Will a 5.56 NATO Penetrate Red Brick?

Yes — defeats a 90 mm red brick barrier
Penetration depth
193 mm (7.6″)
Impact velocity
920 m/s (3018 fps)
Muzzle energy
1693 J (1249 ft-lb)
Bullet behaviour
Intact

Fired at the muzzle, a representative 5.56 NATO load (4 g, FMJ, 920 m/s) reaches roughly 193 mm (7.6 inches) into red brick. That is enough to defeat a typical barrier of this material — treat anything behind it as exposed.

About Red Brick

A single wythe of red brick (~90 mm) is typical of older exterior walls.

5.56 NATO against other materials

MaterialDepth (mm)Depth (in)
Concrete175 mm6.9″
Tempered Glass29 mm1.1″
Steel A3614 mm0.6″
Steel AR5008 mm0.3″
Aluminum 606126 mm1.0″
Run your own numbers in the calculator →

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