Gary
The nail was just a bonus. I used 450 grains at about 150 feet. I was quite surprised at how far the ball went into the wood. It would be interesting to know how many fps one could expect.
Spuddy, We sure would love to run some tests to see what the actual velocity measured in feet per second is with various charges, but Mike is worried that we will have a few balls go out "flat", (no spin) and therefore have all kinds of wild oscillation which could endanger his Chronograph. If we ever get time, we'll build a heavy steel deflector with angle iron legs to shield the sensors. Pretty good penetration for 150 feet!
Frank, I get a kink in my neck every time I think about wearing the old steel pot! Coincidental and providential, you bet!! I will suggest that he get a flak jacket to protect his rear the next time. A while back, did you say there was a big gun at P.S. 95 or nearby?
Think sabots and steel balls,
Tracy and Mike
Steel balls might bounce back from a hard surface too.
Anyone whose been hit in the forehead by a BB rebounding from a hubcap on an old lady's 57 Chevy can tell you that 
Victor, Steel balls and sabots should be used only upon targets which can be penetrated, not steel plates, rocks, large, tough trees, etc. Bounce back from unyielding objects can be very dangerous. My youthful inexperience led me to: 1) Fire my large slingshot with 1/4" steel balls at my grandfather's 3 foot diameter cherry tree from 20 feet. I was so stupid back then I had to be whacked twice by bounced back balls before I stopped!! As for that cherry tree, I wasn't done yet.
2) I didn't fare any better when I whipped out my single-six pellet gun. Aiming very carefully at the clothesline wrapped around that monster tree-truck, I let fly. Striking just a hair above the line, that 22 cal pellet rebounded nicely and got me right between the eyes!! Boy that stung......enough of cherry trees.
Cannons, finally, 3) The boredom of junior high school was relieved quite a bit when my friends and I discovered shooting. Not too subtle on that seque from "cannons" to projectile bounce back. Finally, the third example of projectile rebound which didn't kill me, but could have, was my first and last experience using the wrong size ammunition in a revolver. A friend came up with a small, borrowed, revolver. Marked 32 S&W Long, we bought a box of ammo at the local sporting goods shop. Try to do that today at 13 years old! Unfortunately for us, we believed the clerk when he said, “Don’t worry, these 32 Colt cartridges will fit your gun.” Yea, right! Well, actually they did fit the chambers, but it was a loosey-goosey, RATTLE FIT.
Remember, we were young and very ignorant, so out to the field we go. Being mid-January, we chopped out a big piece of our favorite target, snow crust, and put it against the trunk of a huge old oak tree. Shooting from about 25 feet, we smashed several of our frozen targets. When it was my turn, I took careful aim and Blam…..Twang…..Yeeoow!! The rebound of that bullet smacked me right on the shin and really smarted. We went up to investigate. Not one round had penetrated that tough oak tree! A combination of youthful ignorance, bulged and split brass releasing pressure, before bullet movement, and a very solid oak tree with frozen sap in the cambium layer led to this near-serious accident. I was lucky as I limped home and I remembered not to limp as I went through the kitchen where my mother was sifting flour.
Regards,
Tracy and Mike
