Hey guys, anyone know of some reasonably priced solid media to use for ballistic testing? I really like the sim-test media that tn9outdoors uses but man that stuff is expensive.

I think you can get a close approximation by making a super concentrated jello/gelatin solution. Ive seen recipes for the ratios online.

Like reguar jello gelatin? I've heard you can get unflavored gelatin and use it but I'm not sure where or how to mix it.

Wet soaked newspaper

I want something I can trace the wound channel in. So it's most likely going to have to be some type of gel.

You should be able to get plain gelatin in the baking isle of your local store. Might need a lot of it though, and a ton of ice to keep it cool enough to keep shape.

Well if you want to just shoot goo and look I guess anything would do but if you want something that represents a likeness to tissue, you really need ord gel mixed to a specific percentage etc etc.

I think I might try this, i'll probably have to get a chrono though to calibrate it

 

http://www.myscienceproject.org/gelatin.html

Wet soaked newspaper

+1

 

Has always been a cheap alternative.

I'm not doubting the wet newspaper at all, but I want something I can reasonably calibrate to balistics gel. So that way i can not only track wound channels but also have a reasonable standard for penetation.

google ballistic gelatin recipe. You can buy kits. it isn't that cheap, and you have to manage the temperature of the material, or you will not get consistent results.

 

Alternatively, there's stuff called perma-gel. It's pricey, but a lot easier to transport and it is reusable. It isn't 100% apples to apples comparable with ballistic gelatin though. The manufacturer gives some correction factors, and it is quite usable for A/B comparisons of bullets. From the research I've done, the best approach to good results with minimal investment is to buy the pre-made blocks to avoid cloudiness, buy your own electric roasting pan for way cheaper than it winds up costing in the kit, and use and re-melt as needed.

 

Midway carries perma-gel. It's about $230 per block, but it is reusable. A 3 block gelatin kit is about $125.

http://www.thebullettesttube.com/estore.html

 

Bullet Test Tube..not as cheap as the home-grown Gel, but a Hell of a lot less messy, and reuseable as well.

http://www.thebullettesttube.com/estore.html

 

Bullet Test Tube..not as cheap as the home-grown Gel, but a Hell of a lot less messy, and reuseable as well.

 

Yeah, read up on people's experience with it. It really is a waste of money. Hard to reuse, opaque, not equivalent to gel, no adjustment available, preserves temporary wound cavity. It's junk.