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Subject: How does a foxhole protect against small arms? (Dirt penetration)
oldcolt    7/30/2009 3:15:40 PM
There are a lot of statistics floating around the internet about what standard ammo types can penetrate. These generally refer to brick, furniture, metal plates, cinder blocks, and so forth. The ability of small arms to penetrate regular earth (dirt) is less obvious. How much protection does a foxhole actually give to a man laying at the bottom from small arms fire once his foxhole is located? Are most rounds able to dig through the dirt and penetrate into the hole? How would a foxhole protect someone against a round like the standard .50 AP-I? Thanks
 
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FJV       7/30/2009 3:34:34 PM
 
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oldcolt       7/30/2009 3:42:55 PM
Tests at that close a range aren't going to be very meaningful unfortunately.  Shatter gap and all that.
 
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oldcolt       7/30/2009 3:46:10 PM

Tests at that close a range aren't going to be very meaningful unfortunately.  Shatter gap and all that.

I missed this: "

I had read the some rounds actually penetrate better at longer ranges, so, we backed up 100 yards from the boxes and tried some rifle rounds again.

We tried both the .223 and the .308.

Both rounds still did not exit the first box.

We recovered the 7.62 X 51, and this is the biggest piece."
 
That's really surprising, thanks!
 
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oldcolt       7/30/2009 3:52:20 PM

Tests at that close a range aren't going to be very meaningful unfortunately.  Shatter gap and all that.

I missed this: "

I had read the some rounds actually penetrate better at longer ranges, so, we backed up 100 yards from the boxes and tried some rifle rounds again.

We tried both the .223 and the .308.

Both rounds still did not exit the first box.

We recovered the 7.62 X 51, and this is the biggest piece."
 
That's really surprising, thanks!
 
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