# How bullet-resistant is brick? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 19, 2010, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bullet-resistant-is-brick/543740 "2010-06-19T02:19:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2010, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bullet-resistant-is-brick/543740/1 "2010-06-19T02:19:22Z")
I live on the second floor of an apartment building and there have been some pretty angry arguments outside at times. I don’t think it’s likely, but just out of curiosity how safe am I if someone gets out a gun? ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2010, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bullet-resistant-is-brick/543740/2 "2010-06-19T02:30:03Z")
Depends on a lot of things, mostly what calibre, and what kind of brick. Being on the 2nd story is good, if you think thing are going to go that kind of badly, you should position yourself and your loved ones as far back from teh walls facing the conflict as youcan. Any shots coming at you will by necessity be coming from an upward travelling angle, and being further back form the wall lessens your chance of being hit. I think. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2010, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bullet-resistant-is-brick/543740/3 "2010-06-19T02:58:52Z")
Your basic brick will stop pretty much any handgun round. Rifles are a different story, however… ---
**Author:** ![Telcontar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Telcontar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telcontar)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2010, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bullet-resistant-is-brick/543740/4 "2010-06-19T04:13:46Z")
Any rounds impacting a second story wall would be doing so at a substantial angle. Perhaps ricochets? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2010, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bullet-resistant-is-brick/543740/5 "2010-06-19T04:20:22Z")
If you’re really worried, your local police department should be able to give you good advice on what to do in the event of a gunfight nearby. ---
**Author:** ![Wordy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/4491bb/32.png) [@Wordy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wordy)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2010, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bullet-resistant-is-brick/543740/6 "2010-06-19T04:21:42Z")
If your neighbors are using M16 assault rifles, you will probably be okay with a couple of layers of brick separating you. However, if your neighbors are using the more common and cheaper AK47 machine guns, then you are in deep dog poop because they use heavier bullets and can easily travel through several layers of brick: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6BpI3xD6h0](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6BpI3xD6h0) start the video at 3:08 to see the cinder blocks being shot at ---
**Author:** ![Wordy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/4491bb/32.png) [@Wordy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wordy)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2010, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bullet-resistant-is-brick/543740/7 "2010-06-19T04:26:01Z")
Oh, and would this guy happen to be your neighbor? [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNAohtjG14c](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNAohtjG14c) ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2010, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bullet-resistant-is-brick/543740/8 "2010-06-19T05:15:22Z")
> [@Wordy](#): > > If your neighbors are using M16 assault rifles, you will probably be okay with a couple of layers of brick separating you. However, if your neighbors are using the more common and cheaper AK47 machine guns, then you are in deep dog poop because they use heavier bullets and can easily travel through several layers of brick: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6BpI3xD6h0](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6BpI3xD6h0) start the video at 3:08 to see the cinder blocks being shot at Free-standing cinder blocks aren’t necessarily the same thing as a cemented wall of red brick. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2010, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bullet-resistant-is-brick/543740/9 "2010-06-19T21:57:32Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > If you’re really worried, your local police department should be able to give you good advice on what to do in the event of a gunfight nearby. Like, “Pick up the phone and dial 911”? The best advice is to move to an interior room, put as much mass in between you and any stray rounds, and definitely stay away from any exterior windows or doors. Interior sheetrock/gypsum board is like tissue paper to a bullet; even a lowly .22LR can go through five or six sheets (the equivalent of three interior walls) and a 9mm or .40 S&W can go through an entire house. > [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Free-standing cinder blocks aren’t necessarily the same thing as a cemented wall of red brick. Indeed. Clay or mud brick tends to spall, especially when embedded in mortar, dispersing the force of the bullet rapidly rather than allowing it to penetrate. Cinder block (which is not brick) is intentionally low mass and low density, and will readily permit even handgun rounds to penetrate through the hollow section. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2010, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bullet-resistant-is-brick/543740/10 "2010-06-19T22:21:42Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > The best advice is to move to an interior room, put as much mass in between you and any stray rounds, and definitely stay away from any exterior windows or doors. If you’re actually contemplating nearby gunfire as a real possibility, the best advice is to _move_. No matter how inconvenient it is, your life is worth more.