The second test series sent 55 grain Sierra Blitzkings toward the board at 3800 feet per second.  The Blitzking being a tipped varmint bullet, this should have represented the epitome of frangibility.  The first recordable strike landed six feet in front of the target board, throwing two major fragments up a an angle of 4 degrees to the ground.  Both penetrated the plywood with ease.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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                                                                                                                                     In fact both continued through a second backing of 3/4 inch thick pressboard as well, showing they had retained significant velocity after the strike.  This makes it much more difficult to make an educated guess at fragment velocity.  The smaller fragment, which may have weighed well under 20 grains would have no doubt need 1500 fps or more to accomplish this.  Complete penetration of the 3/4 inch plywood was produced on four out of five recordable shots with the 55 grain Blitzkings, with two out of five producing penetration of both sheets of wood.   Penetration of only one sheet allowed the collection of bullet fragments from one of the shots.  This shot produced a basic jacket-core separation with 25 grains of core lead and the 11.5 grain jacket penetrating only a single piece of 3/4 inch plywood.   A trend toward two major fragments was apparent.  Other fragments tended to be tiny and insignificant.  The velocity of these two major pieces seemed to vary greatly from shot to shot.  I had expected a more complete fragmentation with these.

 

 

 

 

 

 Ground strike fragmentation of this 55 gn Sierra Blitz King  produced a                                             basic jacket-core separation with 66% of weight retained in two major fragments.                                    I had expected a somewhat more complete fragmentation with frangibles.