Ballistic gel

[lpreddick]

If you want to see the terminal ballistics of your bullet this material is It! Midway has a huge block of the clear gel at half price...$102. Varmint/game hunters can see just how effective the various bullets are and decide which plastic tipped ones really deliver. With a really sharp knife you can slice this block into smaller units. A note here: the slicing leaves a lot of irregular markings on the gel. Take a propane or MAP torch and very lightly run the flame over the cut surface and the gel melts and will smooth out if your block is level. The gel will flame if you torch too much, so a gentle back and forth will do it. After shooting, you can cut/tear the gel apart to remove bullet fragments and stained gel, then melt either on stove top or oven, then pour into a mold. Instruction in this regard come with the gel. I am currently looking for molds that are straight sided, 4-5" square on ends and 8-10 inches long. The gel doesn't stick to glass and aluminum and putting a little oil or non stick spray makes removal easy. If anybody knows of such molds, I appreciate a response.

 

[Ringostar]

I have a possible idea for you. I worked in commercial glass business for over 30 years. You can check with a glass company (that installs commercial windows) in your area. They have aluminum extrusions in various sizes. One being 4 1/2" square, it would be 4 1/4" inside. They can cut it to the length that you want, then cut another piece for an end cap. Or they can cut pieces of glass to build a box to the size that you want. The pieces can be glued together at the corners to assemble the box.

 

[Toolbreaker]

If anybody knows of such molds, I appreciate a response.

Look at breadpans at your local store. That size sounds about right. I'd guess them to be aluminum, also.

 

[Cloudrepair]

Look at breadpans at your local store. That size sounds about right. I'd guess them to be aluminum, also.

This ^^^

 

[lpreddick]

Look at breadpans at your local store. That size sounds about right. I'd guess them to be aluminum, also.

I used a breadpan I had and it worked, but it was not thick enough, long but thin. I'm going to a baking equipment store to look for deeper one's. Thanks.

 

[Big Mc]

If you want to see the terminal ballistics of your bullet this material is It! Midway has a huge block of the clear gel at half price...$102. Varmint/game hunters can see just how effective the various bullets are and decide which plastic tipped ones really deliver. With a really sharp knife you can slice this block into smaller units. A note here: the slicing leaves a lot of irregular markings on the gel. Take a propane or MAP torch and very lightly run the flame over the cut surface and the gel melts and will smooth out if your block is level. The gel will flame if you torch too much, so a gentle back and forth will do it. After shooting, you can cut/tear the gel apart to remove bullet fragments and stained gel, then melt either on stove top or oven, then pour into a mold. Instruction in this regard come with the gel. I am currently looking for molds that are straight sided, 4-5" square on ends and 8-10 inches long. The gel doesn't stick to glass and aluminum and putting a little oil or non stick spray makes removal easy. If anybody knows of such molds, I appreciate a response.

Go to a FEDX depot. there tubes are 4X4X4. You can get all you want. Tommy Mc

 

[lpreddick]

I found what I was looking for in stainless steel. Steam table pans from a restaurant supply store. They come in various sizes and I got two, 6" deep about 5"wide and about 8" long, which is a little longer than the original block. If you do this, you have to cut/tear the gel apart picking out lead and jacket pieces as well as any stained gel as this will cloud the gel.

 

[lpreddick]

I found what I was looking for in stainless steel. Steam table pans from a restaurant supply store. They come in various sizes and I got two, 6" deep about 5"wide and about 8" long, which is a little longer than the original block. If you do this, you have to cut/tear the gel apart picking out lead and jacket pieces as well as any stained gel as this will cloud the gel.

I just recycled my second gel block with the above mentioned pans/molds. The cloudy sides come clear after slightly heating with a MAP torch.