Will a 9mm Luger Penetrate Steel A36?

No — stops inside steel a36 (reaches 3 mm of a 6 mm barrier)
Penetration depth
3 mm (0.1″)
Impact velocity
360 m/s (1181 fps)
Muzzle energy
518 J (382 ft-lb)
Bullet behaviour
Intact

Fired at the muzzle, a representative 9mm Luger load (8 g, FMJ, 360 m/s) reaches roughly 3 mm (0.1 inches) into steel a36. It loses its energy before defeating a typical barrier of this material.

About Steel A36

Mild structural steel plate (~6 mm); car bodies are far thinner (~1 mm).

9mm Luger against other materials

MaterialDepth (mm)Depth (in)
Red Brick70 mm2.7″
Concrete38 mm1.5″
Tempered Glass16 mm0.6″
Steel AR5001 mm0.0″
Aluminum 606110 mm0.4″
See exactly what 9mm Luger does to Steel A36 — open in the calculator →

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