Reversing a bullet and firing

.45colt

.45colt

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I was watching History TV yesterday and heard about WW1 soldiers removing the bullet from its case, reversing it (so the point is inside the case), and then loading and firing it backwards!!!!!!!!!

From what was said on TV this allowed early tank armor to be penetrated or at least a bullet size hole blasted while the normal point forward round would not.

Anyone every try this?

Before anyone else says it = :weird:
 
.45colt said:
I was watching History TV yesterday and heard about WW1 soldiers removing the bullet from its case, reversing it (so the point is inside the case), and then loading and firing it backwards!!!!!!!!!

From what was said on TV this allowed early tank armor to be penetrated or at least a bullet size hole blasted while the normal point forward round would not.

Anyone every try this?

Before anyone else says it = :weird:
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I have reversed bullets in the case and now I'm waiting for a tank to roll by so I can try'em out........:D
 
I have a hard time believing this one as I have pulled a bunch of bullets from WW 1 vintage .303 and they have exposed lead in the bullet base. I would think the bullet would blow to bits if fired base forward when it hit even the thinnest armour.
 
The most likely reason for reversing a FMJ would be to inflict more damage to the enemy stopping it. In other words making an expanding round from one designed not to.
 
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long ago I bet a fellow that my 303 brit would shoot through more wood than his 270 , gentlemens bet of course, seeig as I am a gentleman, I turned a 215 grain bullet around backwards. a 14 inch block of pine stopped the 130 gr bullet at about 7 inches, they 215 went right through, of course I waited about 5 years to tell him why that happend.

Al
 
it would be nice to see myth busters try this, they love doing stuff like this. i liked the test of shooting fish in a barrell, the mini gun would be nice to shoot when a deer is running away through thick woods. :D
 
See the thread in Milsurps and the TV show "Finding the Fallen". They tested it out at a military test range, and believe it or not, it actually works.
 
kokanee king said:
Hmmmm......i smell a possible Myth Busters episode. Who's going to write this one in and suggest it?
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The show was Battlefield detectives the show centered around the British Tank F6

Actually the story behind this is that during WWI snipers would use metal plates with a slit in them to stick the rifle thru them .The troops in an effort to stop the Snipers found that when you pull the bullet and reverse it ,It will punch a Clean Hole thru the steel plate.It should be noted that the bullet does not penetrate the plate it is a simple method of energy transfer the sniper would end up with a face full of metal bits.The show had British Army personnel carry out this in a indoor range on a steel plate that was similar to that used in the first British tanks of WWI and yes it did punch holes in the plate
 
I'm not surprised it works, because rifle bullets in steel plates do strange things. Like a 243 may penetrate more steel than a 30-06. Don't laugh, just try it, then tell us.
 
A bullet's ability to penetrate steel is a function of velocity. My .416 Rigby would not shoot through a piece of 1" mild steel even when loaded with solids, but a .22-250 or a .243 goes through, or at the very least leaves a deeper hole.

If the reversed .303 bullet worked as a steel penetrator better than point on, it must have been because the reversed bullet flew in a nose heavy attitude, and was less prone to skip sideways upon impact with the plate. The exposed lead might of even provided some lubrication with the steel. I see another test to run.
 
Boomer said:
A bullet's ability to penetrate steel is a function of velocity. My .416 Rigby would not shoot through a piece of 1" mild steel even when loaded with solids, but a .22-250 or a .243 goes through, or at the very least leaves a deeper hole.

If the reversed .303 bullet worked as a steel penetrator better than point on, it must have been because the reversed bullet flew in a nose heavy attitude, and was less prone to skip sideways upon impact with the plate. The exposed lead might of even provided some lubrication with the steel. I see another test to run.
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Nope, I saw the show and was absolutely astounded at the nice clean hole it punched. About bullet diameter, a much cleaner hole than an armour piercing round.

It seems to behave a little bit like a shape charge. (or a die punch) There is no question that it sheared the edges of the hole very cleanly.
 
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IIRC the point of flippin' the bullet around wasn't to "penetrate" steel armour.
Bullet impact base first increased the chances of material flaking off the backside of armour plate... Shrapnel for whomever's hiding behind it.
 
reversed fmj

This info has been common knowledge for many and has been talked about and written about in U.S. gun magazines...( to my recollection only)...since the 1970's about German soldiers in WW I using reversed fmjs to penetrate the first generation British Tanks mild armour.

Nearly all firearms information isn't new...it just gets discovered by another generation.

Posted about using reversed fmjs awhile back in that they "die punch" thru mild steel and don't leave a crater type edge on the other side like regular fmj. will if it even makes it through the metal. Conversely you can reverse a HPt Boatail in calibers that factories don't make fmjs for and your ability to penetrate metal goes up a lot without having to go to hyper velocities to achieve it.

The article I read a long time ago stated that the die punch principle was known even back then to make holes in metal and that some Trench squaddie having this knowledge reversed the fmj but forgot to lower the powder charge because the spitzer now intruded into the powder space and raised the pressures somewhat and had to beat the Mauser bolt handle open with some tool to extract the cases upon fireing.

Having tested this reversed fmj on metal some years back it was noted that a 147 IVI .308 fmj would consistently cut holes even at a sedate 2450 fps .....45 gr. ukn. military powder reduced and worked up to 42 gr........this configuration makes a deep dished Hollow point that is quite impressive when fired into blocks of firewood too.
 
667 said:
IIRC the point of flippin' the bullet around wasn't to "penetrate" steel armour.
Bullet impact base first increased the chances of material flaking off the backside of armour plate... Shrapnel for whomever's hiding behind it.
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Correct. Google "spall". Reversing the bullet would be the same, in principle, as the British HESH rounds.
 
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