Gun, ammo tests - R9s. ammo expansion tests

Ammo' Expansion Testing - Introduction

I have not tried much of this in the past but Stephen Camp gave me a few suggestions re the use of a water soaked newsprint bundle. This was the best I could do, in order to try and gain some comparitive data.

The bundle was soaked over 24 hours and more .. after which it had swelled quite a bit - and was also danged heavy! It was transported to range under a tarp cover to reduce any drying out ... tho surplus water had drained off.

Here is the set up for use ... propped up in order to achieve a square approach to ''incoming''!! Distance approx 9 feet.

Wet paper positioned ready for use

Closer look ...... (the ''dead soldier'' propping up the stack - not from my consumption please note!!)

Wet paper set up

I fired three shots each of Golden Saber, Gold Dot 115, Gold Dot 124, Fed Hi-Shok (C9BP) and Fed Hydra-Shok 135.

Here are the intact rounds .. the Gold Dot bullet design being the same for 115 and 124 apart from small weight differential .........

Ammo bullet details.

The shiny interior of the Speer bullet is very recognizable and characteristic, with pre-stress areas around the rim. The Golden Saber 124 grn is quite a deep hollow and jacket is pre-stressed with a slight helical groove pattern.

The Fed C9BP 115 grn is a small opening and quite deep, but no interior ''pin''. Finally, the Hydra-Shok with the now characteristic pin inside.

After shooting the 15 rounds, in groups of three, four corners and center (well, sixteen rounds in fact as one 115 Gold Dot ''escaped'' because near edge of bundle!). The entry holes were marked with old steel 7.62x39 cases - and a sketch made for later reference. One or two cases have fallen out in this pic.

The whole deal was then put back in the truck and transported home. After which when I got to it .... it was dissassembled layer by layer.. prior to that I attempted to estimate penetration depths by use of a gun cleaning rod. Some holes were a bit blocked with paper debris but I did manage to get estimates sufficient to help with analysis.

I'll add this small diagram too ... it shows very approximately the ''map'' of shot placement ... it was initially just a sketch done at the time - at least sufficient for me to use it as ref for finding the spent bullets after. I don't think there were any obvious ''clashes'' between adjacent examples.