Experimental investigation of normal perforation of projectiles in metallic plates

This paper describes an experimental program on ballistic perforation of metallic plates. Three kinds of rifles and various steel and aluminum target plates were used. Measurements were made of the initial and post-perforation velocities and in some cases of the time duration of perforation. High speed photographs were taken during the perforation process and detailed studies were made on sections of the perforated target plates. The examination of the physical process of perforation served to motivate aspects of the analytical treatment presented in an associated paper. The experimental results, i.e. post-perforation velocities and duration times, were found to be in good agreement with predictions of the associated analysis.