Comments on: Boiling Point: Things That Don’t – Issue #1

By: RobertFure

RobertFure — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:29:01 +0000

Yeah, in movies the "bullet proof vest" stops everything from handguns to point blank shotgun rounds, and generally worst of all, the hero stumbles, but gets right back to work. If your vest stops the round, at close ranges especially, you're going to have the wind knocked out of you at the least, several broken ribs and possibly some internal bleeding at worst.

By: Jake

Jake — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:06:11 +0000

I saw a Mythbusters episode where with was confirmed that diving into a body of water may indeed be protection against high-speed bullets: http://kwc.org/mythbusters/2005/07/mythbusters_bu...

By: Jake

Jake — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:06:00 +0000

I saw a Mythbusters episode where with was confirmed that diving into a body of water may indeed be protection against high-speed bullets: http://kwc.org/mythbusters/2005/07/mythbusters_bu...

By: 790

790 — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 12:14:23 +0000

What cracks me up is the automatic shoot the car and watch it blow up,,,
How many times have we seen a 45 auto blowup a big rig or take out a small bus.

Btw a Bullet proof vest will absorb a 45 cal round. Anyone that knows bullets/handguns realizes how slow that fat round travels. I’d rather be shot by a 45 than a 357 anyday, kinda. … :)

By: 790

790 — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 12:14:00 +0000

What cracks me up is the automatic shoot the car and watch it blow up,,,
How many times have we seen a 45 auto blowup a big rig or take out a small bus.

Btw a Bullet proof vest will absorb a 45 cal round. Anyone that knows bullets/handguns realizes how slow that fat round travels. I’d rather be shot by a 45 than a 357 anyday, kinda. … :)

By: RobertFure

RobertFure — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 02:01:03 +0000

If 2 bullets somehow managed to hit each other in flight (Wanted) they would probably deflect, not be stopped. If I had a vest made of bullets, I'd basically have a vest made of soft lead and moderate copper, a combination that I would not bet my life on stopping another bullet. As for handguns, depends on the gun and where on the gun. Lots of handguns these days have composite grips, meaning they're basically tough plastic. Inside that is a thin metal magazine, full of bullets. That might stop some handgun rounds (because the round will deform fairly significantly as it hits each new layer and slow down as well) but won't stop a rifle round. If it hits the slide of the weapon, which is generally hardened steel, with a hard barrel through it. That would be about an inch of metal or so, which might be able to stop a handgun round, but would probably fail against a rifle round, though if you're lucky, the rifle round will deform and deflect. Bullets penetrate tons of stuff when they hit cleanly against flat surfaces. In these situations, both bullets and handguns are generally not that flat – they may have round barrels, or be at angles against the body, or any number of things. The odds are fairly highly the round will deflect, though that can be just as bad as a bullet heading for your chest may now be heading for your head.

Long story short – rifle rounds will penetrate lots of things, handgun rounds not as many. In both of these examples above, your best bet is if they're deflected, or lose enough energy to not enter your body too deeply.

By: RobertFure

RobertFure — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 02:01:00 +0000

By: BrianCGibson

BrianCGibson — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 01:28:24 +0000

Fure…what about other bullets? or for that matter, handguns themselves?

By: BrianCGibson

BrianCGibson — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 01:28:00 +0000

Fure…what about other bullets? or for that matter, handguns themselves?

By: Cole_Abaius

Cole_Abaius — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:57:38 +0000

Yes, you in the back?

What about the very bullet-proof United States Constitution?

By: Cole_Abaius

Cole_Abaius — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:57:00 +0000

Yes, you in the back?

What about the very bullet-proof United States Constitution?

By: MrDeath

MrDeath — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:05:16 +0000

Regarding your name: Why didn't I see you at the convention? There are dozens of us! Dozens!

Anyway, I particularly hate it when wood is used for cover. It's goddammed wood!

By: MrDeath

MrDeath — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:05:00 +0000

Regarding your name: Why didn't I see you at the convention? There are dozens of us! Dozens!

Anyway, I particularly hate it when wood is used for cover. It's goddammed wood!

By: Nevernude

Nevernude — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 22:39:24 +0000

F**k the s**t right out of this. If Hollywood actually gave a darn about physics, machine guns would actually be f**kin machine guns! as in, they fire a s**tload of bullets sporadically and everybody, good guy or not, will soon see their vital internal organs fleeing their bodies and finding new homes on the walls and floors.
F**k physics in movies!

By: Nevernude

Nevernude — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 22:39:00 +0000

By: RobertFure

RobertFure — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 22:38:26 +0000

By: RobertFure

RobertFure — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 22:36:48 +0000

Silver being very soft and platters being very thin, the odds of penetration are probably 99%. =)

By: RobertFure

RobertFure — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 22:36:00 +0000

Silver being very soft and platters being very thin, the odds of penetration are probably 99%. =)

By: Aleric

Aleric — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:48:53 +0000

Hmm, possibly not kevin unless it was a weak calibur like a .32.

Don't forget wheels on cars if they have full metal and not cut out sections. Most police are instructed to use th engines and the wheels on thier vehicles as cover.

My problem with movies is when they give the hero a bullet proof vest and he takes a .45 or larger calibur round and it bounces off. Not hardly, most vests can not stop rounds higher than 9mm. I like taking steel plates out to the range and betting people on whether my M4A3 can punch a hole thru it, most don't belive it can until I start firing.

By: Aleric

Aleric — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:48:00 +0000

Hmm, possibly not kevin unless it was a weak calibur like a .32.

Don't forget wheels on cars if they have full metal and not cut out sections. Most police are instructed to use th engines and the wheels on thier vehicles as cover.