10 Things That Will Stop a Bullet and 25 Things That Won’t

To be truthful we are generalizing some for the purpose of simplicity. Here are some disclaimers before we dive in:

  1. Different firearms and calibers of bullets have unique stopping power and potential for penetration depending on their velocity and construction. There is a big difference between a 9mm handgun and an AR-15
  2. Some bullets for example are jacketed, meaning they are encased in a shell of a harder metal (generally a steel alloy), where as non-jacketed ammunition tends to be a softer lead
  3. Items in our list are also generalized since there are different types and widths of trees, furniture, walls, etc
  4. Also we have to consider that even some things that would stop a single shot may not be able to withstand multiple shots
  5. While some things wouldn’t fully STOP a bullet, they may slow it down significantly enough to make it far less lethal than a direct shot

All that disclaimer aside I think this list is at least directional in giving you some sense between what could be truly considered as cover and what is simply concealment at best.

Stopping power balistics gel

Things that are NOT likely to fully stop a bullet:

  1. The body of a car
  2. Human bodies
  3. A sofa
  4. A dresser
  5. Car windows or windshield
  6. Kitchen cabinets
  7. Computer tower
  8. Tablets and smartphones
  9. Laptop
  10. Wallet
  11. Phone book or text book
  12. Badge
  13. Exterior or interior wood door
  14. Can of soup
  15. Ceramic Tile
  16. Microwave
  17. Wood frame walls (most homes)
  18. Brick walls
  19. Thick winter clothing and coat
  20. Thick knife or sword
  21. A watch
  22. Coffee Table
  23. Kitchen Table
  24. Furnace
  25. Metal Door

Things that ARE likely to stop a bullet:

  1. Concrete: Wall, floor, etc
  2. The Engine block of a vehicle
  3. A thick tree (how thick? that depends on the bullet)
  4. 4 Sand Bags
  5. 24 inches of dirt
  6. Refrigerator
  7. Oven
  8. 18 inches of water
  9. Most gun safes
  10. Water Heater (full of water)
Ok, I’m ready for your comments…. Did I miss anything worth mentioning that will stop a bullet? Anywhere you think I over generalized?

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