On 2012-12-18, Jim Elbrecht > wrote:

> gallon metal can filled with water with spectacular results. A 223
> makes a hole of less than a 1/4" on one side and might tumble before
> going out the other-- but the can stays intact.


Short Course on Simple Ballistic Theory

A 5.56x45mm NATO round (.223") does travel at close to 3000fps. This
creates what is called hydrostatic shock or a shock wave, in the
medium it hits, specially soft tissue. This shock wave opens a larger
wound cavity than the intitial 1/4" dia bullet diameter leaves at
slower velocities. OTOH, the small light bullet will typically
disintergrate (fall apart) when hitting anything hard, like a bone.
For this reason, these small light bullets are considered inhumane on
large dumb game animals like deer, elk, etc. The "big and slow"
bullet like a 45-70 will not be slowed by bone and will often break
said bone. This is to be desired if the animal weighs half a ton and
is coming at you like a freight train. IOW, you may not kill said
large charging about-to-make-you-a-smear animal, but if you can "turn"
or de-rail it, before it makes you said smear, you gonna be a whole
lot happier come dinner time.

nb