A new video collaboration by Slow Mo Guys and Kentucky Ballistics was just released. Scott of Kentucky Ballistics had them shoot a variety of elephant guns but it was the .577 Tyrannosaur that was the focus of the video.
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I enjoy watching the Slow Mo Guys especially when they do firearm content. This latest video is very interesting. I do not know much about elephant guns but they definitely seem like something that is more fun to watch someone shoot than to shoot it yourself.
Dan of Slow Mo Guys volunteered as tribute and shot all the elephant guns that Scott brought out. Here are the different calibers Scott had Dan shoot. The .556 was just there for scale and comparison.
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
Shooting the .375 H&H. Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
Screencap from Slow Mo Guy. He took his shirt off for the .577 Tyrannosaur.
The other calibers were not that bad but when Scott told Dan that the .577 Tyrannosaur would kick more than the rest, Dan decided to take his shirt off so they could film his body reacting to the recoil.
Screencap from Slow Mo Guy. The moment before Dan pulls the trigger.
The recoil of the .577 Tyrannosaur was so great that the rifle flies back causing the trigger guard to hit his trigger finger. Inadvertently hitting the trap door release.
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
After they filmed Dan shooting the .577 Tyrannosaur from the side, they were curious about what was happening to his back, given that the recoil was so great. Their second shot did not disappoint. The meat and skin just rippled from the shockwave created by the recoil. It traversed down his entire back.
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
After Dan shot the .577 Tyrannosaur, Scott brought out some targets. 16″ blocks of ballistic gelatin, a gallon of white glue and an old can of nacho cheese sauce. They started with the blocks of gelatin. Due to the ridiculousness of .577 Tyrannosaur, Scott used two blocks of gelating and the results were astounding. Scott brought out two different rounds. A solid projectile, which is what Dan shot, and a soft point for hunting reasons.
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
Scott shot the .577 Tyrannosaur and the Slow Mo Guys captured some interesting things in slow motion. The first thing was when the solid bullet interacted with the surface of the ballistics gelatin. It produces light. See the screenshot below.
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
Even when the bullet hits the second ballistics gel block, it creates a small yellow light.
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
The first angle was actually just over Scott’s shoulder when he shot the .577 Tyrannosaur into the two Gell blocks. It appears there is a fire inside the gel block.
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
The temporary wound cavity was so big that the muzzle flash was able to reach inside. Once the temporary wound cavity collapsed it compresses the air and gasses from the muzzle blast cause further ignition and a bright explosion inside the wound cavity.
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys. 1,969 feet per second.
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys. 1,274 feet per second
Now the screenshots were only from the solid projectile. Scott shot the soft point and it too did not disappoint. Just like the previous shot, the Slow Mo Guys filmed Scott over the shoulder when he shot the soft point .577 Tyrannosaur. But the reaction of the ballistic gel block was a lot greater than the previous shot. You can clearly see how much deformation happened from the temporary wound cavity. It created a diamond shape but you can still see the original corners represented as lines.
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
The muzzle flash was so great and the compression was even greater that it created a much brighter secondary explosion in the wound cavity. Also, look at the left edge of the second gel block. The bullet almost made it out of the block but there was enough elasticity to keep it from escaping.
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
Here is a side-by-side comparison of the two projectiles and their wound cavities.
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
As Scott predicted, the soft point got sucked back into the gelatin block.
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
The wound channel is massive from the soft point .577 Tyrannosaur.
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
Scott finished shooting the .577 Tyrannosaur into a gallon of Elmer’s glue and a gallon of nacho cheese sauce.
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
Screencap from Slow Mo Guys
Here is the video these screencaps are from.
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I can’t wait to see what the Slow Mo Guys do next.