impact of a round on car

Question
I see so many hollywood movies and tv shows that show the impact of bullets on cars that seemingly do not penetrate the car door or at the very least do not affect teh person driving. is that fake? can a high velocity bullet from say a modern assault rifle or even a handgun punch through a car door with ease?

Answer
Peter,

Unfortunately Hollywood is responsible for many misconceptions regarding firearms.  This has a lot to do with the concept that facts about how firearms actually work sometimes conflict with the desired outcome in the script/story.  Couple that with the overall ignorance about firearms on the part of many screenwriters and you get a lot of inaccurate depictions on TV and in movies...

The short version is that bullets penetrate car doors and windshields with ease.  Many don't realize that car doors are a very thin steel skin over a rigid frame.  The things that provide side impact protection is not the thickness of the steel but the frame.  Pistol bullets punch right through a door or side window with little deflection unless they hit something as they pass through.  Windshield offer a tiny bit more resistance than side glass due to their shatter resistant construction.

Most handgun bullets would penetrate the doors or windows and the occupants.  If someone were shooting from the rear, penetration would be a tad more difficult due to having to go through the trunk, rear seat and front seat backs...but again, it would very likely cause injury to the occupant.  

As far as a modern assault rifle like the AK-47, it would be like bullets through butter.  AR type rifles using .223 or 5.56 ammo would not be as good as the 7.62 x 39 used in the AK, but it would still be really bad news for the vehicle occupants.  

Honest, the only parts of the vehicle that will protect you from a bullet would be the engine block and possibly the wheels if they are steel...

Hope this helps you out....

Doug Little