How Many Paper Plates Does it Take to Stop a Bullet?

Published on October 29, 2025
Duration: 1:25

This experiment tests the penetration power of various calibers through 500 stacked paper plates. Results show a significant difference in stopping power, with smaller calibers like .22 LR penetrating fewer plates than larger rifle rounds. The .50 BMG round, in particular, demonstrated extreme penetration, going through all plates and heavily damaging the target.

Quick Summary

In a ballistic test, a 9mm round penetrated 232 paper plates, a .45 ACP penetrated 200, and a .223 from an AR-15 penetrated 414. The .50 BMG round went through all 500 plates, demonstrating extreme penetration power.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Experiment Overview: Paper Plates vs Bullets
  2. 00:10.22 Caliber Penetration Test
  3. 00:169mm Caliber Penetration Test
  4. 00:25.45 ACP Caliber Penetration Test
  5. 00:34.50 AE Caliber Penetration Test
  6. 00:45.223 Caliber (AR-15) Penetration Test
  7. 00:56.308 Caliber (SCAR) Penetration Test
  8. 01:08.50 BMG Caliber Penetration Test

Frequently Asked Questions

How many paper plates can a 9mm bullet penetrate?

In this experiment, a 9mm round penetrated 232 stacked paper plates. This demonstrates the significant penetration power of common handgun ammunition through a soft, layered material.

What is the penetration difference between .45 ACP and 9mm through paper plates?

The .45 ACP round penetrated 200 paper plates, while the 9mm round penetrated 232 plates. This suggests that, in this specific test medium, the 9mm had slightly more penetration power than the .45 ACP.

Can an AR-15 (.223 caliber) penetrate 500 paper plates?

Yes, a .223 caliber round fired from an AR-15 penetrated 414 paper plates, coming close to the 500-plate stack. This highlights the increased power of rifle cartridges compared to handgun rounds.

Which caliber demonstrated the most penetration power in the paper plate test?

The .50 BMG caliber round showed the most penetration power, completely passing through all 500 paper plates and causing significant damage to the mannequin target. The .308 and .223 rounds also demonstrated high penetration.

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