The semis I have driven had the same thickness as four wheeler windshields just bigger. As far as penetration it will depend more on angle than caliber, if you hit it at a low angle there is a good chance of ricochet rather than penetration.

 

I saw something to this effect posted by Mas Ayoob saying basically the same. Aim as straight as you're able due to angles and deflection and such. Windshield angles (usually) slanted so aiming from a bit higher (tough to do) and downward would help. As far as penetration, think about the Hornady FTX round with the rubber insert to help with penetration (keeps the cavity clear...). Works on 2-legged "barriers", too. :wink:

 

Windshields are all two layers of tempered glass laminated together with a clear film between them. That's what gives them the ability to break without spraying glass all over the driver if there's an impact. Gold Dot, HST, Ranger, Critical Duty should all perform well in windscreen penetration. That's one reason those rounds are carried by so many LEO.

 

One thing that may be an advantage is most semi windshields are more straight up and down than the average passenger car. The downside to that is the height above the ground.

Last winter I saw a truck windshield that caught a rock from a snowplow. It left a quarter size hole and the rock was embedded in the passenger seat.
My guess is that the average pistol bullet is going to do at least as well as that rock. JMHO

 

One thing that may be an advantage is most semi windshields are more straight up and down than the average passenger car. The downside to that is the height above the ground.

Last winter I saw a truck windshield that caught a rock from a snowplow. It left a quarter size hole and the rock was embedded in the passenger seat.
My guess is that the average pistol bullet is going to do at least as well as that rock. JMHO

That was one of those tactical assault rocks.

 

Back when I was repairing trucks there were still a lot of cab overs on the road. I can tell you with 100% certainty that a nude woman will break the windshield out when she falls from the sleeper as you jack up the cab. So will the jar of pennies the drivers forget remove from its wedged in spot by the mattress.

 

Although it doesn't affect ballistic resistance, modern NTSB safety standards require that semi windshields meet the 1-6P/LL standard. This mandates that they withstand an impact at 64 fps by a single lot lizard of sufficient girth and hideousness to require no less than 1 six pack be consumed before letting her slither into the sleeper.

The same study during the 80's attempted to set a limit on impact by spare change, but as they attempted to establish this value in a dollar amount, after 8 years of the last administration windshields would have had to be 2" thick and steel reinforced, so they dropped that requirement.

 

I blew jack and coke on my iPad.

 

I used to have a bumper sticker on the wife's horse trailer that read
"At 50 MPH Horse Poo will break a windshield!" DR

 

couple good ones,
but in reality truck windshields are only as strong as what you find in a detroit made cage. fed law says strength.
but with that said anything at the right speed and angle will go through.

and stevew, better clean up the dust before logging off. ;-O


.

 

After the truck deal in Germany, the OP may be a bit more relevant than originally considered

 

Just my 2 cents, if this post is related to the large vehicle attacks that have (seemingly) begun occuring:

Getting off a shot or shots that stop the driver instantly will be even less likely than getting a shot that stops any attacker on foot instantly....likely the driver will continue on and on for sometime with most hits, even multiple hits.

We've all seen the videos and read the shooting files on people carrying on fighting even after being shot multiple times, even if they do die later.

The focus needs to be on disabling those vehicles. Not likely with sidearms. But event producers and communities will start focusing on barriers more now, IMO.

 

Can't you just shoot at the gas tank and make the vehicle instantaneously explode in a ball of fire?

 

Only on the movies.

 

Keep this info in mind if you have to shoot into a vehicle:

The Buick O' Truth #2 - Windshields Outside/In - The Box O' Truth

 

Shoot the driver through the windshield. Incapacitate the driver. Get run over by the truck. Always struck me as a good plan.

 

M79 round right between the headlights!! That should do it!!!!!

 

You'll only be able to get that shot through the windshield if you're doing a tactical backflip as you're shooting at the truck.