30 cal. Polymag penetration testing

[Randbo]

I did some penetration testing to day using some home made ballistic gel and 30 cal. JSB's and some Polymag's, I made the ballistic gel out of knox gelatine and water, I have used this before with powder burners and it works pretty good. The JSB was the first to be shot and I shot them into the gel about 920 fps and it penetrated 22 3/4" which I was very surprised that is a lot of penetration! The pellet did not expand only about .007" but penetrated straight and deep. The next pellet was the Polymag with tip, it only penetrated 11 1/2" and expanded to .398" with straight penetration. Next I pulled the tip out of the Polymag and shot it with the same velocity of the others and it penetrated 8 1/4" and expanded to .462" with straight penetration, I tried a second JSB and a second Polymag and got pretty much identical results. The first 3-4" of penetration shows more disruption on the wound channel on all pellets tested but one did not look any better or worse than the other.  So my thought's are if you are hunting smaller game where penetration is not important the Polymag would be a better pellet if the accuracy is good in your gun, but if you are shooting something the size of a coon or bigger the JSB would be a better choice with about double the penetration. It was interesting how much the Polymag expanded with the tip removed that would make a real deadly pellet for squirrel size critters.   

[Nomadic Pirate]

Thanks for the testing,

You made me more sure about using my Predators now without the tip, they should work real well for bodyshots on peacocks and neck shots on hogs with my Storm set at the 70 FPE power for spot and stalk hunts.

Yes, those JSB .30 are hard, they penetrate fantastic on hog skulls,

loving this .30 cal platform, so very versatile.

[Randbo]

Thanks for the testing,

You made me more sure about using my Predators now without the tip, they should work real well for bodyshots on peacocks and neck shots on hogs with my Storm set at the 70 FPE power for spot and stalk hunts.

Yes, those JSB .30 are hard, they penetrate fantastic on hog skulls,

loving this .30 cal platform, so very versatile.

  I would think the way the polymags expand with out the tip, that on them peacocks the feathers are going to fly!

Since I got the RS in 30 I have not shot anything with my .25 cal. Condor, The RS has become my favorite and it is all your fault Manny!

[Gertrude]

The RS has become my favorite and it is all your fault Manny!

Haha,
I'm bettin' this is not the first time you've heard a comment like that Manny ! LOL !     

 Dang ENABELER !