The following tables are from Larry Sturdivan?s ?The JFK Myths?:
Abbreviations used mean:
m/s is meters per second
f/s is feet per second
Conn. Is Connally
Page 118
Table II. Approximate Velocities At Which WCC/MC Bullets and Bones Deform
Orientation Velocity Velocity Velocity Muzzle
Of the at which at which at which Velocity
Bullet the bullet bone will soft
will deform tissue
shatter the will
bone bullet deform
bullet
Point First 120 m/s 520 m/s 730 m/s 600 m/s
Sideways 135 m/s 425 m/s 610 m/s
Point First 400 f/s 1700 f/s 2400 f/s 2160 f/s
Sideways 450 f/s 1400 f/s 2000 f/s
This table was calculated comparing the theorical ?tissue? drag with the yield strength of the WCC/MC bullet, based on it?s copper alloy shell and lead core. Which these are all theorical calculations, real world tests confirm this table.
Page 144
Table III. Probable Velocity and Orientation of CE 399 at Various Points Along Its Trajectory
Muzzle At Impact At Impact Penetrating At Impact At Impact
Velocity on JFK?s on Conn.?s Connally?s on Conn.?s on
Neck Back Rib Wrist Thigh
660 m/s 615 m/s 500 m/s 440 m/s 150 m/s 40 m/s
+- 10 +- 10 +- 15 through +- 30 +- 6
244 m/s
+- 30
2160 f/s 2015 f/s 1830 f/s 1450 f/s 500 f/s 135 fps
+- 30 +- 30 +- 100 through +- 100 +- 20
800 f/s
+- 100
Table III was a rough estimate based on the shooting of goat carcasses. This table differs from Mr. Sturdivan?s estimates presented to the HSCA back in the 1970?s. More extensive experiments have allowed a more accurate table. All values are approximate estimates but based on real world experiments.
The margin of error generally becomes greater and greater at later portions of its flight. This is because the margins of error are additive. If there is a 10 m/s error range in the speed the bullet is going when it reaches the first target, and a 20 m/s error range on the effect of the first target on the velocity, then there will be a 30 m/s error range when it reaches the second target. The exception is the speed of the bullet that barely penetrated Connally?s thigh, since the bullet would have to be going just fast enough to penetrate the skin, but not much faster to prevent it from penetrating deep into the thigh.
A couple of points:
1. The SBT has CE399 striking bone other than nose-first, and it has it striking and shattering a rib at a speed much greater than 1100 fps.
Larry Sturdivan?s estimate, the best estimate available (I believe) is that CE399 struck the rib at initially at 1450 f/s, just fast enough to deform the bullet. The bullet was travelling sideways at this point. It hit the rib with the back half of the bullet, causing the deformation. That is why the bullet is squeezed some near the base, with little or no deformity of the front half of the bullet.
Had the bullet still been traveling with the pointed end first, as it did through the air, it would have not deformed at all since such a bullet will not deform once the velocity dips below 1700 f/s.
Once the bullet slowed to about 1400 f/s, which still going through the rib, the deformation of the bullet stopped since even a sideways bullet won?t deform below 1400 f/s.
2. The SBT has CE399 striking the radius butt-first at about 1100 fps to explain the dent in the butt end.
So if there is any meaningful demonstration it should be to have the bullet strike a radius butt-first at 1100 fps and see what both the bullet and radius look like.
The wrist bone deformed the bullet a minimum amount, since it was travelling relatively slowly at that time, 500 f/s.
As the bullet got squeezed near the base of the bullet, some lead oozed out of the base of the bullet, like toothpaste being squeezed from a tube. This exposed soft lead was scraped off of the base of the bullet. Otherwise the wrist bone did not deform the bullet.
The wrist bone, while stronger than the rib bone, failed to further deform the bullet because it?s velocity was so much less striking the wrist bone than the rib bone.