Can a Fire Hydrant Stop a 50 Cal Sniper Rifle?

Published on March 25, 2025
Duration: 12:38

This video tests the ballistic resistance of a vintage cast iron fire hydrant against various firearms, from 9mm to .50 BMG. Surprisingly, even a .50 BMG round, including an Armor Piercing Incendiary (API) variant, failed to fully penetrate the hydrant, though it caused significant damage. Handgun rounds had minimal effect, while a 12 gauge slug and rifle rounds penetrated the first wall but were stopped by internal structures.

Quick Summary

A vintage cast iron fire hydrant surprisingly stopped all tested calibers, including .50 BMG rounds. While 9mm and .45 ACP caused only paint chips, a 12 gauge slug and rifle rounds penetrated the first wall. Even .50 BMG API rounds caused major damage but failed to fully exit.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Intro: Hydrant vs .50 Cal Sniper Rifle
  2. 01:17Firearm Lineup: 9mm to .50 BMG
  3. 01:34Handgun Test: 9mm & .45 ACP vs Hydrant
  4. 03:02.44 Magnum Revolver Test
  5. 03:5412 Gauge Shotgun Slug Penetration
  6. 05:40Rifle Test: 5.56mm, .450 Bushmaster, .30-06
  7. 08:58.50 BMG Standard Round Test
  8. 10:49.50 BMG API Round Test & Conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions

What calibers were tested against the fire hydrant?

The test included 9mm FMJ, .45 ACP, .44 Magnum, 12 gauge slug, 5.56mm Green Tip, .450 Bushmaster, .30-06, and two types of .50 BMG rounds (standard and API).

Did the .50 BMG sniper rifle penetrate the fire hydrant?

Surprisingly, neither the standard .50 BMG round nor the .50 BMG Armor Piercing Incendiary (API) round fully penetrated the cast iron fire hydrant, although they caused significant cracking and damage.

Which firearm successfully penetrated the fire hydrant's first wall?

The 12 gauge shotgun slug, the 5.56mm, .450 Bushmaster, and .30-06 rifle rounds all penetrated the first wall of the hydrant. However, none of these rounds fully exited the hydrant.

What was the effect of handgun rounds on the fire hydrant?

9mm and .45 ACP rounds had minimal effect, only managing to chip the paint on the hydrant's surface and fragment upon impact. The .44 Magnum cracked a raised letter but did not penetrate.

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