has excellent expansion at 400 yards
123 SST has terrible non-existent expansion at 500 yards.

[LRRPF52]

From the video series posted in this thread, it would appear
123 SST has excellent expansion at 400 yards
123 SST has terrible non-existent expansion at 500 yards.

It really does seem to stop expanding below 1800fps impact velocity. There are some great charts and across the impact spectrum expansion results in the Grendel Handbooks showing this.

[lazyengineer]

Wow, on all honesty - that's pretty close then. My Calc has me at 1800 fps at 400 and 1600 at 500 (ish) which gives pretty close to exactly that.