Is this video fake???

C

calbearz

New member
So I found this crazy video on youtube.com where they claim to blow up a watermelon with a bullet going 4700 fps, is this even possible? Do you think they put explosives in the melon? I found a video of someone blowing up a melon with dynamite and the bullet one looks even more "exploded" if that's a word.

Claimed bullet on melon


Half stick of Dynamite on melon


See what you think, I think the first one is fake, but I could be wrong. I just figured people here know more about what a bullet can do that I do.

Thanks,
 
Dont know, but testing on a watermelon doesnt tell you anything. Same reason water jugs are fun to shoot with pretty much anything, they explode. You cant compress water.
 
There's no doubt in my mind that the "bullet on melon" video is real. I've done the same thing with my 25-06 and a 75gr V-Max at 3700 fps M.V.

An average watermelon is 91% water. Compare the impact with a gallon jug of water and see how much of it is left after the same kind of impact. You'll be lucky to find any piece of the water jug.

I see this is your first post. Welcome to the forums.
 
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Originally Posted By: NdIndySame reason water jugs are fun to shoot with pretty much anything, they explode. You cant compress water.

Thats the reason Im a pro Milk Jug hunter.
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I quite enjoy running around town and asking supermarkets for expired melons. But Milk Jugs are easier to come by.


No thats real, I cant quite make that explosion with my .223 Rem But the .22-250 shooting 42 grain Calhoon Double Hollowpoint near max loads will do that.
 
Thanks for all the great info, I have to say I'm impressed. I found a bunch more youtube videos of watermelons getting shot, and your right they really come apart. Most seem to make more big chunks, is that because they are slower bullets. I mostly shoot 22LR so these hyper speeds just seem crazy.

You said blowing up a watermelon is not that hard to do, so what would be are real test to show what a bullet can really do? Or are all fast bullets about the same?

Thanks for the welcome! I've read this forum a little before, but this video just made me want to get another opinion.
 
Every year (thanks, Dave!) a fellow brings out a Dodge pickup of unsold squash and melons and watermelons from a local fruit market for us at the local range to have some fun with. So far, the whupass king has been my hot loaded .220 Swift with either 40 grain Vmax or 40 grain Ballistic tip bullets. These are hot loads out of my 28" barrel (4700 FPS from my chronograph) and we were shooting them at 100 yard downrange. Shot them buggers with everything my .22 rimfires (boooooring!) to my .458 Winchester magnum. Best blowerupers were Dave's 22/250 AI and the Swift. When you got a combo of massive hydraulic shock combined with equally massive hydrostatic shock there aint veggies ever make that will stand up to them.

Going to bring some more this fall, Dave? I will help you load them and set them out. Shooting them is way fun. Just stand back far enough so that you don't get the acidic watermelon juice all over yourself and your guns.
 
Originally Posted By: calbearzThanks for all the great info, I have to say I'm impressed. I found a bunch more youtube videos of watermelons getting shot, and your right they really come apart. Most seem to make more big chunks, is that because they are slower bullets. I mostly shoot 22LR so these hyper speeds just seem crazy.

You said blowing up a watermelon is not that hard to do, so what would be are real test to show what a bullet can really do? Or are all fast bullets about the same?

Thanks for the welcome! I've read this forum a little before, but this video just made me want to get another opinion.

It's not just the speed of the bullet. It's a combination of many factors. Comparably, a 22LR is slow and doesn't have much terminal energy. These shots are being made by very high velocity rounds with varmint bullets that are constructed to violently fragment on impact.

There is no "one test" that can show "what a bullet can do". There are many different types of bullets and they are designed for many different jobs.

Target bullets are designed very precisely to be streamlined, balanced and consistent.
Varmint bullets, as stated before, are designed to fragment when contacting anything. This helps to minimize ricochets and increases safety.
Bullets designed for hunting small to medium game are medium sized and constructed to remain in one piece to minimize tissue damage and to mushroom reliably traversing the vital organs of game.
Heavier game bullets, used for Elk, Moose & Big Bears are of more sturdy construction for penetrating strong muscle and bone.
Dangerous game bullets, and cartridges, are much larger and designed to penetrate through many feet of strong muscle and bone and reach the vital organs from any angle.

There are so many variables, this topic could go on for months and never run out of comments.
 
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I believe the video is correct. I shot a jackrabbit once that would have made a great ad for Nosler BT bullets. You just had to be there.
 
Like yotehunter said, there are so many variables its not funny. The best test of what a type of bullet can do is to actually use the bullet on live game. But even then there are so many variables... Shot placement, distance etc

But shooting onto any water base can at best show you how tough the bullet is. Look at mythbusters testing, if you take it at face value a 9mm luger works better than the 50bmg. For lots of fun i like to line up water jugs and see how many i can blow up with a single shot. A frangible bullet may only do 1 or 2, a tough hunting bullet may take 5 or 6. All i know for sure is my 44 mag at 25 yards makes me wet
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But the exact same round in a pumpkin just punches some pretty ugly holes. I had a half dozen leftovers a few year ago. Fun to shoot but since theyre not full of water not nearly as impressive.



 
If you want to do a reasonably valid test on bullet effects, hang up a side of beef and do your shot placements in various parts of muscle density and bone position...

Melons and similar media are great for creating impressive displays, but offer very little in the way of actual performance....
 
Who can afford to shoot at a side of beef in today's economy? Melons and expired fruits are much cheaper. I understand that it's more like human flesh for bullet testing but DANG, that's expensive testing old turtle!!!
 
Near the end of the video the narrator claimed the bullet @4700 eliminated barrel wear. The WSSM uses around 20gr more powder and I'd think it wouldn't take very long to cook a barrel.
 
The ammo company claims that the 4700 fps ammo they have for the .223 WSSM "eliminates the barrel wear that has plagued high-speed cartridges in the past"...

Now, how is that? I thought the faster the bullet, the more throat erosion there is...??

~Barry
 
I've had violent explosions like that on various objects I've shot with different caliber/bullet combinations. There's nothing wrong with the video.
 


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