Shoot Through Episode 7: Ford Everest manual takes on AK47

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 Shoot Through Episode 7 here).

Shoot Through Episode 7

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.

ALSO READ: Shoot Through Episode 6: Slow-mo window motor destruction

“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?”

Nicol Louw, SVI Business Development Director

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.

ALSO READ: Shoot Through Episode 5: Seatbelt takes on AK47 fire

“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.”

Jaco de Kock, CEO of SVI

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.

ALSO READ: Shoot Through Episode 4: VW Polo cylinder head vs AK47

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.

Published by SVI Engineering on Quickpic

For more news about the Shoot Through series and their fun and insightful experiments, follow our motoring page.