Ever seen a target do this??

[Rifleman97]

Doing a ladder test with 257 weatherby and Barnes 100gr TTSX. Was nowhere near max load, and higher charges in the ladder with higher velocity didn't have this effect.

1/2" AR500 steel, 150 yards. My spotter told me that the one that caused the crater looked like a little firecracker went off on the target with a flash of sparks

My only guess would be that it had a fault in the metal right about where that round happened to hit? Any other guesses?

I don't really care that it damaged it, I just thought it was really interesting and my spotter and I were both fascinated by it. Never seen a crater quite like this one!

 

[DUCKMAN11]

3600+ fps of solid copper will do some interesting things. But I've seen something similar. One was a 220 swift and one was a 45/120. Both bullets had a lot of copper in them. It's like the AR500 gets annealed from impacts and forms soft spots.

 

[huntinghuasna]

Speed kills!

 

[Bucklowery]

Maybe that was a bad bullet with hard core

Thanks

Buck

 

[captrjc]

I once had 70 gr Berger vld's in a 22 creed sparking on impact but no damage to the steel. It was getting late in the day the sun was low. It was a bunch of shots, not just one and I haven't seen sparks again while using the same target and bullets. I'm going to say that it must have been an atmosphere kinda thing. Im sure somebody smarter than me has a simple answer why and how.

 

[416pgw]

look up how a RPG cuts through armor plate. Yes I no thiers explosive involved but. You have super high velocity with a 257 weatherby. I have one. The mono bullet is all copper. When that bullet impacts a target. Bullet deform creating heat which starts to cut through steal. Watch the slow mo guys sometime. They've never explained it but they've even shot plains of glass and you can see sparks in the slo mo footage when bullet impacts glass

 

[Teri Anne]

Doing a ladder test with 257 weatherby and Barnes 100gr TTSX. Was nowhere near max load, and higher charges in the ladder with higher velocity didn't have this effect.

1/2" AR500 steel, 150 yards. My spotter told me that the one that caused the crater looked like a little firecracker went off on the target with a flash of sparks

My only guess would be that it had a fault in the metal right about where that round happened to hit? Any other guesses?

I don't really care that it damaged it, I just thought it was really interesting and my spotter and I were both fascinated by it. Never seen a crater quite like this one! View attachment 662389View attachment 662390

Actually yes. It was back in the late 70s and I was shooting in a metallic silhouette match using my issued M-14, shooting 173 gr FJ Lake City Match ammo. Chickens and Turkeys were light enough that they would just fly off the stump they were sitting on. The pigs were heavy enough that they pock marked about like your target looked. The Rams were heavy enough that they did not move so easy and besides being pock marked occasionally one would punch a hole. After that first match I had to shoot ammo with a soft point or hollow point. I ended up pulling the FMJ and shooting either Nosler or Sierra 168 gr hollow point match bullets after that.

 

[Mike D Texas]

No but I have seen this, also with a 257Wby. 115 Bergers at 3600fps @ 200 yards.

 

[Rifleman97]

No but I have seen this, also with a 257Wby. 115 Bergers at 3600fps @ 200 yards.
View attachment 662448

I've seen and done that as well on 3/8 AR500 with the weatherby. Pretty nasty stuff. What powder are you using to get 3600 out of the 115's?

 

[Mike6158]

look up how a RPG cuts through armor plate. Yes I no thiers explosive involved but. You have super high velocity with a 257 weatherby. I have one. The mono bullet is all copper. When that bullet impacts a target. Bullet deform creating heat which starts to cut through steal. Watch the slow mo guys sometime. They've never explained it but they've even shot plains of glass and you can see sparks in the slo mo footage when bullet impacts glass

Heat of compression. That's why a fire piston works, a diesel engine works, etc. Smarter Every Day did a video recently.

 

[cohunt]

Yes, that's just a "plug" cut by the bullet that didn't get pushed all the way out the other side.... you need to keep your steel far enough downrange so speeds are lower than 3000fps--- I've seen regular lead cup/core bullets cut plugs out of AR plate when speeds are over 3000fps let alone solid copper mono's

What grade of AR plate is that? I was getting free ar400 from work for a while and lots of my guns were punching holes, especiallywith the 3/8" plate--- i moved up to AR500 and went to 5/8" thickness and it solved my problem

 

[Rifleman97]

Yes, that's just a "plug" cut by the bullet that didn't get pushed all the way out the other side.... you need to keep your steel far enough downrange so speeds are lower than 3000fps--- I've seen regular lead cup/core bullets cut plugs out of AR plate when speeds are over 3000fps let alone solid copper mono's

What grade of AR plate is that? I was getting free ar400 from work for a while and lots of my guns were punching holes, especiallywith the 3/8" plate--- i moved up to AR500 and went to 5/8" thickness and it solved my problem

This is 1/2" AR500 or AR550. I don't remember which one this is. I have some plates of both of those, but I don't own anything lower grade than AR500 1/2"

 

[436]

I saw a photo from P.O. Ackley of what speed will do. I shot a .257 Wby for many years, I was always pleasantly surprised by what those rifles/cartridge over the years would do. Speed does have a place at the table. Cheers

 

[Philward]

Maybe that bullet didn't have the expansion void under the plastic tip? Not sure how the tip would stay in place if that was the case. Looks almost like the bullet flipped around.