Somebody SHOT my trailer!

[Pawnshop]

I was stripping down my M101A2 for my camper project and got the front and right side off OK, but ran into trouble getting the left side off, the stake in the middle pocket was stuck. When I looked closely I found a hole on the outside of the stake pocket, when I looked even closer I discovered that it is a BULLET HOLE! The round (5.56 looks like) went from the inside of the trailer, through the back of the stake, into the front lip of the stake and out through the outside of the stake pocket. The stake is held in by body metal pulled into the hole in the stake and stake metal pulled into the hole in the stake pocket. Now to get it out without destroying the stake (I am trading the sides off to a buddy) I could care less about the pocket as I will be cutting up the body.

 

[papabear]

It's hard to tell from the pic but that don't look like a 5.56 hole to me!!!
In fact...I don't think a 5.56 would go thru both sides??

 

[patracy]

Yeah hard to tell size from the pic, but a 5.56 wouldn't have enough punch to go through both sides, unless the outside had a hole or was VERY rusted.

 

[Westech]

a 223 hole is about the size of small pencil. like 1/4 inch wide. That looks to be a 30 cal round.. 30-30 or 30-06 something solid core for sure. If it was a soft or expanding round it would be all sorts of blowed out.

 

[Pawnshop]

Oh yes, a 5.56 would have more than enough poop to go through four layers of sheet metal. I put a 1/2" crater in a 4" thick piece of steel with a SS109 round, that is way more than sheet metal...

 

[Pawnshop]

I will try to measure it tonight.

 

[Takai13]

a 223 hole is about the size of small pencil. like 1/4 inch wide. That looks to be a 30 cal round.. 30-30 or 30-06 something solid core for sure. If it was a soft or expanding round it would be all sorts of blowed out.

Potentially a .308 round then?

 

[gimpyrobb]

Just drill the hole out, should free up the stake from the pocket.

 

[MIhunter]

As another states, the 5.56 has plenty of power to go through. If using the M855 green tip, it is well capable of going through 3/8 plate steel. However, that hole does look a little large

 

[flyxpl]

even lead core 223 will go through at least 1/4 plate . I just cut out some torso's out of 1/2 I was dissapointed at how much the 223 craters the 1/2 . Also could easily be 223 holes in your trailer The bullet will expand before it gets through the steel and make the hole larger than the bullet . 223 through thin steel puts a 223 hole , but thicker steel the hole will be larger .

 

[3dAngus]

To bad you gotta destroy it. A bullet hole like that would make a good souvenier from the war.

 

[Pawnshop]

A 5.56 bullet is a little loose in the entrance hole but the case neck will not fit, so 5.56 it is! The bullet was likely a ball round and flattened a bit before exit, that would explain the fairly large exit hole, that and the thickness of the steel. I will try to save the wounded stake pocket, but the ultimate goal is to save the stake so I may have to drill it out.

 

[papabear]

OK...I'll go with the flow...but I think it's 7.62 or better...but I wasn't there.

 

[Pawnshop]

I'll get a photo tomorrow of a .308 bullet not coming even close to fitting in that tiny little hole

 

[A/C Cages]

Ive seen plenty of 7.62 rounds in a truck I was driving like a bleeeeeppppp getting out of live fire. It looks close to that.

On the other hand, I also shot at a deuce with 5.56 and not one round looked like that. No I didnt murder the deuce, it was a tank decoy and was missing engine, fuel, and oils.

 

[papabear]

I'll get a photo tomorrow of a .308 bullet not coming even close to fitting in that tiny little hole

Don't bother Sir...I'm not questioning you in any way.

Besides...I haven't really seen many bullet holes in about 20 years...and my eyesight really sucks now!

 

[M813rc]

Well, boys being boys...

Today we (me, Sarge, Pawnshop, Reloader64, and my younger son) were gathered at the farm dining on grilled beast.
Pawnshop had his shot trailer with him, the holes came up as a topic of conversation and shortly we were gathered around looking at them saying clever and scientifically valid things like "Yup".

Upon poking the hole with a 5.56 round, it was a good fit. Looked too small for a 7.62. But did we have a 7.62 round to poke the hole with? Ashamedly, no.

- "This is no good. We must have empirical data!"
- "Indeed!"
- "Suggestions??"
- "Maybe we should shoot it again??" (Grin)
- "Okay" (in a Pawnshop voice)
- "Seriously??!!??" (multiple voices in chorus)
- "Yup"
So we did....

The first 5.56 round, from an AR-15, went straight through the stake pocket. I believe the technical term is 'like a hot knife through butter'. So we did it again, same result. Nice clean entry and exit holes (mil. ball ammo).
Vat der hay, must have a comparison, so we shot it with a .22 (Remington hollow point). The .22 also went through, but just one layer, knocked a dent in the second layer. Made quite a dent on the way in. The difference between punching through and plowing through.

What good is a tale such as this without pictures?
"None!!" I hear you cry.
So here they are....

1- Entry side
2- Exit side
3- Down the stake pocket

Cheers

 

[M813rc]

And no, there was no alcohol involved in this tale of wonder, not one solitary drop!

And the shooting was done down on our range with a suitably safe backdrop. There is a difference between fun and foolish.

Cheers

 

[hndrsonj]

5.56's can penetrate alot of sheet metal. My dropside has a 7.62 hole in the headlight bucket. a standard 223 round will easily pass through 4 layers of sheetmetal. The SS-109 bullet will penetrate ALOT.

 

[Disciple]

In the interest of continuing this highly scientific experiment I would like to offer my services. I have a coupl'a commie pinko guns here (AK47 and an SKS) with a wide assortment of ammunition that would love to be unleashed on your trailer. In the name of science, of course. I know you said 7.62 is too big, but you can never be too sure. You'd better have a "control group" for this endeavor to be valid.

Just for good measure we should dig up a frag or two. Maybe even an RPG, just to be sure!

Afterall, I would think it critical to determine if this wounded veteran is deserving of a Purple Heart, or if we need to file a report of Friendly Fire.