RE: [ME]: Effectiveness of firearms

[Mike Fortey <forteymj@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> 3. Wheel - steel radial ring would stop/deflect 9mm
> Para, maybe even 5.56mm.
> 6. Tyre - 9mm rounds could puncture the tyre but not
> always.

 Both of these were meant to refer to the tyre, I
assume. The steel belting is woven into the trye
itself. You'd have to be lucky to get more than a slow
puncture with a low velocity round when striking the
tyre wall. Shotgun pellets striking the tyre walls are
going to bounce even more, although if you get the
angle to hit the contact area (very unlikely when you
consider the angles involved) then the shotgun would
cause a lot faster deflation.  Maybe I just buy good
tyres here, but I think that all tyres these days have
radially woven steel. Years ago, laterally woven steel
was used for reinforcement, but it tended to shift and
flex when the friction index was high... radial steel
belting is better for handling (but then all carwars
players knew that, right?). Shooting a wheel itself
and penetrating would possibly shatter the caliper and
result in brake unbalance and a brake set dangling
from the wheel and breifly making lots of clanging
noises before getting torn off..which would then cause
a fluid leak... IF you had the penetration and power
to penetrate the wheel (fairly thick) and damage the
caliper enough.

  Remember also that a skilled driver can definatly
handle a slow puncture and can control a blow-out,
although handling goes to hell - but it wouldn't make
me stop if someone was shooting at me!

> 7. Windscreen - Laminated screens could deflect 9mm
> rounds, even 5.56mm if
> the angle is right.

Armour value for auto glass is given in the back of
the book. Behind a windshield isn't a bad place to be,
until the window gets structurally weakened by several
rounds. The book also gives values for various
thicknesse of steel (20 gauge for roof etc)

> 8. Roof - Not a lot there to stop a 9mm round
> punching through.

Less in a soft-top =)

> 9. Rear window - I take it that the rear window is
> somewhat tougher than the
> side windows?

Well, it's usually a bit thicker, but is still not
laminated. It might have a armour value of 2, instead
of 1 if that's what you mean.

> I am trying to draw up a table of protective values
> for each of the above
> locations. If there are any other locations that
> should be considered
> significant, please let me know.

Penetrating the trunk and door are pretty much the
same thing, although the larger dead space in the
trunk gives more space for the round to diverge and
keyhole and you have another seat in the way.

Stopping power of Fluffy dice and nodding dog?


Mike

____________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get your free @yahoo.co.uk address at http://mail.yahoo.co.uk
or your free @yahoo.ie address at http://mail.yahoo.ie