CAN A FORD EVEREST OWNER’S MANUAL STOP A BULLET?

• SVI releases Episode 7 of ‘Shoot Through’ video series
• Ford Everest owner’s manual takes fire from an AK47
• High-speed imaging shows dramatic impact in slow motion
• First series comprises as many as 14 episodes

SVI Engineering, leading specialist manufacturer of armoured products, has released the seventh episode in its innovative Shoot Through series of videos, this time testing out the theory that a book – in this case, a Ford Everest owner’s manual – could be capable of stopping a bullet (see Episode 7 here).

“If you’ve watched enough movies, you’ve probably seen many instances of a small book – usually carried in the protagonist’s shirt pocket – stopping what would otherwise have been a deadly bullet. But how does this theory hold up in the real world?” asked Nicol Louw, SVI Business Development Director.

Well, SVI positioned an owner’s manual for a previous-generation Ford Everest at the far end of its dedicated underground shooting range, before unleashing a round from an AK47 mounted in a test rig.

As shown in the footage captured by a Photron Fastcam SA4 high-speed camera – graciously supplied by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and set at 30 000 frames per second – the 7.62×39 mm conventional steel-core round tears straight through the chunky owner’s manual, which seemingly provides very little resistance at all.

“Obviously, the outcome of such a test depends on a variety of factors, including the selected firearm, the associated round, the distance from the target and even the book itself. But, considering we opted for an assault rifle for this experiment, the owner’s manual stood virtually no chance,” said Jaco de Kock, CEO of SVI.

‘SHOOT THROUGH’ SERIES BACKGROUND

Conceived to both inform and entertain, the full 14-episode Shoot Through video series – an episode is published on SVI’s YouTube channel approximately every two weeks – sets out to answer whether various (mostly standard) automotive components can stop a round discharged by a firearm.

The subject of the first episode in SVI’s Shoot Through series was a ventilated steel brake disc from a Toyota Land Cruiser 79 bakkie, while the second episode featured a Volkswagen Polo engine block, the third a shock absorber, the fourth a Polo cylinder head, the fifth a seatbelt mechanism and the sixth a window lifter motor.

THE COMPANY 

SVI is an original equipment manufacturer that has specialised in armoured vehicles since 2004. The company is a market leader in Africa, serving the private, corporate, security, mining and governmental segments. SVI holds a Level 2 B-BBEE certification and its quality management system is certified to ISO 9001:2015 by TÜV Rheinland. 

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