Will a .223 Remington Penetrate Compacted Earth?

No — stops inside compacted earth (reaches 104 mm of a 200 mm barrier)
Penetration depth
104 mm (4.1″)
Impact velocity
990 m/s (3248 fps)
Muzzle energy
1764 J (1301 ft-lb)
Bullet behaviour
Intact

Fired at the muzzle, a representative .223 Remington load (3.6 g, FMJ, 990 m/s) reaches roughly 104 mm (4.1 inches) into compacted earth. It loses its energy before defeating a typical barrier of this material.

About Compacted Earth

Compacted earth (~200 mm), as in a backstop berm.

.223 Remington against other materials

MaterialDepth (mm)Depth (in)
Red Brick176 mm6.9″
Concrete171 mm6.7″
Tempered Glass26 mm1.0″
Steel A3613 mm0.5″
Steel AR5008 mm0.3″
Run your own numbers in the calculator →

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