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AR15.COM
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1/8/2017 7:22:48 PM EDT
When my dad passed he left the usual gun/ammo collection gathered over a lifetime. Among other things were a few hundred rds of black tip .30-06 made at the Eau Claire (WI) Ordinance Plant during WWII. Still in the original boxes on stripper clips. The headstamps are marked "WW" and "43". Question - what kind/how thick steel could this round penetrate?

I garbaged my photobucket account so I can't post pics at the moment.
1/8/2017 7:30:44 PM EDT
[#1]
If I remember correctly, it was suppose to penitrate 1 inch of armored steel.
1/8/2017 7:43:16 PM EDT
[#2]
I suspect it is corrosive too.
1/8/2017 7:43:42 PM EDT
[#3]
about 1 inch of regular steel, AR 500 maybe 3/8 of an inch all depends on the velocity.  That stuff was not hot ammo.
1/23/2017 11:28:46 PM EDT
[#4]
Pull bullet, put in .300 Win Mag for better penetration
1/27/2017 6:29:22 PM EDT
[#5]
It's the standard by which all Level IV body armor plates must beat. It will penetrate pretty darn good, even more out of .300 WM :D
1/30/2017 9:30:25 PM EDT
[#6]
One inch of steel is correct per my memory, you can find out more info at the CMP Forums if you want specifics.

They also manufactured armor piercing incendiary (silver tip).
1/31/2017 12:29:26 AM EDT
[#7]
As per Wikipedia..... ( I know, I know... )

"In an effort to increase accuracy some snipers resorted to use of the heavier .30-06 M2 armor-piercing round, a practice that re-emerged during the Korean War.[21] Others sought out lots of M2 ammunition produced by Denver Ordnance, which had proved to be more accurate than those produced by other wartime ammunition plants when used for sniping at long range.[22] With regards to penetration, the M2 ball can penetrate 0.4 in (10.16 mm) of mild steel at 100 yards (91 m), and 0.3 in (7.62 mm) at 200 yards (180 m). M2 AP can penetrate 0.42 in (10.67 mm) of armor steel at 100 yards (91 m). These figures come from army documents.[23] However, a test done by Brass Fetchers shows that M2 AP can actually penetrate up to 0.5 in (12.70 mm) of MIL-A-12560 armor steel from a distance of 100 yards (91 m). The round struck the plate at a velocity of 2601 fps, and made a complete penetration.[24]"


I might add... it is actually an interesting read , including the sources.


.30-06 ball will perforate a 0.4" (9.5mm) mild steel pate at 100yds, 0.3" (7.6mm) at 200 yards, and 0.1" (2.5mm) at 600 yards.

•The 1939 US Army specification for M-2 .30-06 AP penetration is .42" (11mm) of armor steel at 100 feet.

•7.92mm German ball ammunition penetrates 0.2" (5mm) of steel (type not specified) at 100 yards, 0.1" (3mm) at 600 yards.

•7.92mm German AP (steel core) penetrates (0.47") 12mm of armor steel at 100 yards. Developed specifically to deal with Great War tanks, German infantrymen in 1918 were being issued 10 rounds each of this if a tank came along. Even before the end of the Great War, this round became an ineffective anti-tank weapon.

•7.92mm German AP (tungsten core) penetrates 0.79" (20mm) in mild steel at 550 yards. This tungsten-core ammunition was introduced just before WW2, but was never more than 2% of production, and was discontinued in 1942.

•7.62mm NATO AP M993 rounds will penetrate 16mm of RHA steel at 300 meters range. This is a modern tungsten-core round.

•5.56mm NATO AP M995 rounds will penetrate 12mm of RHA steel at 100 meters range. This is a modern tungsten-core round.

•7.5mm Mle 1929 AP rounds will penetrate 8mm of RHA steel at 50 meters range.


Brass Fetchers video.... ( with the 163gr AP bullet loaded at a variety of velocities )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkVMSj6scxE
2/1/2017 12:58:55 AM EDT
[#8]
Someone put a hole in the backstop at the NRA HQ range with it. I'd say it penetrates pretty well.
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