Knowing what rounds can pierce brick could save your life. If you find yourself in an active shooter situation or someone begins to fire rounds into your home, it is a good idea to know where you and your family will be protected. So can an AR-15 shoot through brick?
Only an AR rifle with a .50 cal barrel can pierce through brick walls. Rounds from the standard .223/5.56 variety of AR will make dents in cinder block and red clay brick, but only the .50 can make it through with one shot.
Ballistics and watching things get obliterated is a popular pastime in this country. Unfortunately, our love of firearms and deep roots in a violent culture has brought us to the pinnacle of weapons testing, where everything from cinder blocks to textbooks is used as fodder. So read on and learn everything you need to know about an AR-15 that can shoot through brick!
Can an AR-15 Round Go Through a Wall?
No, the power of the AR-15 round cannot pierce through a wall. You must remember that the AR-15 is the most copied rifle in existence. They make it in several calibers, none strong enough to pierce brick. The best thing about being copied so much is that other armories do create versions of the AR that will shoot through a wall.
Some things the AR round will go through are:
- Cars – Hiding behind a car is a bad idea if someone is firing an AR-15 at you. The metal and windows provide little protection against the rounds. The thin aluminum and steel frames look like a good spot in the movies but in real life, getting behind the engine block and wheels is your best bet.
- Sheetrock – In the last few decades, the materials used to make houses in the US have degraded. These days houses are made from vinyl siding and sheetrock. Unfortunately, the .223 runs right through the sheetrock and destroys whatever it hits on the inside. Brick is a much sturdier material, but it has become expensive to build solid brick homes.
- Doorways – People often hide behind doors and frames to escape bullets in films. Doors and entrances will not stop rounds from penetrating. Sometimes the 2×4 studs deflect fire but provide such a small area to hide behind that they are often little protection.
Here’s an awesome video showing what types of walls the AR will shoot through, including brick!
When unleashed, the regular .223/5.56 round of the AR-15 is a literal homewrecker. It goes through sheetrock, metal, and thick pieces of wood. Even your car isn’t enough to protect you from the rifle and the post-impact spin created by its oblong round.
What Gun Can Shoot Through a Brick Wall?
YouTube is the home to some of the most outrageous and captivating videos about weapons and their power. So it makes sense that the most popular sporting rifle in the United States, the AR-15, has some videos tackling the gun’s penetration power. They shoot everything from dinner plates to sheets of steel.
Some rounds that will pierce brick are:
- .50 Caliber – One of the biggest rounds fired by the public is the .50 cal round. These large rifles can land kill shots on targets from thousands of yards away. These rounds are designed to puncture through brick and concrete to take down the targets inside.
- 12 Gauge Slug – One of the most potent shotgun rounds is the 12 gauge slug. It is made from balls of solid steel that spread out when the shotgun shell is fired. While it isn’t an AR-15, it is a common weapon that can be found anywhere.
Rounds that will pierce brick are not that common for home defense or hunting. They are often specialized rounds that are expensive and used by qualified shooters. If someone fires at your house with a .50 cal rifle, you have very few options other than looking for feet of concrete or trusting fate.
Can Bullets Go Through a Brick Wall?
Depending on your type of bullet, they have been known to pass through brick walls. Handgun rounds will bounce off of brick and chip away at the finish. Likewise, some shotgun rounds will bounce off, while others could pierce like a .50 cal rifle.
Ways to Protect Your Home Against Gunfire
Knowing what rounds will do to the exterior of your home can be a bit unsettling for people. There are ways to protect yourself on the inside, behind non-brick walls, that could keep your family safe in the event of a shooting or break-in.
You must also consider firing your rifle toward an intruder in your home. What impact will it have on the neighbor’s home?
A few ways to protect your home from being pierced by bullets are:
- Books – Something surprising that shows resilience against gunfire is books. The stacked paper creates a way to slow down the kinetic force of the bullet. There are videos of .50 cal rounds being stopped with boxes of paper. Having a few bookcases around the house is always a good idea.
- Trees – If you are lucky to have several trees around your front yard, there’s a good chance they will catch stray bullets. This is because trees, like their by-product paper, have layers that work to slow the round and could harmlessly knock it away.
Always remember that in case of an emergency, you should ensure your family is safe before attempting to return fire or call for help. Shooting situations are becoming more common, and knowing where your best cover spots are for your family can save the day.
Conclusion
An AR-15 with the appropriate barrel attached will fire through a brick wall. Not the standard .223 model, but the high-end .50 cal rifle barrel weapons have enough power.
These are weapons with massive amounts of energy, and shooting them in an urban population could be harmful. Please avoid shooting powerful weapons toward occupied homes.
There are ways to protect your home against stray bullets. It seems ridiculous to fathom, but the US is the number one country in the world for gun violence, and these days it is anything goes. Unfortunately, being prepared for disasters is part of life, and being ready for a shooting is as common as a tornado.
