What will penetrate a WWII GI issue helmet?

moonwilson

moonwilson

Joined
Aug 10, 2006
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I have a bit of a strange question. One of my friends is working on an art project, and he wants me to help him shoot some holes in an old army helmet. Unfortunately, I don't have a high-powered rifle. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas or suggestions as to what might work.

I have 9mm, .45 ACP, .357 magnum and a 12ga. to work with. Would any of these penetrate a steel brain bucket? Any ammunition recommendations?

Thanks!
 
A 12 gauge shooting a slug will do the trick.

I have also heard, though have no independent data to confirm, that FMJ 9mm is a good penetrator. Something to do with its small frontal area and high (for a pistol caliber) velocity.
 
Before you waist a collectible pot, make sure it's something else or later. A good WWII era Detroit or St. Louis pot can go for more than $100 depending of course on condition.

Make sure you are back more than 50 feet (ricochets can kill closer than that). I wouldn't be surprised if a .22LR made a hole in one.

Also, army helmets with holes showed up in art projects before. It was called the '60s.;)
 
racegunner said:
Before you waist a collectible pot, make sure it's something else or later. A good WWII era Detroit or St. Louis pot can go for more than $100 depending of course on condition.

Make sure you are back more than 50 feet (ricochets can kill closer than that). I wouldn't be surprised if a .22LR made a hole in one.

Also, army helmets with holes showed up in art projects before. It was called the '60s.;)
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Not my project. I think it's kinda cheesy myself, but what are you gonna do? My buddy has already painted all over the pot, so its value as a military collectible is already ruined. However, he'll probably sell it for a couple grand, so I don't think anyone will be too upset about that. The guy is a pretty well-known artist in Baltimore. He shows at the same gallery I do in DC.

http://jason-hughes.net/home.html

That's the dude. I think a 12ga. with slugs will do the trick. Even if it doesn't penetrate, it should at least make an impressive dent. :thumbup:
Thanks guys!

Apparently this is the helmet he wants me to shoot.
http://jason-hughes.net/zoom/984x588/482604.html
 
Hassilov said:
The .30-06 Springfield has killed all animals on earth.
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If I had a .30-06 handy, I would use that. Mine's up in the mountains of West VA with my Dad though. Pistol and shotgun calibers only, unfortunately.

dougo83 said:
Haven't they said the same thing about the .22?
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They have. I want to meet the crazy SOB who thought it was a good idea to shoot an elephant with a .22. That's an extremely dangerous, one-in-a-billion shot right there. Likewise with a rhino or a polar bear. Or a hippo, for crying out loud. Who goes after a hippo with a .22?
 
Discovery's Time Warp show just took some high-speed of bullets striking a "steel pot" and a modern kevlar helmet.
A soft-nosed 9mm from an MP5 dented the steel helmet, but didn't penetrate. Same round simply bounced off the Kevlar with no visible damage.

Any higher-velocity FMJ should penetrate nicely.
 
A hammer and steel punch would probably do the trick more precisely if he was looking for some type of pattern.
 
Just goto a rifle range and get someone with a high powered rifle to shoot it. If it's already painted, you're not gonna want to miss. Make sure they know what they're doing.
 
Wildewinds said:
Just goto a rifle range and get someone with a high powered rifle to shoot it. If it's already painted, you're not gonna want to miss. Make sure they know what they're doing.
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Sounds like a plan. A 7mm or .30 caliber rifle bullet would be the most historically accurate, I think.
 
James_Terrio said:
Sounds like a plan. A 7mm or .30 caliber rifle bullet would be the most historically accurate, I think.
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James, look at the "art" that he has turned the helmet into. For some reason, I doubt historical accuracy is of any consequence :D
 
I'd think a hot FMJ out of the .357 would work well. Note that angel of impact will make a big difference.
 
A .357 will rip through the helmet like a hot knife through butter.
 
I agree with about 99% of the above posts but as this is a knife forum I'm going to have to recommend a spike tomahawk :D
 
A little chunk of depleted uranium coming out of the front end of an A10 Warthog should do the trick. ;)
 
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