Table of Contents
- Will a cast iron skillet stop a bullet?
- Theoretically, how does a skillet can stop a bullet?
- If a cast iron skillet will stop a bullet, how will it be able to stand at the force of the impact?
- Bullet will stop when it is shot upon a cast-iron skillet? How will the surface of the bullet be when finally stopped by this type of cookware?
- A general discussion
- How heavy is a cast-iron skillet?
- Has anybody practically tested in cast-iron pans can stop a bullet?
- Can a fired bullet be deflected using a cast-iron skillet?
- Should you rely on a cast-iron skillet to stop a bullet?
- Final thoughts
Will a cast iron skillet stop a bullet?
A cast-iron skillet is a must-have in any kitchen. It can cook up an egg for breakfast, sear a steak for dinner, and be used to bake cookies for dessert. But how does it fare against the force of a bullet? This blog will answer that question and provide some other practical uses of cast iron skillets.
Theoretically, a cast-iron skillet will stop a bullet. Cast iron is incredibly dense. The average density of cast iron is between .29 and .35 g cm and has about 3/8″ – 1/2″ inch steel on its surface area. This means it will be heavy enough to stop the bullet from penetrating any further.
But is it something that you can practice or take a chance with? Has anybody practically tested a cast-iron skillet to stop a bullet? Is it recommended to use a cast-iron skillet to stop a bullet?
Here are the answers to all these questions!
Theoretically, how does a skillet can stop a bullet?
Theoretically speaking, there are two ways that shooting something can happen: contact or noncontact. In contact shots, the bullet hits the target and destroys it on impact. By contrast in noncontact shots, kinetic energy is transferred to another surface through either ricochet or deflection. We’ll examine how cast iron skillets fare under both conditions to see if they could be used as armor against bullets fired from handguns.
If a cast iron skillet will stop a bullet, how will it be able to stand at the force of the impact?
The most common type of handgun is semi-automatic. It fires one round each time you pull and release its trigger. However, some handguns also fire multiple rounds with every action (referred to as “fully automatic”).
Since we’ll only consider handguns in our discussion, let’s examine what they can do based on their caliber:
Nonlethal bullets such as buckshot or rubber pellets will not break through thick but lightweight surfaces like plastic or glass easily if at all. They may cause bruises and welts but little else against reasonably opaque objects that are thicker than an inch or two.
Solid objects will bounce these rounds off, although there is a chance that they will partially penetrate them depending on how heavy the surface is and if it’s made of hardwood instead of concrete.
Nonlethal bullets can break through wood moderately easily but will not cause much damage against other common building materials like stone blocks or bricks unless their density exceeds an inch thick (in which case they may stop nonlethal bullets). They are less likely to pierce metal sheets with thickness over half an inch since their velocity will be greatly reduced by impact friction at this point.
However, all bets are off when dealing with higher caliber handguns that fire full metal jacketed rounds (.357 Magnum) or point/expanding ammunition (“hollowpoints.”).
Bullet will stop when it is shot upon a cast-iron skillet? How will the surface of the bullet be when finally stopped by this type of cookware?
A hollowpoint that has been fired from a handgun will never be pristine again after traversing into your kitchen wall or ricocheting off your refrigerator. Even though you may have missed being hit, it will still cause significant damage to anything else in its path and leave grooves on whatever object stops them due to their design. In fact, they will effectively behave as miniature ice picks with serrated edges.
A general discussion
As discussed earlier, theoretically, a cast-iron skillet can stop a bullet. But will it still work after being shot? Probably not very well. A cast-iron skillet will likely take on some damage when hit with a bullet, so you’ll want to replace it if you’re going to use your cookware for protection against gunfire.
A person who is being attacked by another could be saved by throwing their heavy metal cookware. If the bullets are coming towards them, they can throw them to try and confuse the shooter or make him miss his target.
This same strategy has been used in war as well, with soldiers hiding behind shields made of steel plates during battle. A shield will not only protect against attacking objects but also block projectiles that might come flying toward an individual such as arrows or spears.
Though these scenarios may seem unlikely for most people reading this article, there have been cases where a bullet was stopped by a piece of metal in the past.
How heavy is a cast-iron skillet?
It depends on the size of the skillet or frying pan. Generally, a 9-inch skillet weighs around 4-5 pounds, a 10-inch skillet weighs around 5-6 pounds, a 12-inch cast-iron skillet weighs around 7-9 pounds and a 15-inch skillet could weigh up to 12-13 pounds.
Has anybody practically tested in cast-iron pans can stop a bullet?
Yes, it has been tested by the Mythbusters team. They found that a cast-iron will stop low-caliber bullets but will not work with larger calibers. It also depends on the quality of metal, the speed of a bullet, and the distance from which the bullet was fired.
Can a fired bullet be deflected using a cast-iron skillet?
Yes. A cast iron will deflect a bullet and will even cause some damage to it depending on how thick the skillet is and what type of firearm was used.
Should you rely on a cast-iron skillet to stop a bullet?
No, absolutely not. Never.
Yes, hypothetically, a cast-iron skillet can stop a bullet but this is not what it is made up for. You should never try this is nor should you keep a cast-iron with you as reliable protection against a potential shot.
Final thoughts
To summarize, a cast-iron will stop low calibers but will not work with larger ones. It depends on the quality of metal and whether it is shot from far away or close up. Cast iron can be heavy so if your goal is to save yourself by throwing something as protection, then this will probably do that job well too.
You should never use a cast-iron skillet as reliable protection against getting shot because you could end up severely injured or worse – dead! The purpose of these types of cookware items are for cooking purposes only; they’re not meant to serve as lifesavers in any way at all nor should you ever rely on them for such an important situation like self-defense.
