FBI Ballistic Testing Protocol
Definition
FBI standard for law-enforcement handgun ammunition performance in 10 percent ordnance gelatin, requiring 12-18 inch penetration and minimum 1.5x expansion diameter in bare gelatin and across six barrier protocols; developed after the 1986 Miami shootout.
- Developed after
- 1986 FBI Miami shootout
- Test medium
- 10% ordnance gelatin
- Penetration range
- 12-18 inches
- Expansion requirement
- Minimum 1.5x original diameter
- Barrier tests
- Six protocols (e.g. denim, wallboard, glass)
Common questions
Why does the protocol test through barriers like wallboard and auto glass, not just bare gelatin?+
Real shootings often involve intervening material such as clothing, doors or car windows. A round that expands reliably in bare gelatin can behave very differently after passing through denim or glass, so the six-barrier series checks that performance holds up under realistic obstruction.
How is the 1.5x expansion figure actually measured?+
The recovered bullet's mushroomed diameter is measured across its widest point after the barrier and gelatin test, then compared to the unfired bullet's original caliber. Ammunition failing to reach 1.5x expansion in enough of the barrier test events does not qualify under the protocol regardless of penetration depth.
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