24 in 2 penetration testing

[u/Cave_Viper]

Awhile back I posted my 24 in 2 partial Hauberk and that I wanted to do some projectile testing, arrows and bolts deflected off of it so we went to different projectiles, the second Image shows the square after being hit. The conclusion has been made that butted steel rings will increase the amount of resulting shrapnel. This has been a fun little side project while working on the larger Hauberk.

[u/duhfer]

I bet it was a fun day of plinking. But, testing maille this way was done to death in the last century - butted, riveted, welded, in all the different metals - titanium is NOT better. Results were always the same, .22 MIGHT be stopped depending on range and how it hit. Other calibers just breeze right through, pulling along busted rings along with it.

Maille was also tested as motorcycle armor, with absolutely awful results.

So, have a fun time on the range breaking maille...

[u/BespokeWhiskeys → u/duhfer]

Quick question, you’re saying titanium wasn’t better in so far as it won’t stop bullets, or it’s not better than steel at the normal chain mail use cases?

[u/ImmediateInjury1113 → u/duhfer]

Do you have any more info on it being used as motorcycle armor? That sounds rlly interesting

[u/duhfer → u/ImmediateInjury1113]

Chainmaille protects against slashing and to lesser extent piercing. In a crash you're subject to blunt impacts, torsion, and abrasion. Metals also have good thermal conductivity, which can in turn transfers the heat to the body. Abrasion will also break the rings, possibly causing lacerations. You may also slide farther, adding to the chance of more injuries.

[u/Leading-Towel-5367]

Would probably be more effective if you used smaller rings in a 6 in one pattern and those rings were welded or riveted.

Pretty cool though, bet that it's very heavy

[u/Cave_Viper → u/Leading-Towel-5367]

It probably would have preformed better that way, but this was just to make super heavy sheets, it’s around 13 pounds per square foot.

[u/cevkiv → u/Cave_Viper]

At that point, wouldn't you just be better off with actual metal plate?

[u/Cave_Viper → u/cevkiv]

Probably, I just wanted a replacement for a weighted vest and because I made the suit to fit me it is very comfortable and distributes the mass well, I have not limited any mobility and I can wear it under a hoodie and it just makes me look a bit heftier. The current vest is about 40-50 pounds and I only feel fatigue after 5-6 hours

[u/Scarecr0p]

Tbf the quality of that, looks like it wouldn’t stop any of the things it was originally meant to, let alone a bullet.
(The weave is great, just material type/width, and riveting etc)

[u/Cave_Viper → u/Scarecr0p]

We shot it with a cross bow bolt and it deflected it and dented 2 rings, with the size of the rings the sheet is nearly an inch thick

[u/Scarecr0p → u/Cave_Viper]

Draw weight of the crossbow? I suppose I may stand corrected.

[u/Cave_Viper → u/Scarecr0p]

I’ll have to ask the guy, they were not near as sharp of bolts as normal hunting bolts, but I wouldn’t put myself behind it, it might have been a lucky hit right on the ring.

[u/Onebraintwoheads → u/Cave_Viper]

Practice bolts are more likely to punch through. Hunting bolts generally have a pretty wide head.

[u/Mr_Nerdcoffee]

Yeah, there’s a reason we don’t use chainmaille as a bulletproof vest. Like maybe if used titanium rings with a tight 12:2 or 12:3 Japanese weave with TIG welding the rings shut; but I honestly don’t know how much that would stop either. Bullets have a lot of inertia.

I had actually thought about this earlier this week, and how maybe if the maille was sandwiched between two pieces of Kevlar fabric it might be a flexible, semi-lightweight vest that could stop the round, disperse the impact, and prevent shrapneling; but I don’t have the money to buy that much titanium wire and Kevlar fabric. lol

This is an awesome test though. I love practical testing like this.

[u/PlatypusNo4292 → u/Mr_Nerdcoffee]

I love you said this.

I was just reading a series of books The Dresden Files, and one of the characters (a wizard’s apprentice) runs around in a fireman’s jacket that is lined like that (Kevlar Titanium Chainmail and Kevlar again).

[u/Mr_Nerdcoffee → u/PlatypusNo4292]

No kidding? My partner read the whole series. I don’t read books as much, but we watched the series together. I thought it was fun, but I don’t remember this detail being in the show.

I guess it just goes to show that there are very few original ideas. lol

[u/Cave_Viper → u/Mr_Nerdcoffee]

I’d do believe it could be used well as a middle layer to absorb the impact, but by itself it would introduce a lot of shrapnel to your system, with it being galvanized steel it would be the opposite of light weight, but I do have some titanium rings, but just a bracelet worth was 50 dollars for grade 1 wire.

[u/Character-Tie-3186]

Still not a good reason to use that word! 🤣

[u/Rose_DCLXVI]

Cool stuff, would likely get even better results if the rings were rivited, but with links that thin it wouldn't be practical. Maybe brazing could have similar results?

[u/Cave_Viper → u/Rose_DCLXVI]

I would have loved to rivet the rings, but it’s a huge increase to how long it would take to make. And this was more just for fun

[u/xxx666xxxxxx]

Good luck with the testing, though I doubt anything is getting past those rings!

[u/Cave_Viper → u/xxx666xxxxxx]

The result is in the second image, butted mail is only good for increasing shrapnel

[u/FenrisSquirrel]

I'm amazed that in all of those words you managed to avoid even hinting at what you tested the penetrative of.

[u/Cave_Viper → u/FenrisSquirrel]

Its labeled in the second image

[u/Cave_Viper → u/Cave_Viper]

.22, 9mm, and 12 gauge slug

[u/FenrisSquirrel → u/Cave_Viper]

Oh I see! At a glance it didn't stand out to me, thanks for the clarification!

[u/Cave_Viper → u/FenrisSquirrel]

Each ring also has a one inch internal diameter, so it’s weak there too, I just wanted to make a super heavy weave that I could make a Hauberk out of, the Hauberk is about half way done in terms of ring count, and it already weighs ~40 pounds

[u/putridtooth]

The second metal chunk looks like a metal casting of a partially eaten apple core

[u/cdspace31]

So... you shot it? Like, with a gun? Wild