Will a .40 S&W Penetrate Tempered Glass?

Yes — defeats a 6 mm tempered glass barrier
Penetration depth
13 mm (0.5″)
Impact velocity
300 m/s (984 fps)
Muzzle energy
527 J (388 ft-lb)
Bullet behaviour
Intact

Fired at the muzzle, a representative .40 S&W load (11.7 g, FMJ, 300 m/s) reaches roughly 13 mm (0.5 inches) into tempered glass. That is enough to defeat a typical barrier of this material — treat anything behind it as exposed.

About Tempered Glass

Tempered and automotive glass runs about 6 mm thick.

.40 S&W against other materials

MaterialDepth (mm)Depth (in)
Red Brick59 mm2.3″
Concrete31 mm1.2″
Steel A361 mm0.0″
Steel AR5001 mm0.0″
Aluminum 60618 mm0.3″
Run your own numbers in the calculator →

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