Statistics and ballistics

Question

Will a .357 caliber bullet penetrate an engine block?

Answer 1

Why are you shooting a engine anyways ?  

Answer 2

Depends on the bullet and velocity, but in general I'd say no.

A super hard bullet at extreme velocity might crack the block, but even then, it would not penetrate the block.

I seriously doubt if any thing short of an armor piercing .30-'06 would actually penetrate an engine block, and I'd not bet on an '06 doing it.

Doc

Answer 3

yes it will if handloaded with a full metal jacket

Answer 4

Q:  Will a .357 caliber bullet penetrate an engine block?

A:  That is doubtful however it was believed in the early days that the .357 Magnum was sooo powerful that a police officer could fire his .357 Magnum at a fleeing vehicle and that the bullet would go through the trunk, the backseat, the back of the front seat, the driver, the firewall and still have enough power to crack the engine block.  At one time 158 grain M/P (metal piercing) bullets were available for the .357 Magnum and even the .38 Special.  This was during the Sixties and they were an oddly configured full-metal-jacket round with a sharp flat point.  They were designed to 'shoot through cars.'  I have no doubt that one of these, especially in .357 Magnum, fired directly at an engine block would most certainly crack the engine block.  During this era a friend of mine who was a deputy sheriff in a rural county once told me he had to shoot at a fleeing car with his .38 Special loaded with the metal-piercing rounds.  He said that they worked exceptionally well as he could see metal flying off the suspect's car with each hit.  The driver finally stopped and was taken into custody without further incident.  

H

Answer 5

If it's a solid armor piercing type yes. If not, NO. The lead in a bullet is designed to "mushroom" causing internal damage. Means that the metal is soft.. .MUCH softer than the metal used to cast engine blocks. You MAY be able to crack the areas where oil/coolant flows through, but it's not going to "penetrate"..

  I'd google "RCBS" "Nosler" and a couple other hand loading equipment manufacturers.. Look up "handloading manual" or something similar, and look through the ballistic tables. There should be data for how fast a certain weight round of certain caliber  with "X" amount of muzzle velocity will be traveling at a certain distance. That will give you an idea of the dynamics involved.  

Answer 6

possible, but doubtful. the bullet would deform and slow so much after passing thru the body panels, it wouldn't have enough power left. it might still have enough energy left to crack the block.

it certainly has enough power to punch thru the block walls if thats the first thing it hits.

Answer 7

There are some vulnerable areas where it may be  possible in some blocks, but thick cast iron is not so easy to penetrate with a pistol caliber.    

Answer 8

nope unless the bullet was like a super armor peircing bullet. lets think a engine block is about what 4-6 feet of some space metal that is supposed handle extreme conditions. the metal is dense and strong. a .50 cal BMG is designed to go thru that kinda stuff. a .357 is designed to go thru soft body and soft armor(class one body armor). that is just a handgun. nothing else. i have failed to see any pistol caliber bullet go thru a engine block except in hollywood movies. why did you ask this question anyways? you planning on stopping a car with a pistol.

Answer 9

No

Thats movie stuff.