This afternoon, I decided to test the theory that a .22LR round could take out a Zombie with a well-placed headshot
Rifle:
H&R single-shot .22LR carbine with 18" barrel
Ammo:
Federal Bulk hollowpoints (550 round bulk box available at Wally-World and others)
CCI Velocitor hollowpoints
Remington Yellow Jacket hollowpoints
Targets:
Coconut
Canteloupe
Distance to target:
15 feet, mainly so I could get decent footage from my camera, distance will reduce the effectiveness of the .22 bullet
Weather: sunny, 80 degrees, no wind
I set up each target resting against my backstop and fired at it from a standing position, standard Weaver stance, left foot forward
http://homepage.mac.com/mactechg4/.Pictures/Fedzomskull1.jpg
Federal Bulk Hollowpoints: two shots were taken, the first hit a glancing blow on the top of the coconut, breaking through the hard shell and destroying some meat underneath, this shot sent a small fountain of coconut water skyward, even though this was a glancing blow, it did breach the coconut, however it would not have probably put a zombie out of commision
The second shot hit more or less just to the left and slightly below dead center, leaving a small, almost imperceptible entry wound, and a good sized exit wound, both rounds had sufficient energy to enter and exit the coconut, doing a decent job of scrambling the coconut meat on the inside
CCI Velocitor: a fresh coconut was placed on the target stand and a single shot was taken, basically dead center, it wasn’t as dramatic or photogenic as the first Federal shot, but it did a lot more damage, the entry wound broke away a good size chunk of shell, exposing the coconut meat underneath, and exiting the 'nut leaving a large, gaping exit wound with bits of coconut meat embedded in the backstop, there was little disturbance to the actual coconut meat inside the shell, the Velocitor simply punched through, in the same manner as a solid point/ball round, the Velocitor did a lot more damage than the Federal rounds, there’s no doubt that Velocitors stand a fairly good chance of stopping a zombie cold
I then switched to a cantaloupe to simulate “brain matter”
http://homepage.mac.com/mactechg4/.Pictures/Yelojaktzombrn.jpg
Remington Yellow Jacket hollow point: another top shot, hitting the top quarter of the 'loupe, it emitted a shower of eviscera and left a substantial crater in the top of the 'loupe, a Yellowjacketobotomy, as it were
http://homepage.mac.com/mactechg4/.Pictures/Velzombrn.jpg
CCI Velocitor: I fired into the already breached 'loupe, so this shot was not exactly scientific, but it did emit a fountain of veggiegore from the gaping, open wound, leaving a large entry and exit wound
Conclusion; from close in, .22 rounds can penetrate a hard surface like a coconut shell, and still retain sufficient energy to exit, carrying bits of coconut meat or cantaloupe flesh into the backstop
since the human skull is thicker and more durable than a coconut shell, I’d imagine the .22 round would have sufficent energy to enter the skull, but may not have sufficent power to exit
When the time comes for the inevitable Zombie Uprising, I’ll make sure that I have a decent stock of Velocitors, however, it’s nice to know that the cheap bulk Federal rounds can pulp zombie gray matter as well…
