How deep is deep?

Greg Ellifritz drops some knowledge bombs regarding terminal ballistics:

Many people see that a bullet penetrates 16″ in gelatin and they say “that’s too deep.” The average human body isn’t that thick. People start thinking a round that penetrates 16″ will drill right through the bad guy and then endanger any innocent person standing behind him. That’s not how it works.

A few years ago ago, I participated in a ballistic laboratory of a different sort at the Paul-E-Palooza Memorial Training Conference. Instead of shooting gelatin, we shot (dead) pigs instead. It gave us the ability to actually see how bullets performed in real flesh and bone.

As the saying goes, "I seen't it!"

Gel testing, especially with Real Clear Ballistics clear gel, can tell you a lot, but you have to know what can and can't be read from those tea leaves.

.