Car Protective Abilities Against Bullets: Fact or Fiction?
Many believe that cars can withstand numerous bullets without sustaining damage, as is often portrayed in movies and TV shows. However, is this a viable reality, or is it simply another fictional enhancement?
What Factors Influence Bullet Protection in Cars?
The answer to whether a car can withstand bullets depends on several key factors:
Type of Gun Ammunition and Caliber Location of the Bullet Impact The Design of the CarCommon Car Components and Their Bullet-proofing Capabilities
Some car components, such as the engine block and wheels, can provide substantial protection. For instance, the engine block and the trunk boot (boot in the UK) can offer solid protection1. However, depending on the design of the car, other areas offer only moderate protection.
When inhabitants take cover outside the vehicle, using the car’s full width and frame as protection, cars can be surprisingly effective. This is particularly true for bullets from a ldquo;Saturday night specialrdquo; handgun, which typically has a lower caliber and minimal penetration power. Shotgun blasts provide variable protection based on the shooter's distance from the vehicle.
Car Doors as a Shield vs. High-Powered Rifles
Car doors, however, can only provide limited protection against rifle bullets. High-powered rifles, known for their highly penetrative capabilities, can cause significant damage due to their spinning, high-velocity, and rotational energy. The bullet’s speed and penetrance are significantly increased by the spiral “rifling” in the gun’s bore.
Even car doors would only provide a modest obstacle for rifle rounds. In the film episode "Tohajiilee" from the series Breaking Bad, Walter White faced a similar situation. Despite being inside a vehicle, he still suffered heavy injuries from the crossfire, demonstrating the ineffectiveness of car doors against rifle fire.
Fiction vs. Reality: A Dramatic Illustration
A fictional but dramatic illustration from the finale of Season 5 of Breaking Bad will serve to highlight the potential dangers. In the climactic scene, Walter White is trapped in an SUV, staying below the windows as neo-Nazi mercenaries armed with high-powered weapons approach.
The GMC SUV the characters are using in the scene offers minimal protection. Most of the mercenaries are well-armed, and their firepower significantly exceeds the weapons carried by the outnumbered lawmen. Despite the favorable position of the SUV, Walter White would not have been spared injury. The realistic scenario would have resulted in severe wounds or even death, as the RPCG (Remington 870) and semi-automatic guns lack the power to withstand the mercenaries' advanced weaponry.
Dramatic License vs. Realism
Fiction often takes creative liberties to enhance the viewing experience. In this instance, the show took dramatic license to showcase the protagonist's resilience. Instead of being critically injured, Walter White survived due to the narrative's needs, rather than the vehicle's protective capabilities.
Conclusion
In reality, while some car components can provide moderate protection against bullets, they are far from bulletproof. The effectiveness of a car's shielding is highly dependent on the type of firearm and the specific circumstances.