Double Tap’s deepest penetrator. (the results)

[5pins]

Place your bets. Which one do you think went the deepest in Clear Ballistics Gel?

10mm 200gr FMJ-FP @ 1149fps
10mm 200gr hardcast @ 1241fps
10mm 230gr hardcast @ 1096fps
.45 ACP 255gr hardcast @ 915fps

[tommac919]

45 acp

[Pablo]

10mm 200gr hardcast @ 1241fps

[Graybeard]

Leaning towards the .45, but I'll guess the 10mm FMJ because of the smaller meplat.

[5pins]

I just noticed I could add a poll. 

[The_Shadow]

Based on energy at velocity I voted the 10mm 200gr hardcast @ 1241fps and it would likely go 52" -54" but what do I know?

[Smokee]

10mm 200gr hardcast @1241 gets my vote.

[Rojo27]

My SWAG guess would be...

1.  10mm 230gr hardcast
        2 & 3 are a toss up in my mind but my guess would be
2.  45acp 255gr hardcast
3.  10mm 200gr hardcast

4.  10mm 200gr TMJ seems to have the smallest meplat and might edge out #2 and or #3 (in gel)...  However, I would want the wider meplat & toughness of hardcast in a woods or hunting choice. 

[Blades]

230gr hardcast(highest PF or 252). 

[5pins]

The results.

Here is the reader's digest version.

The 10mm 200gr FMJ-FP went the furthest, penetrating all 64 inches of clear gel.
The 10mm 230gr hardcast was next at 59 inches.
The third was the 10mm 200gr hardcast at 49.5 inches.
And finally the .45 ACP 255gr hardcast at 30.5 inches.

Click below for a more in-depth review.

http://www.general-cartridge.com/blog/double-tap-10mm-and-45-acp-woods-loads

[Intercooler]

Nice work!

[Rojo27]

Thanks for sharing....

I'd wager the smallest frontal area meplat of the FMJ was the difference. 
I'd still want the WFNGC for hunting or self defense in the woods. 

The 45acp results are the biggest surprise IMHO.  Your hand loaded 45acp FMJ did way, way deeper. 

[Graybeard]

This is a great example of clear ballistics jell being an excellent, repeatable, test media, and it doesn't always apply to real world applications. I was pretty sure the smaller meplat would be the deciding factor because the jell is sooooo consistent. As Rojo27 mentioned, I'd take the hardcasts in a hunting situation, too. Much more likely to slam through bones without major deflection, or just pushing arteries out of the way.

[Pablo]

Thanks for sharing....

I'd wager the smallest frontal area meplat of the FMJ was the difference. 
I'd still want the WFNGC for hunting or self defense in the woods. 

Even at less velocity, yes must make a larger difference.

[5pins]

I have been trying to come up with a way to test the ability of these bullets to penetrate hard objects and be able to compare them to each other. What I came up with is some 20 gauge steel drawer dividers set at an angle of 30 degrees.

To see if my idea had any merit I shot two rounds through the sheet metal with two 16 inch block of clear gel behind it. I shot one round of the 10mm 200gr FMJ-FP and one 10mm 200gr hardcast. The 200gr hardcast went through both block of clear gel and the 200gr FMJ-FP only went about 22 inches.

It looks to me like this may be a good substitute for a hard bone and skull test.