[schuminator]

Hey, i'm new to this board so sorry if i'm posting this question in the wrong forum but anyway.

I have been reading up on the .308 and am curious as to what exactly over penetration is? I mean, i guess it speaks for itself, but why is over-penetration a bad thing?

 

[Jeffvn]

Simply stated, if you punch a neat little hole through the target without actually delivering the energy to the target in the way that delivers massive tissue trauma and devistation, the target may not die and may get away. Think of an actual paper target - sharp little hole very little devistation. A ragged torn hole much bigger on the way out than the one on the way in = more devistation, higher blood loss, and better chance for a one shot kill.

My Uncle (the great white hunter in our family anyway) said that from a hunter's perspective you don't want the bullet to exit the target. You want the bullet to deliver 100% of its energy to the intended target. And if the bullet does go through the target, you want the exit hole to be at least 5-10 times bigger than the entrance wound.

JeffVN

 

[spade]

Jeff is right, but over penetration is more of an issue with police shapshooters. One example being in a hostage type situation, the exiting bullet may hit an innocent bystander or hostage causing some bad press for the dept.

 

[mele]

In terms of sniping, spade got it. We do not want to hit unintended objects on the other side of the target. Its all a balance, as you need enough energy and penetration to go through obsticles on occasion and hit the target, but need to be aware of penetrating the target also....

MEL

 

[muzzleblast]

Its hard for an officer too I bet. His shot will be a head shot, so its just about always going to exit right, whatever caliber he uses?

I understand what you mean, Jeffvn. Gotta wonder how much energy wasn't deposited when a round exits an animal. I read somewhere that for deer, it takes approx 900 ft/lbs to kill humanely, dunno how that was figured. But it shows why something as big as 44 mag, moving at a liesurely speed and tearing a big hole is supposed to be such a clean killer. hoping to find out about that with 45-70 soon. What you said about a 10x bigger exit is true too...3 inch for 30 cal.

The benefit of an exit for me when it happens, is it makes tracking easier, as the animal bleeds more externally too...

 

[triggerhappy]

all the answers before mine are entirely correct and much more valid...but here's one more to add. Varmint hunter can often get a bounty for the pelts of coyotes and fox. You want a small .22 size whole going in and NO EXIT wound because your get less $$$ for a blown up hide.

 

[triggerhappy]

forgot to tie that post into the .308 theme. I suppose if your were a trophy hunter you might have the same concern with more .308ish game.

Ok, I'll stop turning this into a hunting forum :lol:

 

[Yimmy]

re

For the military I don't really think over penetration is an issue... the more birck and people a bullet gos through the merrier.

 

[muzzleblast]

Turn their cover into concealment

 

[madgunsmith]

It is all in the bullet.

A 220 grain .308 bullet is a serious penetrator.

On the other hand, a 110 grain .308 bullet loaded to 3000 fps will expand violently without overpenetrating. Think of such a thing as a 30 caliber .223 round.

And by selecting the right bullet you can make your .308 do almost anything that you need done.

Mad

 

[mele]

Mad is right, but in the military, we do not have the luxury of choosing our bullet.... such is life. Law enforcement has it a little better, but they need to be careful, as they lots of times need to go through glass and or other obsticles. So now you have several different loads to use in your rifle, but they will NOT have the same zero, so you have to be aware of zero change when you switch ammo based on the particular situation, etc etc.

MEL

 

[Ballistic_Coefficiency]

Simply enough.... if your shooting an insurgent in the middle of a crowd and the bullet goes through the target and hits a 2 year old kid behind him... thats going to give you some bad dreams for a while.

 

[m_a_c_e_3]

Question about over penetration, would a .22LR punch through a big rat say at 10 yards? Or would it be just enough to kill it?

 

[Ballistic_Coefficiency]

Go through it... probably blow it in half with hollow point ammo. Oh yea... DO NOT SHOOT AT RATS INSIDE SEWERS... methane gas is quite flamable did that when i was a kid... like 13 years old... burned all the hair off my arms and legs LOL

 

[Scatch Maroo]

methane gas is quite flamable did that when i was a kid... like 13 years old... burned all the hair off my arms and legs LOL

I always wondered why the ninja turtles were so egotistical as to use melee weapons... :wink:

Scatch Maroo

 

[Ballistic_Coefficiency]

LOL :lol: Yea... that reminds me of the 80's... with all the poofy hair and ninja turtles shirts at k-mart.