CanAm 7.62x54r is HEAVY duty stuff :)

[.223Rem]

So, I took my 91/30 out for the first time yesterday and have to admit that I'm really liking the norc 7.62 they had on sale.

My buddy had some big 12" cinder blocks and I wanted to see if the old girl would pound through 'em. I was not disappointed. I might have been overly impressed because I don't shoot anything this big often, but I thought it was cool.

First shot split the block clean in two, second after setting half the block back up blew it to pieces.
I also found a slug and jacket in the wreckage. This ammo looks like a solid mild steel core with a copper washed bi-metal jacket. Both parts are magnetic. notice in the picture the jacket peeled off inside-out (copper wash on the inside).

also a video of the second shot on the block. My buddy is working on uploading the slow motion version of the video as well. I'll post that when I can.

https://youtu.be/BTp4OFZw2MU

 

[Butcherbill]

Nice, yeah I have no gripe with the norinco x54r either. It shoots out of my svt fine and I have a mosin to clean and run some of it through too.

 

[Canada tail]

Some really heavy hitting stuff. I like mine but I kinda hope I stocked more

 

[flashman]

You've discovered the difference between cover and concealment! Cinder blocks are very much not bulletproof, despite first impressions.

Penetration figures for 7.62 M80 ball, close enough to x54R for government work as they say:

 

[tokguy]

I was thinking about the same. Nothing ground breaking in the OP's statement
Living by the tracks gives me access to old plates off the rail line ( ecologically CP is horrible...they throw everything out. Like batteries, dope buckets, oil jugs...toss 'em into the weeds). You ought to see shooting them in low light with steel core. 7.62 x 54R is a potent round...

 

[flashman]

I was thinking about the same. Nothing ground breaking in the OP's statement

Well, hey, it's a neat discovery when you make it for yourself!

Living by the tracks gives me access to old plates off the rail line ( ecologically CP is horrible...they throw everything out. Like batteries, dope buckets, oil jugs...toss 'em into the weeds). You ought to see shooting them in low light with steel core. 7.62 x 54R is a potent round...

Ha! Too funny. One of the spots I shoot falls into the same category... Those tie plates are EVERYWHERE. 20l pails too...

 

[MuthaFunk]

You've discovered the difference between cover and concealment! Cinder blocks are very much not bulletproof, despite first impressions.

Penetration figures for 7.62 M80 ball, close enough to x54R for government work as they say:

Is the range column listed wrong here? Perhaps the other way around?

 

[B]

Is the range column listed wrong here? Perhaps the other way around?

High velocity tends to decrease penetration while greatly increasing damage on the way. Makes sense to me.

 

[flashman]

What he said.

5.56 is famously the same way; penetration increases with range, up to a point.

 

[MuthaFunk]

High velocity tends to decrease penetration while greatly increasing damage on the way. Makes sense to me.

Most interesting! You learn something new everyday! Thanks.

 

[antiqueguy]

generally surplus ammo like this is a mild steel core covered in a lead envelope and then seated in the jacket this makes the lead supply last longer

 

[kolik1]

Is the range column listed wrong here? Perhaps the other way around?

It makes sense when you also look at it from the projectile's perspective. At closer ranges when it strikes a target there is that much more force acting upon it when it strikes an object, at a certain point you lose penetration because the round breaks apart too fast due to those forces. Get out a bit further and there is less force on the projectile so that it doesn't break apart but still has enough energy to penetrate. Go beyond that point and you lose penetration because the round has lost it's velocity. It's all about hitting that sweet spot.

Mythbuster's did a piece on how far projectiles would penetrate through water, and everything from 9mm to 50BMG broke apart in about 3' of water. The smaller lower velocity projectiles broke apart right away because they didn't have the structural strength to withstand the impact and the 30-06 and 50bmg broke apart slightly after hitting due to the resistance of the water acting upon them from their higher velocities. There's a youtube video out there somewhere on it.

 

[.Ben]

I still don't think 7.62x51mm would penetrate 41 inches of pine board. and while I agree penetration may improve somewhat as the projectile slows down im not sure about 13 inches at 25 meters and 41 inches at 200 meters

need to find some old pine boards and line them up

 

[flashman]

I still don't think 7.62x51mm would penetrate 41 inches of pine board. and while I agree penetration may improve somewhat as the projectile slows down im not sure about 13 inches at 25 meters and 41 inches at 200 meters

need to find some old pine boards and line them up

Well, I'd bet the US Army didn't divine those numbers from reading tea leaves, and rather suspect that they arrived at the measurements by doing exactly what you propose.

If you can find some true M80 Ball, it'd be interesting to see if you can duplicate the results though.

 

[B]

I have lots of surplus Winchester M80. Not sure where I would find that much dry pine to destroy though... I agree that 41" seems incredible.

 

[flashman]

Scraps from Home Depot / Rona / Etc? No idea of what board thickness or dimensions used, but I'm sure 40+" of whatever thickness board is close enough.