tonight's question of the ages

[kaigou]

Let's say that there in front of you is bullet-proof glass. If you put the muzzle of a gun (regular 1911, nothing too fancy) smack up against the glass and fire... where does the bullet go? I mean, if the hollywood assumption is that bullet-proof is truly bullet-proof at least for the first nine rounds, then the first 9 rounds have gotta go somewhere, if they're not going through the glass... amirite?

Comments

[rurounitriv.livejournal.com]

My guess would be that it would be the same as a blocked barrel, which translates to a nasty explosion in your hand and a no-longer-functional weapon. Or hand.

[kaigou]

Dude. That's what I thought -- and even if it's a blank (per filming), wouldn't it still create a major kickback?



(Is it wrong of me to watch action movies and count the number of rounds?)

[okaasan59]

I just watched an episode of Mythbusters last night that may be helpful. They covered a similar scenario. They weren't shooting at point blank range but they tested a bunch of different calibers. The bullets get embedded in the glass and form a cool bulls-eye pattern.

It's episode 16 of the 2004 season if you're interested.

[tesserae]

That makes sense. It's the laminating between layers that makes glass bulletproof, as I understand: the lamination absorbs the force of the explosion. And like the commenter says above, all that force has to go *somewhere* - my guess would be with a 1911 pistol, trapping the gasses inside the barrel would cause it to explode.

[leorising]

That's what I thought, too. Thanks for the citation, though, I was too lazy to go there! :D

[hollyberries]

I would guess that the bullet would rebound and the gun would explode in your hands/hand. (Yay offhand shooting?)

But most likely normal physics would intervene and the glass would crack, while your gun explodes.

[christeos-pir.livejournal.com]

Interesting question. I wouldn't want to try it; I suspect (as you suggest) that the kick would be... interesting.

Resources:
http://www.thehighroad.org/
http://thefiringline.com/forums/

[chibidrunksanzo]

I think you should bribe a kid in your neighborhood to try it and see what happens. Science demands it!

[joisbishmyoga.livejournal.com]

I'd think you'd get some of both -- the bullet(s) lodged in the glass, and the painful if not bonebreaking kickback. The whole point of bulletproof glass is that it stops the bullet (instead of making it ricochet and hurt someone), but no way is human strength going to hold that barrel firmly against the glass considering the explosive nature of firing a bullet.

[l-clausewitz.livejournal.com]

I'd second this--with a human hand holding the gun against the glass, there's no way you could press the gun home closely enough to leave no gap that would allow the gases to escape between muzzle and glass, thus throwing the gun back and preventing it from exploding in your hand.

[dragonhand]

No, it's not wrong to count rounds. This is what has made TV as decent as it is today. Constructive criticism. (Then again, it has a way still to go to be as good as it could be, which is why we count rounds. XD)