how many tennis balls does it take to stop a bullet?

Published on January 27, 2017
Duration: 5:40

This video demonstrates the ballistic penetration capabilities of tennis balls against two common firearm calibers. Using a Glock 17 with 9mm 115-grain Full Metal Jacket ammunition, it took approximately 11 tennis balls to stop the projectile. When tested with a .22 Long Rifle, around 4-5 tennis balls were sufficient. The experiment highlights the varying effectiveness of soft barriers against different projectile types and energies.

Quick Summary

It took approximately 11 tennis balls to stop a 9mm 115-grain Full Metal Jacket bullet. For a .22 Long Rifle projectile, around 4 to 5 tennis balls were sufficient to halt its trajectory.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction and Setup
  2. 00:449mm Test Setup
  3. 01:149mm Test Results
  4. 02:43.22 Long Rifle Test Setup
  5. 03:27.22 Long Rifle Test Results
  6. 04:07Conclusion and Summary
  7. 04:24Outro and Engagement

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tennis balls does it take to stop a 9mm bullet?

In this test, approximately 11 tennis balls were required to stop a 9mm 115-grain Full Metal Jacket projectile. The bullet passed through multiple balls before being fully arrested.

What about a .22 Long Rifle? How many tennis balls stop that?

A .22 Long Rifle projectile, estimated to be 40 grains, was stopped by around 4 to 5 tennis balls in this experiment. The smaller caliber required significantly less material to be halted.

What type of ammunition was used in the tennis ball test?

The test utilized a 9mm 115-grain Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) round and a .22 Long Rifle round, estimated to be 40 grains. These are common types of ammunition for self-defense and recreational shooting.

Was the experiment with tennis balls and bullets scientifically accurate?

The experiment aimed to provide an approximate answer, with the presenter noting that the results are not 100% accurate. Factors like bullet trajectory and the exact density of the tennis balls can influence the outcome.

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