From: arno@utu.fi (Arno Hahma)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re: I Shot A Hole In My Wall
Date: 19 Apr 1995 11:07:15 -0400

In article <3mkl2a$20r@xring.cs.umd.edu>, Jf Cacas <jmcacas@ucdavis.edu> wrote:

#Yup, it finally happened. A careless mistake, that will NEVER happen
#again. I shot a hole in my wall with a Federal 180gr .40S&W HydraShok JHP
#from my Glock 22. Go ahead, laugh away, flame away, I deserve it. E-Mail

#	[MODERATOR:  No, no flames please.  Why don't you tell us the
#	 circumstances so we can see if there is something for us to learn

Ok, no flames. I also shot a hole into my wall. Here's the story:

I was installing a support for my reloading press and had to drill into
very hard concrete. One of the holes really didn't get any deeper with
my too small masonry drill. I got an idea...

I took a .357 half jacketed bullet and drilled an 8 mm hole into it
down to the base removing most of the lead. Then I took 20 mm piece of
8 mm diameter carbon steel and the drill and filed one end
of the rod into a sharp cone.  Then I tempered the spike (heat it red
and drop into water).  Next, I inserted it into the bullet and the
resulting "armor piercing bullet" into a hot .357 maximum catridge.

Then I took my T/C and loaded it with that round. As I have a muzzle
brake, I was able to place the barrel right at the location where the
predrilled hole was, against the wall. Fire! Huge boom, but it worked!

I got a nice, deep hole in the concrete, although the steel bar was at
the bottom of it and it was more than deep enough for a bolt to fit
in.  I did have a couple of cm of predrilled hole though.

The shot also created a huge shower of sparks out of the spot of impact
- just like in the movies. Cool looking, but not exactly very safe...
Also, it cracked the concrete somewhat, not recommended for plastered
walls ;) ;) ;).

Otherwise it was a nice method, but the noise was just horrendous in a
basement room with all concrete walls and ceiling; to my great surprise
nobody in the house didn't notice anything or at least they didn't
wonder what the noise was. I also got a rain of dust in there after the
shot <cough,cough>; not good for living room or kitchen
mountings either ;).

ArNO
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