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″
Run your own numbers in the calculator →

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