{"id":13874,"date":"2023-12-25T05:17:26","date_gmt":"2023-12-25T05:17:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/?p=13874"},"modified":"2023-12-25T05:23:50","modified_gmt":"2023-12-25T05:23:50","slug":"mythbusting-cell-phone-stop-a-bullet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wideners.com\/blog\/mythbusting-cell-phone-stop-a-bullet\/","title":{"rendered":"Mythbusting: Cell Phone Stop A Bullet?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Guest Writer: Kenzie Fitzpatrick<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

There’s a brutal difference between fact and fiction. The things we see in the entertainment industry may look cool on screen but have no basis in reality. For example, in Hitchcock’s The<\/em> 39 Steps<\/em>, Richard Hannay’s (Robert Donat) life is saved when a hymnal in his pocket<\/a> stops an assassin’s bullet. This popular trope has been used<\/a>\u00a0and reused<\/a> many times over the years with a variety of objects<\/a> all conveniently being able to stop a bullet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, in the real world, we’ve all seen reports of shootings occurring in public locations. Many of which have been designated as “gun-free zones<\/a>.” Fortunately for some, nearby objects and personal effects<\/a> have prevented bullets from impacting their intended target. One of the personal items commonly reported on in these situations is the cell phone<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Will a cell phone stop a bullet? The team here at Widener\u2019s decided to test this myth, take a look at what we discovered below.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why A Cell Phone?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"a

Almost everyone these days carries a cell phone in a pocket, a purse, or in a bag on their person.<\/p><\/div>\n

Everyone you know has a cell phone, and most people carry them on their person. Looking at modern cell phones, they certainly seem capable of stopping a bullet, based on their size, weight, and construction.\u00a0 They come in a variety of sizes, and materials, including plastic, glass, and metal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Before reading on, what are your hypotheses? Do you think common handgun calibers are capable of shooting through a cell phone? Or, do you think cell phones, like the iPhone or Android can stop a bullet? If these phones are penetrable, what kind of damage do you think will occur? Can’t decide? Take a look at our testing parameters below.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Testing Parameters<\/b><\/h3>\n

When we began researching the most common handgun calibers<\/a> people carry, it became obvious what ammunition we had to use for the test. It should be no surprise that 9mm, .45 ACP, and .22LR topped the list. Even though .22LR is a rimfire cartridge, and is popular with rifle owners, there are quite a few semi-auto pistols, and revolvers chambered in it as well. Most handguns chambered in .22lr are compact in size, making them easy to conceal while carrying.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ammunition Used In Our Testing:<\/strong><\/h4>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Caliber<\/th>\nBullet Type<\/th>\nBullet Weight<\/th>\nVelocity (Muzzle)<\/th>\nEnergy (Muzzle)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
.22LR<\/td>\nLRN<\/td>\n40gr<\/td>\n1,200 FPS<\/td>\n128 FT LBS<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9mm<\/td>\nFMJ<\/td>\n115gr<\/td>\n1,180 FPS<\/td>\n356 FT LBS<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
.45 ACP<\/td>\nFMJ<\/td>\n230gr<\/td>\n890 FPS<\/td>\n404 FT LBS<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n

Cell Phones Used In Our Testing:<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Another variable we decided to include in our test is comparing Android vs. iPhone. With the popularity of both cell phones, there was no way we could perform this test without pitting them against each other. Phone number one in our test is the iPhone 4. It has a thickness of 9.4 millimeters (0.37″). Phone number two is the Android Fire phone. It has a thickness of 8.9 millimeters (0.35″).<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n
Cell Phone<\/th>\nOS<\/th>\nSize<\/th>\nWeight<\/th>\nFeatures<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
iPhone 4<\/td>\nIOS (Apple)<\/td>\n4.5×2.3×0.37<\/td>\n4.8oz<\/td>\nGorilla Glass\/Stainless Frame<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fire Phone<\/td>\nAndroid<\/td>\n5.4×2.6×0.35<\/td>\n5.4oz<\/td>\nGorilla Glass\/Aluminum Frame<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n

Why did we choose these two cell phones? The iPhone 4 is among the thickest iPhone models that Apple has produced to date. The Android Fire phone is only slightly thinner and has a reputation for being a tough phone to crack. Both phones feature hardened glass on the front\/back, the iPhone 4 has a stainless steel casing, while the Android Fire phone<\/a> features an aluminum casing covered in high-impact rubber.<\/span><\/p>\n

You Big Dummy!<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"a

We placed the cell phones on the ballistic dummy and shot them from a distance of 45′ (15 yards).<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

To make the test as realistic as possible, we used a <\/span>Ballistic Dummy Lab Torso<\/span><\/a> to attach the cell phones to. We wanted to know, could a cell phone stop a bullet? If not, what would the impact would be on a human being after it penetrated the phone? I\u2019ve personally shot through windshields, concealment barriers, tires, locks, and deadbolts<\/a> and have collected data on what happens once the bullet makes an impact. Many times the bullet will deflect or take a non-linear path once it impacts something.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The average distance<\/a> a shooting with a handgun takes place is somewhere around 6-10′ (2-3 yards). For safety reasons, we knew we didn’t want to shoot the cell phones any closer than 30′ (10 yards). After reviewing some data about drive-by shootings, and shootings in commercial buildings, we decided to shoot the cell phones from a distance of 45′ (15 yards). We did this using a bag rest on a bench, with each handgun fired at the same distance, with sights aimed at the front surface of the cell phones.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cell Phone Stop A Bullet? A Hypothesis\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
\"a

Ammunition used in our testing, from left to right: 7.62x39mm, .45 ACP, 9x19mm, and .22LR.<\/p><\/div>\n

To understand my hypothesis, you’ll need to understand my background. I’ve had my concealed carry gun permit since legal age, and I\u2019ve carried a gun almost every day of my life. Shortly after I got my permit, I began taking instructor courses to teach handgun classes and eventually began instructing. I\u2019ve been instructing new permit holders and teaching handgun classes for a decade. <\/span><\/p>\n

During this time, not once, have I carried, or recommended anyone else carry a .22LR pistol for self-defense. The stopping power is not enough to be a good self-defensive round. On top of that, rimfire ammo isn’t the most consistent, it’s more prone to jam or cause malfunctions. Now that’s out of the way, let’s move on to the important stuff.<\/span><\/p>\n

Caliber Performance<\/strong><\/h4>\n

My hypothesis is that the .22LR will penetrate the phone, causing at least surface-level damage. The damage will be from fragments moving outward rather than from deeply penetrating the Ballistic Dummy Lab torso. With such a small projectile, I don\u2019t expect the .22LR to have any real stopping power (on a human being) once it impacts the cell phones. With not much difference between the thickness of an Android and iPhone, I don\u2019t expect either phone to be operable after being shot with a .22LR.<\/span><\/p>\n

As someone who’s shot thousands of 9mm rounds in the last decade, a hypothesis of what will happen to the phones is easy to make. I assume the 9mm will make easy work of both cell phones and penetrate through both. I’ve seen 9mm do some crazy things once impacting a barrier. I believe a full metal jacket will pass through the phone, potentially entering the dummy torso, but I estimate the impact will slow it down significantly.<\/span><\/p>\n

When it comes to 45 ACP, there\u2019s really no betting against this caliber to fail. After all, it helped win two World Wars<\/a>, and the stopping power of a 45 ACP just can\u2019t be beaten. This caliber will make quick work of the cell phones and cause some damage to the Ballistic Dummy Lab torso. Because it\u2019s a full metal jacket, I assume it will penetrate through the phones and continue on through our dummy. Because the muzzle velocity of 45 ACP is much slower than the 9mm, even though the sizes are much different, I expect it will perform similarly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Data Collection<\/b><\/h3>\n

When it comes to data collection and testing, we wanted to cover our bases. First was whether or not a cell phone would stop a bullet. Second was the rate of failure for both the iPhone and Android and to see if either one was better than the other. The Third was to see how far the bullet penetrated the phone, and how far into the Ballistic Dummy Lab torso the bullet or fragments would go.<\/span><\/p>\n

We recorded all of the test shots using a high-speed camera to see the maximum damage to the phones and torso. We also recorded the shots with high-resolution cameras so we could compare the playback and results. After each shot, we went downrange to inspect our cell phones and took measurements, to determine the effects on the ballistic torso. Doing this allowed us to capture the data to make it comparable for each caliber and phone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Will A Cell Phone Stop A Bullet?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Will a cell phone stop a bullet? What do you think? Take a look at our video in the link below to see if this popular myth is real, or busted:<\/span><\/p>\n