Lesson learned today

[dralarms]

Well I have a funny story and this is as good as place as any.

Went to the local gun store today and they had some "ranger" ammo, put me in mind of the old "black talon" so I bought a couple of boxes. Not a real bad price but didn't pay that much for the old black talon in the day:rolleyes:.

Decided to try my own "ballistics test" And this is where things go horribly wrong.

I figured that an old 40S&W (you know, slow and weak) would not be able to penatrate a 5 gal bucket of water firing from above straight down.

Well first round was a "hydrashock", hit the water from a height of about 8 ft, split the bucket side from the kinectic energy:eek:. The shell actually seperated copper from lead, the lead bullet went through the bottom of the bucket, but only cracked it.

The funny part (well not so funny at the time) was I was standing off to the side of the bucket and above. Well let me tell you that a "slow and weak" will empty a bucket of water in a plume straight up and soak your rear.

Well not to be out done and simply because my test was not complete I placed another bucket under this one and proceeded with test 2.

Test 2 was a "gold dot" mushroomed very nicely, not much "spread" but the effect was the same, 2nd bath of the night.

Test 3 was the ranger "LE" ammo, well much to my surprise this ammo split the bottom of the bucket from one side to the other, the jacket still seperated but the "claws" would do plenty of damage.

So now 2 hrs later, I have cleaned the water out of my gun (and Ct laser), all my mags I had on me, I'm still a litle damp but it was worth it.

What did I learn?

1. Shooting at a bucket of water has a very violent reaction, almost like a volcano.

2. The crap about 40 being "slow and weak" is just that, crap.

3. Plastic buckets are not as strong as I remember.

4. Guns don't really care for water, but will continue to shoot if wet.

5. I really love shooting stuff. :wave:

Now I really don't know what the ranger ammo goes for but the local gun store had 40 for 29.95, and 45 for 39.95. For 50 round boxes.

[Garufa]

You really did that?

[kb4ns]

[Mike.357]

hahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahhahaha

big props for you telling on yourself.

The only way that story would be better was if I was there to witness. Of course I would have insisted on shooting the second round and I would be wet right there with you.

[Guest db99wj]

hahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahhahaha

big props for you telling on yourself.

The only way that story would be better was if I was there to witness. Of course I would have insisted on shooting the second round and I would be wet right there with you.

Big ole plus 1! Oh, and if you add a "Hey ya'll, watch this!"

[kb4ns]

Big ole plus 1! Oh, and if you add a "Hey ya'll, watch this!"

Or "Here, hold this bucket and watch this..."

[dralarms]

You really did that?

Yep. Sure did.

Everyone has to have a hobby.

hahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahhahaha

big props for you telling on yourself.

The only way that story would be better was if I was there to witness. Of course I would have insisted on shooting the second round and I would be wet right there with you.

It was funny as heck. I came in the house after the first round to get a towel and my wife asked "what in the world happened to you?" Thought I would fall on the floor laughing.

[dralarms]

You really did that?

hahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahhahaha

big props for you telling on yourself.

The only way that story would be better was if I was there to witness. Of course I would have insisted on shooting the second round and I would be wet right there with you.

Or "Here, hold this bucket and watch this..."

There was no bucket holding, however that would be funny, get someone to stand next to the bucket, walk up behind and put a round straight down into the bucket. Instabath.

[Guest db99wj]

There was no bucket holding, however that would be funny, get someone to stand next to the bucket, walk up behind and put a round straight down into the bucket. Instabath.

They might need that instabath after they insta**** themselves!!

[gregintenn]

I thought it was too hot to shoot today. Looks like you found a way to beat the heat.

[JeffL]

Well it's slow and weak compared to 10mm. I still carry a Glock 23 95% of the time though.

[Mike.357]

i want to try this just for the fun of it.

[dralarms]

I thought it was too hot to shoot today. Looks like you found a way to beat the heat.

Actually waited until it cooled off some. I might be crazy but I'm not stupid.

Well it's slow and weak compared to 10mm. I still carry a Glock 23 95% of the time though.

Never shot a 10MM.

i want to try this just for the fun of it.

Think that's fun? Get a cantalope, or small melon. and walk up and "execute" it with a 40. Instant melon bath.

[G27]

If there was video you'd be a youtube legend.

Thanks for posting.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

At the steep angle maybe not a significant risk, but close range shooting water-- There are warnings about ricochets shooting water...

[hipower]

Once, in my mispent youth, I tried shooting and empty shaving cream can. At least I thought it was empty. Being a mere lad of ten and four, with dad's High Standard 22, I decided that that empty can would be fun to shoot at. And being less than intelligent about the whole matter...I set it on a fence post a proceded to blast away...missing the can and the post from about thirty feet. So I moved closer, thinking I'd get a good view of the can fling off the post. And I hit that time. But isn't it strange how so much billowy white creamy stuff can squirt out of that little 22 hole...straight back along the bullet path about 10 feet away? I got covered from head to toe in shaving cream. And that's where I learned not to use pressurized cans as close range targets.

[Daniel]

Now that's funny.

[gregintenn]

Ever shoot a can of soda with a 220 Swift? That is an interesting experiment!

[Guest Glock23ForMe]

There is a guy on YouTube that does some ballistic tests. I think he lives in TN, too. He fills up some water jugs with water and newspaper and lines 5 back to front and shoots in the front of them. That way, you can measure distance traveled after impact and you can find the bullet in the wet newspaper. Pretty cool..

[JeffL]

Never shot a 10MM.

The .40 S&W got that nickname, although I've always heard short and weak, because it is a shortened 10mm cartridge. It seems the ladies and girlie men at the FBI didn't like the recoil generated by the 10mm round, so a reduced recoil load was developed. The case length of the 10mm was no longer needed, so it was made smaller to fit the same frame as 9mm handguns. That's more or less the story, there's more accurate and detailed information out there if you care to google it.

[1gewehr]

The .40 S&W got that nickname, although I've always heard short and weak, because it is a shortened 10mm cartridge. It seems the ladies and girlie men at the FBI didn't like the recoil generated by the 10mm round, so a reduced recoil load was developed. The case length of the 10mm was no longer needed, so it was made smaller to fit the same frame as 9mm handguns. That's more or less the story, there's more accurate and detailed information out there if you care to google it.

Yep, seems that when the FBI transitioned to the 10mm, shooting scores dropped dramatically. While I generally believe that more powerful = better, in this case, the FBI did the right thing. After all, only the hits count. I know that when I went from .45acp to .400 Corbon some years ago, it took a good 500rds to get used to the increased flash and recoil. I don't care who you are, a huge ball of fire from the muzzle IS distracting! I've since gone back to .45acp, simply because blinding oneself from muzzle flash is not a good defensive move.