The performance and reliability of protective gear and ammunition in real-life scenarios are non-negotiable. In high-stakes environments like military operations, law enforcement, and security, ballistic testing is a critical component that ensures equipment acts as intended when it matters most. Thorough ballistic testing is critical for determining how projectiles behave when they encounter barriers, including how they deform on impact and how different methods of propulsion and velocity factors influence accuracy, etc.
With nearly 50 years of industry-leading experience, Biokinetics is proud to offer reliable testing and provide our clients with critical data that helps them manufacture top-of-the-line products that comply with relevant safety standards.
Below, we’ll explore the importance of ballistic testing, the methods involved, and why accurate data is essential for improving protective equipment and ammunition. Read on to learn more.
What is Ballistic Testing?
As a discipline, ballistic testing is concerned with evaluating the performance of projectiles like bullets and less-lethal rounds. Through a set of standardized tests and methods, evaluators measure how projectiles and armour behave under controlled conditions that are specifically designed to replicate real-world scenarios as closely as possible. From replicating common barriers to testing against environmental factors operators often experience in the field, the goal is to understand how the projectile will perform when it matters most.Core objectives of evaluation include:
- Measuring penetration depth and consistency
- Analyzing projectile deformation upon impact
- Testing the accuracy and reliability of propulsion under various conditions
- Assess the impact on protective gear and human targets
Ballistic testing ensures that protective gear and ammunition rounds meet industry standards and perform consistently in dynamic events. Lab testing helps catch issues before they can enter the field and compromise the safety of involved personnel.
The Role of FBI Protocols in Ballistic Testing
Several standards govern ballistic testing, including NIJ 0101.07/0123.00, ATSM F1233, and UL752. The FBI has also established a widely accepted protocol for ballistic testing, specifically for ammunition used in law enforcement. The FBI protocol tests how projectiles perform after passing through various barriers to simulate real-world obstacles like clothing, glass, and wood. Key components include:
- Heavy Clothing Test: Simulates a bullet’s behaviour when shot through thick fabrics.
- Safety Glass Test: Evaluates performance after penetrating vehicle or building glass.
- Plywood and Drywall Test: Assesses how projectiles maintain energy and trajectory after passing through structural materials like plywood and drywall.
- Gelatin Test – Measures penetration and damage in ballistic gel, which simulates human tissue.
The goal of these tests is to develop “barrier-blind” ammunition or rounds that can maintain accuracy, penetrative ability, and stopping power even after passing through barriers. Barrier-blind testing helps to ensure that ammunition used by law enforcement and military personnel remains effective, even in unpredictable conditions. Biokinetics is capable of testing to FBI standards, giving manufacturers the data they need to improve product design and reliability.
Why Accurate Ballistic Testing Matters
Inconsistencies in ballistic performance can have severe consequences, especially in law enforcement and military-related applications. Testing helps manufacturers identify flaws in design, improve materials, and refine manufacturing processes to avoid risks like equipment failure, reduced stopping power, over-penetration that causes injury or lasting damage and inaccurate trajectories.
Accurate data from ballistic testing allows manufacturers to enhance the performance and safety of their products, ensuring that users are protected in the field.
Biokinetics Sets the Standard
With nearly 50 years of experience, Biokinetics has established itself as a trusted leader in ballistic testing, impact testing, drone safety evaluation and more. Our team of engineers and technicians use state-of-the-art equipment and facilities to provide detailed performance data to our clients, helping them refine their products and meet industry standards with confidence.
Key advantages of working with Biokinetics include:
- Expertise in FBI-compliant and other testing protocols
- Advanced testing equipment, including high-speed data capture
- Deep understanding of material behaviour under impact conditions
- Experience you can trust
Biokinetics’ ability to simulate real-world scenarios and capture precise data ensures that our clients receive actionable insights to improve their products.
Expanding Safety Foundations with Biokinetics
Ballistic testing is more than firing rounds at a target—it’s about understanding how projectiles behave in dynamic, high-pressure situations with human lives at stake. Partnering with a trusted testing team helps manufacturers create safer, more effective products while giving law enforcement and military personnel confidence in their gear when it matters most.
Contact Biokinetics today to learn more about our comprehensive testing solutions!
