What will penetrate a WWII GI issue helmet?

[ashtxsniper]

I have shot through them with a 115 grn 9mm a buddy of mine shot through one side with a 22. Most of those helmets are paper thin they only ricochet glancing rounds.

 

[SOLEIL]

A 12 slug will make a very impressive dent and hole, especially a 3" Mag. It will look more like a shrapnel hole than a bullet. The 357 will give you a nice hole in the standard 30 cal. range. Sounds like fun.

 

[jdm61]

A standard 7.62 x 51 NATO /.308 Winchester FMJ round fired straight on will penetrate the old "steel pot"...........at over 1000 meters. Pretty much ANY modern round should penetrate it at moderate ranges. It was design primarily to offer minimal protection again shell fragments and to shave in and, well, you could shave in it okay. That is why we adopted the kevlar "fritz" helmet at great cost. I suspect that the helmet liner may have offered almost as much protection from impact as the steel shell itself.

 

[BlueyM]

.357 FMJ should do it. Try and get the angle at the point of strike as close to 90 degrees as possible.
A shallow angle may ricochet without penetrating. Also anchor the helmet well down. A couple of sandbags behind it should do the trick.

Weird project, but I never understood art anyway.

 

[jill jackson]

Unless you reload it a FMJ .357 isn't easy to find. I've never seen them on the shelf.

 

[SkinnyJoe]

Interesting article on penetration:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BTT/is_158_26/ai_86704793/

 

[James_Terrio]

James, look at the "art" that he has turned the helmet into. For some reason, I doubt historical accuracy is of any consequence

Well then, just drive a center-punch through it.

 

[ashtxsniper]

Unless you reload it a FMJ .357 isn't easy to find. I've never seen them on the shelf.

Fiocchi makes them or they used to.
http://www.fiocchiusa.com/cat_pistol.html
S&B also makes them.
http://www.sellier-bellot.cz/pistol-and-revolver-detail.php?ammunition=9&product=186

 

[tgiannes]

i got a 30-30, 7.62, 308, 223, 12 ga, Im in marietta pay for ammo and i will kill the helmet.

 

[Zero_Time]

Well, can't contribute anything, neither close enough to offer weapons, nor anything that hasn't been said, plus retro ballistic protection ain't my strong suit... aside from Franz Ferdinand, and his sweet (but useless) silk vest.

However, let me say, I was expecting some incomprehensible cubist or abstract expressionist helmet, and was much happier to see it not the case. I was expecting something a lot cheesier. However, I took some art history courses, so I have a more in depth knowledge of how bad art can get...
Zero