# Can Piercing Power



## jazz (May 15, 2012)

Hi all,

When (and if) you go after piercing a coke, beer or other similar can I would like to know couple of things:

-- What band setup you use:

-- What type of ammo you use:

-- What size or weight or both you use:

-- What is the farthest distance from which you can do it with the above setup:

I ask this because something seems to be wrong with me: I either underpower or overpower the sling..

thanks,

jazz


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand (Jan 28, 2013)

Cool look at my signature block and if you can draw my bands to 550 % using my 22 mm to 16 mm taper.

At double TBG, rather than the triple I use.
Then shot 20-25 mm bolt shaft cuts.
You will easily penetrate smash through any aluminium can; and most likely at least one side of any steel can flattened, and most likely both sides if not flattened.

Cheers Allan


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## squirrel squasher (May 17, 2013)

I cut a can In Half with four shots. I used 1/2inch bolt cutoffs , but the bands were not strong enough for distance. You might need double theraband gold, or some kind of taper


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## squirrel squasher (May 17, 2013)

Allan posted right before me with the same info haha


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand (Jan 28, 2013)

Oh distance wise, with my setups, from 20 meters easily.

Cheers Allan


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## DaveSteve (May 16, 2012)

I watched a video that shows that technique plays also a role in power.

Saying; The same equipment can show different results by different shooter.


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

A simple straight 3/4" cut of TBG stretched to 500% and some 3/8" steel should go right on through a pop can at 10m.


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand (Jan 28, 2013)

It is kind of like not funny but to get past 8.5 meters, I have to out my front gate on an ever so slight angle.

Although our Soi (street) is only 40 meters dead end to river Kwaii, at ex- husband's home, and still half owner of all the homes in the street. And all our neighbours know my accuracy and strength of my bands, they all still worry about the "what if's". Which here I have to respect. Therefore, my times shooting, 10 15, 20, 25 to 30 meters; are very limited.

Although, if I wanted, I am certain i could cut a can in half from 30 meters also.

Cheers Allan


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand (Jan 28, 2013)

Ah, joke.

Could also do it with my BB pistol, or super dooper souped up airsoft 6mm airsoft, shooting steel BB's; from ex- husbands home.
So I guess 35 meters around abouts. As ex-husband ex paramilitary border police, and had his share of firefights with Burmese Army; hence we get along great.
But the amount of CO2 for.177, or even 6mm, would be staggering.

Although me with a pistol on the Soi, would freak out the neighbours even more than occasionally seeing me shoot inside my property.

Cheers Allan


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## squirrel squasher (May 17, 2013)

But should double band work? With a taper? I just think my ties are going to suck and end up snapping with all of that force


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand (Jan 28, 2013)

I doubt it squirrel squasher, when mine occasionally snap, it is only one band at a time (latex of course).

So not the disaster of both (using doubled .04 latex), or in my case when using triple TBG all three snapping at once.

Cheers Allan


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## All Buns Glazing (Apr 22, 2012)

Anyone saying you need double bands to penetrate a beer can has been emptying too many beer cans into their mouth 

I shoot single TBG bands, 20mm - 15mm tapers at 18cm long. This passes through a can with no effort (even with a 3 second hold ) This is relevant up to 15 meters.

I'd be surprised if 10mm straight cut TBG stretched to 500% wouldn't penetrate a coke can with 3/8th steel from 10 meters.


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand (Jan 28, 2013)

Hey buns huge difference between aluminum can, and a steel can I was speaking of specifically.

My appologies if I was misunderstood, but ANY can I speak is a steel can type.

If aluminium, I will specifically say coke/soda can type, all times in the future, okay.

Cheers Allan


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## All Buns Glazing (Apr 22, 2012)

jazz said:


> Hi all,
> 
> When (and if) you go after piercing a coke, beer or other similar can I would like to know couple of things:


Read the OP, you must


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

I've put everything from 1/4" steel up to 1/2" lead through cans with fairly typical bands in the 15-25mm range of TB black or gold.

Making sure you stretch the full 500% as per MJ's post is the key to getting the ZING into the ammo.


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## Imperial (Feb 9, 2011)

Aussie Allan In Thailand said:


> Ah, joke.
> 
> Could also do it with my BB pistol, or super dooper souped up airsoft 6mm airsoft, shooting steel BB's; from ex- husbands home.
> So I guess 35 meters around abouts. As ex-husband ex paramilitary border police, and had his share of firefights with Burmese Army; hence we get along great.
> ...


ex-husband ?

am i the only one that caught that :rofl: im assuming you meant the wifes ex.


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## bullseyeben! (Apr 24, 2011)

You dont need alot of speed to punch through an empty soda can.. 200fps and 3/8 steel no worries..
Heavier tin cans ie soup or dog food tins can be punched around 250 fps..
Ive gone through corrigated iron fencing with 3/8 steel at a bit over 300fps. . 
I draw at about 44" and with single layer latex or tb gold tapered aprox 25 to 10mm tied at 9.5 "...


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand (Jan 28, 2013)

Nah, I rent in a dead end Soi (Thai for off main road street), and the landlord is owner of all local Honda motorbike/scooter shops. So it her ex-husbands place, and still half owner, of all these rented homes.

I trust this clears that issue up.

Oh, and where else in the world could one rent a dang good 2 bedroom home, for 3,500 Thai Baht, or around $115.00 Australian a MONTH ?....

Cheers Allan


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## squirrel squasher (May 17, 2013)

Wel just to say, I have had 3/8 steel not penetrate on the first shot. My bands were strong enough, but the can needed a weakening shot.


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## All Buns Glazing (Apr 22, 2012)

A weakening shot?


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## SmilingFury (Jul 2, 2013)

All Buns Glazing said:


> A weakening shot?


I guess the can had to have a drink before facing the firing sqad....


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## All Buns Glazing (Apr 22, 2012)

While testing my new catchbox, I thought "ah, this is relevant to that thread!" so I recorded a couple of shots. *Hope this helps you, Jazz.*


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## squirrel squasher (May 17, 2013)

Just my experiences I don't know why but is happens on the second shot it will penetrate and all of them after that, but some times it does work on the first shot


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## All Buns Glazing (Apr 22, 2012)

Perhaps you're just glancing the can and you get your eye in by the 2nd shot?

Perhaps your bands are too long and they're not being stretched far enough, which is just SLIGHTLY not powerful enough to penetrate, but the warmth from the bands on the 2nd shot creates extra speed?

Both of these hypotheses are mostly theoretical nonsense. It's probably like when I cook pancakes - the first pancake always sucks, but subsequent pancakes are amazeballs.


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

Piercing a can, especially an aluminum drink can, really doesn't prove much of anything. Here are a couple of pics to illustrate. The slingshot is an Altoids Shooter, meaning it fits inside an Altoids tin. The rubber is 1/2 inch tapered to 1/4 inch x 7 1/2 inches TheraBand Gold.

This aluminum beer can was shot with the SS shown and .30 cal lead. The exit hole is visible to the right.









This steel can was shot with the same SS and .25 cal steel. The hole is the result of 3 penetrations, and all three went through.









I don't know from how far this SS has enough power for penetration, because my vision is still not good enough for hitting much beyond a few yards, but I'm confident of a full pass through on aluminum cans at 10 yards or more.

At any rate, can penetration is a very poor measure of power.


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

Just for grins, I tried a steel BB (.177 cal) and it also made a clean pass through the aluminum can. Then I shot the BB over my Chrony and it hit 320 fps, which BTW is about 60 fps faster than my Daisy Red Ryder BB gun. That computes to 1.39 lb/ft of energy. I may run some more tests to see if I can determine how little power is required to pierce an aluminum can. I'm betting it's less than 1 lb/ft.


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## All Buns Glazing (Apr 22, 2012)

Henry in Panama said:


> At any rate, can penetration is a very poor measure of power.


You've got whole-hearted agreement here, Henry. I only posted that because he was asking specifically about penetrating aluminum cans, and what he may be doing wrong as he's not able to with his band setup. I wanted to illustrate that double banding is not necessary.

p.s. That altoids shooter is schweeeeet!


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

All Buns Glazing said:


> p.s. That altoids shooter is schweeeeet!


What else could it be? It's Mango.


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## Bill Hays (Aug 9, 2010)

To penetrate an aluminum can... I think if you spit fast enough you could almost do it!

Steel cans like paint cans etc. are a little different, but you can still them with a single strip of theraband gold per side and 3/8" steel.

Here, check out these videos to see what a single per side strip of either theraband gold or medical grade latex can do with either 3/8" steel or .41 cal lead ball as ammo:

on this one, wait for the safety glasses shooting part to end and then you'll see what 1" X 3/4" tapered single per side theraband gold does with 3/8" steel:






on this one you can see that 1" straight cut medical latex propelling .41 lead ball can shoot through just as many if not more soda cans as a .22 rifle does... all slow motion so you can see better.






one this one you can see a quick shot taken from about 150 feet away... single per side again, shooting .41 cal lead. The can is hung up so it's almost impossible for a ricochet to hit it, whereas if on the ground a ricochet could bust the can just as easily.... this is why I rarely place my targets directly on the ground.






This one is shot from a little over 400 feet away, again single per side and 3/8" steel were used... I've done the same shot at over 500 ft. but it was impossible to see me on video doing the shot so I never posted it:






Here's the google earth image of the range used:










So what all this means is.... penetrating an aluminum can is easy to do from close up or far away... all you need is some 3/8" steel ball bearings and something that will make it go over like 150 fps!


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## SmilingFury (Jul 2, 2013)

You could always switch over to hunting styrofoam cups instead of aluminum cans...


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## LVO (Sep 25, 2011)

All Buns Glazing said:


> the first pancake always sucks, but subsequent pancakes are amazeballs.
> 
> I hear ya, Buns!! Usually the dog won't even eat that first one.
> 
> Nice stove, too! I like your new house :thumbsup:


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## Imperial (Feb 9, 2011)

you know . . . narrow forks, or a pfs, and live shooting adds 33% more speed. :neener: :rofl:  (im just kidding people)


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## Arturito (Jan 10, 2013)

I shoot them butterfly ... granted ...











outside holes









Cheers

Arturo


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## Knoll (Nov 10, 2011)

M.J said:


> A simple straight 3/4" cut of TBG stretched to 500% and some 3/8" steel should go right on through a pop can at 10m.


Yep, what he said. Even 030 latex straigh cut @ 3/4" does the job w/ 3/8" steel at 10 m.


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## All Buns Glazing (Apr 22, 2012)

Thanks LVO.

Bill, that goat had me p*ssing myself - perfectly timed bleats- and that last spraycan that seemed to spin forever was poetic!

For the record, I don't considering penetrating a coke can an achievement - I'm sure all these videos have helped the OP out with some ideas on how to change his setup to get the power needed to plink properly.


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## jazz (May 15, 2012)

Hi all,

Thank you for sharing yor experince and ideas with me. I never thought that to pierce a can is a big deal but I was more after a most economic setup.

I decided to try all the hints I received here, and it will take some time. First of them will be All Buns Glazin's setup 20 to 15 at 18 cm (I guess that the total stretch is 500% or 90cm.) I intend even to try thiner bands will see.

Thank you all again,

cheers,

jazz


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