Measuring weapon penetration.

[T0MRf5]

In lieu of official information which is sorely lacking, I have attempted to measure the penetration of different weapons and make a rough comparison between them. This is obviously difficult as different weapons have different amounts of power and lose that power at different rates. Still, having some information is better than none.

http://imgur.com/i4JxbaL,cYAYUpM#0

To attain the results in the linked graphs, I fired weapons at the shoulder blades of the moose, and for those weapons which resulted in body shots the whitetail as well, to see how far the projectiles penetrated. This was done at the archery addictions range on animals that were broadside or close enough. The y-axis numbers represent the depth.

1=body
2=shoulder blade
3=shoulder blade + single lung
4=shoulder blade + double lung.

As long as my aim has been true the results should be accurate enough. Due to not owning all the weapons, some have not been tested. If anyone would like to repeat my tests with the missing weapons or just confirm my results, that would be helpful.

Edit: Updated results with .30-30.

http://imgur.com/a/Snz7I

Updated results for .30-30 and .454

http://imgur.com/LLNQEMW,SxC6l7r

Updated results from ballistic tweaks.

http://imgur.com/HoB3wu0,jybTICc

Current as of 26/09/14

http://imgur.com/TzCOREu,U0l5oaV

* represents old data, no new data available. Any inaccuracies let me know.

Updated results with .303

http://imgur.com/NXwViYz,dXvWjau

[j.galloway]

Good project,
Do you mind if I post the pics here directly?

Edit... these pics are old see above for more accurate details

I'm working on it now with the rest of the data, and will post again with the results
todo:
50muzz
308
6.5
9.3

[T0MRf5]

With the restrictions in picture size in place it was easier just to place a link than check if they were big enough or not, so no problem directly linking them.

Thanks for testing the other weapons. Will be interesting especially to see the 9.3 results/

[j.galloway]

So here is what I got:

--------------
moose--------
50 muzzleloader

• 10m=1
• 30m=1
• 40m=(takes to long to reload for a obvious body shot.. )
• 60m=
• 80m=

308

• 10m=3
• 30m=3
• 40m=3
• 60m=3
• 80m=1

9.3

• 10m=4
• 30m=3
• 40m=3
• 60m=3
• 80m=3

6.5

• 10m=3
• 30m=3
• 40m=3
• 60m=3
• 80m=1

--------------
Whitetail------

50 muzzleloader

• 10m=3
• 20m=3
• 33m=3
• 45m=1
• 70m=1
• 80m=1

308

• 10m=4
• 20m=4
• 33m=4
• 45m=4
• 70m=4
• 80m=3

9.3

• 10m=4
• 20m=4
• 33m=4
• 45m=4
• 70m=4
• 80m=4

6.5

• 10m=4
• 20m=4
• 33m=4
• 45m=4
• 70m=4
• 80m=3

(In some shots it was giving me left lung then sholder blade then right lung??)
(and I managed to find another bug with the muzzy primer showing up in the scope)

[T0MRf5]

Combining that data, we get these images.





Some useful data there. For all its wounding power the 9.3 only matches the .30-06 for penetration. The .300 reigns supreme. The .308 does not do that well compared to the other rifles for the same permitted species.

[j.galloway]

With so many lines, it might be easier to read with a 3d chart or bar graph or something

I found it interesting the 6.5 could do everything the 308 could

*cough* 6.5 *cough*

[ChrisMK72]

Thanks for those tables.
I like collecting data together.





So the .308 is the weakest of the "bigger" calibers in penetration, the .300 stays penetration king, and after the .300 the 8x57, 30-06, 9x62 are even at 80 meters.



So if i look at other data too that i can find here in the forum and compare everything alltogether when i look at your other table with wounding power , Tom ( i hope it's ok, when i show your valuable datatable here, T0MRf5 ? ), where you compare wounding power, the 308 is the weakest there too, of the bigger, .300 is still "good", 8x57 and 30-06 only a little better than the .300, and best wounding power has the 9x62.



So between the .300 with best penetration, and the 9x62 with best wounding power, there are still very good 8x57 and 30-06 which have good average values in both penetration and wounding power.

The .308 falls back only a little behind those 4 ( .300, 9x62, 30-06, 8x57 ), and then comes "the rest".




So when i compare all those data and tables i read :
The 8x57, and 30-06 are still very good rifles between the 9x62(best wounding power, good penetration), and .300(best penetration, good wounding power). After these 4 comes the .308, and then "the rest".

Interesting conclusion.

[HooCairs]

This is a very interesting approach and probably the best data on the different weapons so far. The targets at the range represent the animals in the field so this is as scientific as it can get if made by players.

Very nice work!

[Jaggyroad]

Very interesting. I'm viewing this from my phone but will go back over the numbers this evening on my PC.

[T0MRf5]

In case the lines are too difficult to make out, here is a 3-d column chart. Not sure if it is an improvement or not but it might make things clearer.

http://imgur.com/ih0H1XZ,utifFpG#0

Right now, only missing the rest of the bows, which I would predict would have the parker being useless, the tenpoint equalling the snakebite and the recurve/longbow starting stronger but fading faster. The .223 and .308 "rival" are also missing but perhaps not so important.