How to make Ballistic Gelatine

How to make ballistic gel for testing different projectiles. I show you the formula I use to make gel blocks for much less than purchasing pre-made blocks.

[@GalloPazzesco]

Who knew ... I just watched John Fetterman make a homemade ballistic gelatin block. Weird but, upvoted and commented so .... may the algorithm gods smile favorably upon your channel.

[@thelonggunner762]

The resemblance has been noted on previous occasions 🤣😂🤣

[@haydenc2742]

Oh good...I'm not the only one who thought that ;)

[@JulioMo]

Dude, get out of my head. This guy however, is coherent.

[@thelonggunner762]

@JulioMo thank you for your kind words sir. 🤣

[@Thinktanq2000]

I love this comment!

[@ArtTheEnemy]

Have you ever tried using distilled water? By using distilled water and going through the same process people use to make crystal clear ice first, I would be willing to bet that it could help make this gel even clearer. Thanks for sharing your process!

[@LiveTUNA]

As a chef who's worked with making Jello molds from knox gelatin for 20 years, there were 2 higher mistakes in this video. You never want to add the Knox to cold water and you always want to start a "slurry" before your pour. From whatever mold you are using, pour your warm water into that first , then scoop out 1/4th of your warm water with a measuring cup and pour that directly into a separate container that your dry knox is already in. Then, use an actual whisk and create your slurry/roux. Then pour that directly into your water that's in the mold and mix again with the whisk. Heat it,then let it set in the fridge.

[@jameswhittington2318]

That’s your way. I use cold water and a mixer and it takes a couple minutes

[@stigcc]

Agree, from my experience always mix the powder out with a little water first to make it smoother

[@robertsommers583]

And as a human with common sense you made the mistake of assuming science only has 1 way to make things work lol everything can be made with different techniques and have the same result. Clearly they spent some of those 20 years brainwashing you and your ego

[@joemurray8902]

I was curious if you could spray the ammo can with "Pam" or something similar to make it easier to remove?

[@jeffstull2534]

Instead of a spoon use an egg beater or whisk.

[@prebaned]

Holy good Lord, Fetterman on the Tube. See you made a 89% recovery...

[@mikewest712]

That yellow color is due to gelatin being made from animal bones.

[@johnholder9062]

I think the hoodie makes you look more like John Fedderman also I’d probably never wear a hoodie if I were you 😂🤷‍♂️ 🇺🇸TRUMP 2024

[@Axe_six-six]

Thanks for the very interesting and informative video. I always thought there was more to making ballistic gel. Very cool!

[@WilliamNyberg]

an air compressor with a blowie-schnozzle would probably pop that block out a lot easier

[@terry5008]

A little compressed air can help to remove it from the ammo box mold.

[@letshuntdinner]

well done, great information made simple for everyone and the best blocks I've seen made at home

[@olskool3967]

my Lord! when i clicked on this video i thought i was looking at John Fetterman!

[@madsciencegary3830]

A gallon of pure water is 8 pounds ... by definition (128 ounces).

[@mdk2066]

A paint stirrer in a cordless drill.

[@douggodsoe]

Or an epileptic. Just throw one in. I use them to do laundry in the bathtub.

[@NicoEl119]

Im sure its not to FBI Specifications...But ill try it, maybe i can make them and sell them

[@leewilkinson6372]

FBI specs call for a 700 ft per second air gun fired bb to.penetrare a certain Distance. It's probably why there's a BB in each of his blocks. This is a Red Ryder bb gun, approximately.

[@kb3svj]

That is so informative. As for the resemblance to our Senate Vegetable, you look much healthier and are 1000% smarter that Fetterman.

[@thomream1888]

The tree stump in my backyard has a higher IQ than MutterMan. But then, living in Kali I recognize the symptoms from watching Gov Gruesome on the TV.

[@kencaton6377]

Why did you have to go and insult your tree stump like that 😂

[@175grainofdiplomacy]

Ever thought about using glycerin for moisture the block and Isopropanol for clearing it up? I used a block with this recipe for almost one year before it wasnt recyclebe. And there wouldn't be any reaction to the lead. I enjoyed your video. Greetings from Germany.

[@mitchellpierce6233]

Bub, please, for the love of God, stop putting plastic into any kind of heating device. 🤦‍♂️ you offgas chemicals doing that and break down the plastic. It's the kind of crap that gives you cancer and doesn't take as much as you would think. Also, it's not a bad process. But if I could suggest, or at least ask, have you considered making this in a separate pot and pouring it into the mold? If you go this route, you can use mold release on your mold and it will slide out much easier. Have you tried taking the majority of your wet and warm it up on the stove then use 1/4 gallon of hot water to mix with your dry and mix with the rest of the liquids after? (I'm just tossing out measurments, its the process im asking about) I'm just curious how many different ways you have tried this or if this was your initial method and you don't fix what isn't broken. Lol

[@jackamberson9379]

How about using a whip maybe you can whip it faster and better than you could Stir It

[@sleepychallenger]

Have you tried using a whisk instead of a spoon? I'm not sure if it would make too many bubbles, but it might help mix it up easier

[@jeremyhume5563]

I was about to make this comment. A whisk would definitely provide a more violent agitation without the waves.

[@firehorsewoman414]

i was thinking an immersion blender. Immediately came to mind - make a casting from a mannequin to make a reusable mold so that one could cast a gelatine dummy

[@SuperBadbri]

Did you say that's a plastic ammo box? And if so it ok for the roaster?

[@thelonggunner762]

Yup, it's just a regular plastic mtm ammo can. You just don't want to turn the roaster all the way up or you'll melt it.

[@sentineloffreedomforever1381]

You need to spray the inside of that ammo can with a product called mold release we use it in the composite Industries so that the particle break away from the mobile very easily

[@bertkilborne6464]

I have some mold release that's used with fiberglass resin but it's water soluble so it seems like it would melt. Is there another type of mold release that's not water soluble ?

[@haydenc2742]

Cheap car wax will work as well, and/or maybe a very very thin layer of vaseline or cooking oil (something to just make the sides of the can slick)

[@1980Baldeagle]

Furniture wax!! I use it as a release agent when bedding rifles.

[@SteelWolf13]

US gallon of water weighs 8.34 lbs or 3.78 kg at 62 °F (17 °C).

[@robertreaves4503]

My son made gelatin molds for an art project. He used my drill with an egg beater blade to stir it. Wife wouldn’t give up her hand mixer. Nobody told us about hydrogen peroxide or cold water…maybe next time. But to get the mold out of the frame we used our air compressor. Good video. Thanks.

[@danielfilippini5606]

Now that was interesting. I wish I knew how to do that way back when. Now I'm a old fart in a wheelchair

[@kablammy7]

the first thing i would do is use a bigger spoon - wouldn't that be better ?

[@cdburnguy6199]

Great video Longgunner! Thanks you for being a REGULAR guy and not one of the new KZbinRs trying to sound like the morning radio jockeys. Video was clear and thorough with simple to follow tips on something a lot of people will likely try themselves.

[@thelonggunner762]

Thanks, I don't like the "show persona" of being over the top. What you see on here is what you get with me, minus the fact that I try not to curse or do anything that would get the channel nuked by the overlords😂

[@n.b.p.davenport7066]

I heard that Knox gelatin it's good for your joints your fingernails and hair.

[@thelonggunner762]

I have heard that as well, mix a teaspoon in with your drink once a day.

[@tdata545]

I wonder if RetroBrite would work on this product to make it clear.

[@lindboknifeandtool]

Dude once I saw the peroxide I knew what was up. This is the perfect video, thanks man

[@lindboknifeandtool]

The difference in the blocks is that I can see behind the h202 block wayyyy further

[@lindboknifeandtool]

A blender with cold water might help with initial mixing

[@Eric-tg5qz]

They might be better off not using the hydrogen peroxide because that white stuff that comes off of the lead is oxidized lead oxide which is the toxic form of lead that you easily absorb into your bodily

[@thelonggunner762]

Lead and lead oxide are most dangerous when ingested or inhaled, as I understand it, it doesn't readily absorb through the skin very readily. If you mixed the hydrogen peroxide with an acid like vinegar then you can dissolve the lead and that will absorb through your skin. As all things dealing with lead a person should probably wear rubber gloves while handling it.

[@jackgilchrist]

You mean I shouldn't have been closing split shot with my teeth all those years? 🤷🏻

[@thelonggunner762]

@@jackgilchrist Same here🤣

[@Warriormedic68]

I may be confused because I'm new to this... but isn't it supposed to be an accurate representation of internals? How does a cheap bb gun from 20 feet making 3 inches of penetration even remotely close? I've shot a friend of mine with one of those from pretty close and maybe left a blood blister, but definitely didn't shoot a BB into his heart. That seems like a lot of penetration. How many of these sized block with a rifle round stop in? Thinking it would be a cool gift to make some of these for my father in law as a gift for Christmas, but if I only make one and it won't even trap a 9mm I'll feel like I wasted time. But I don't want to spend 100 bucks on gelatin to make like 5 blocks if I don't have to.

[@spud69g]

It's a relative representation of flesh. There's nothing thicker or solid inside to represent bones or muscle, the force being spread out from those makes a big difference when compared to just going through nothing but flesh. There's fully boned gel torso and skull targets that are a bit more accurate for what you're talking about.

[@josephmctschern3005]

This is how the process works. The only difference/depth of penetration is whether you use a 10% or 20% gel. To ensure a valid test, the blocks need to be tested to ensure they are the correct density. The procedure for doing this is to fire a BB from an air rifle into a corner of the block. The BB must be fired at a specific velocity (575-605 fps) and penetrate to a specified depth (2.95-3.74 inches). If the block is not the correct density, your results will not be valid. This test is an important step. Always look first for the BB when viewing gelatin test results. If there is no BB, you know the BB calibration may not have been done. Check out The Longgunner's "Testing 22Lr Ammunition in Ballistic Gel" and your doubts will be gone.

[@bry2k]

Let me make sure I got this straight. You shot your "friend" in the chest, aiming for his heart, at point blank range with a BB gun? 😂☠ And your username is "Warrior Medic"??? 😂 wtf man...you need some victims to test your skills? Need to hear your friend's side of the story.

[@Warriormedic68]

@@bry2k where did I say I shot a friend in the chest aiming for his heart? You need to work on your reading comprehension skills

[@jackamberson9379]

Is that a plastic ammo can I'd be afraid to put that in my turkey roaster at any temperature

[@walterwilliams268]

John Fetterman......well done 👏 bravo 🇺🇸✊

[@mikeofmanymikes2630]

probably saving lots of people money with this recipe. I can only imagine the price of purchasing ballistic gel from a retailer.

[@thelonggunner762]

At over $100 a block for pre-made gel there's no way I could afford buy very many. This a a quarter of the price.

[@mikeofmanymikes2630]

@@thelonggunner762 holy moly, what a rip off. I'm not really into the ballistic gel but you are a good man for helping out the community.

[@dougtaylor7724]

Your recipe is way tastier than the wife’s.

[@Noneyabiz001]

Holy shit when he sat down I thought it was freaking Fetterman. I was like WTF!?

[@ruckuswethepeep4384]

I was just about to ask the same question about shooting it. Great content!

[@Birdhuntingfool]

Glad to see you are recovering from the stroke.

[@thelonggunner762]

Exceeding all doctors expectations.😂

[@jackgilchrist]

I think I'd want longer blocks, but very well presented and informative. Thanks bro.

[@thelonggunner762]

Agreed, longer blocks would be nice but I haven't found something the right size that would work well for a mold.

[@propdoctor21564]

Make two

[@AznTony360]

@@thelonggunner762first thing I thought of using was a window planter box for plants, they’re usually 2-3 ft long. Would be perfect

[@Redneckairflow]

What about using those small plastic totes? Seems like some of those are 2 or 3 feet long

[@joshwehrmeyer898]

@@thelonggunner762 just make your own mold out of MDF that has a melamine coating. Cut to size you want, then run screws into the sides up from the bottom. To prevent leaks you can use a little hot glue on the joints. If it works for people casting resin I see no reason why it wouldn't work for this. Probable wouldn't get a ton of uses out of each mold, which is the only downside, but you would probably figure out an easy enough way around that.

[@Jason-fg4jr]

Pro tip mix it in a clean 5gaollon bucket with a clean paint stir in a drill... it will mix better and faster ... pro tip my a55 lol just a thought... thanks for sharing fella... and the faster you can cool it down the more clear it will be

[@Jesuswinsbirdofmichigan]

#200 @ Sept.-12-2023. Cool. Thanks for your dedication to our firearms heritage ✝️

[@G1951-w1y]

Question, will the ballistic gel melt? At what temperature? We've had about 75 straight days of 100 degree plus heat here in Texas. If I'm setting up to do tests, how much time do I have before it starts to liquefy?

[@thelonggunner762]

The hottest I've shot them is in the mid to upper 90s. I've had them setting out for 20 to 30 minutes. And the outside might get a little slimy, but the interior is just fine. When it's hot out, I'll take them out of the fridge and put them in a cooler To take them out to the range. I'll get everything set up and ready to go and then take the blocks out of the cooler, shoot them and then throw them back in the cooler. If you think about it, they take about 2 hours to fully melt at 175° in a roaster. So I would think that at a 105° You should have quite a bit of time before they get really melted, just don't put them on a dark surface.

[@UngluckInc]

@@thelonggunner762 I do the same, northern hill country here. We avg 90+ days a year over 100f. I put a big contractors bag in my cooler, throw in a couple ice packs and put the blocks in. Works great, grab when ready. If you have homies, it doesn't take long to destroy one if you so desire.

[@pedrocaballero1497]

Ever tried using a electric hand mixer?

[@tomsrandomness]

Haha my ex wife thought I had lost my mind when I first attempted to make ballistic gel lol

[@Jarhead-eu8py]

Have you tried a wire whisk

[@terryboone3333]

Could you use just a regular oven to melt it down?

[@thelonggunner762]

You might, it depends on what your lowest temp setting is.

[@Thedeerhunter281]

Good video...pretty clear gel..wonder if there's anything else that could clear it up even more...never satisfied..LOL

[@thelonggunner762]

There's always room for improvement

[@recoiler4545]

Using distilled water maybe? There'd be fewer impurities and minerals.

[@douggodsoe]

@@recoiler4545 The majority of the color is coming from the collagen in the gelatin. The water does little to affect the color, but I guess you could try making it with Everclear, just to see what happens. It would be spectacular!

[@zee7705]

Maybe a drill or mixxer wood bit

[@jhscheppele2448]

Use a stainless steel kitchen whisk.

[@ray5781]

Why not use a portable electric mixer?

[@thelonggunner762]

I need to get something in the future, the wife won't let me use hers 🤣

[@helo441]

Why not freeze them for even longer storage?

[@thelonggunner762]

I would have to test it. I shot one in freezing temps one time and it started freezing and the edges were cracking and splitting pretty quickly just sitting there. I don't know if it will survive the process.

[@Jesuswinsbirdofmichigan]

Honored to sub. also.🍒

[@otherbob23]

Always wondered how they made these blocks in shooter vids

[@scallywagswagger2318]

My guy, thank you for this video. This is really good stuff. I appreciate the money you probably spent figuring all of this out. God bless and keep you brother.

[@n.b.p.davenport7066]

I always hear them say 10% ballistic gel, if there are any other type of ballistic gel?

[@thelonggunner762]

They do make a 20% ballistic gel but I don't know what applications they use it in. The FBI uses 10% for all their tests.

[@catfishsiegel30]

I use same method but I use and old electric egg beater on low makes it faster an quick 😊(paid 2bucks @yard sale)

[@douggodsoe]

Cool video, but only three to three-and-a-half inches of penetration? That's what SHE said! Usually food grade gelatins do not exhibit good room temperature characteristics. Do the blocks soften or become melty in warm temperatures or outside in the sun? There are other gelatin products available, such as agar, that are clearer and more stable at higher temperatures, but I'm not sure about the cost and ease of access. Knox may be the better solution for the home cook. Hydrogen peroxide is a bleach, so it is removing the residual color from the collagen in the gelatin; using distilled water won't make any difference in the resulting clarity. On the extreme, using muddy water will make it dirtier, but potable drinking water should be sufficient. I'm really surprised that the hydrogen peroxide is still reactive after being heated overnight. It typically breaks down pretty quickly, especially at higher temperatures. Maybe you could try some alternatives, like laundry products or borax. Very good quality video.

[@thelonggunner762]

They will get soft and melt when left in the sun on a hot day. I try to have everything else set up and ready to go before bringing them out to the range.

[@gregorycooper7962]

Metal can and heat the outstde to remove???

[@SgtCude59]

Question can you not use a paint mixer the drill motor to mix it up.

[@thelonggunner762]

Yup, I bought one the other day

[@jackamberson9379]

But considering I have limited Mobility for stirring things with a spoon could I use a blender on a low setting would a blender work reasonably well I'll have to try it and see

[@jacobdalton6868]

5:56 “gluey balls”

[@stevenhall2408]

How about using a wisk to mix with?

[@thinkingimpaired5663]

Do you think a hand blender would make mixing knox easier?

[@robertdavidson2078]

How you thought about using a whisk to mix the powder in

[@thelonggunner762]

I bought a small paint mixer for a drill, it's working well

[@paulkoch9871]

would a whisk help mix it better?

[@H3aling808]

Guys... He puts it in the "frigerator"

[@terrydouglas2777]

Thank you for making this video on how to make it. I like the idea of using ammo cans because you can easily transport and store the gel blocks inside the can in your fridge and on target day just grab an go. Im going to try to make some now since I seen you make it an I hope what I make turns out like what you made in this video. Thank you so much and im going to share this video with my family and friends since we all love to shoot our guns. It will give us something else to shoot at besides paper targets, balloons and add some baby powder to them for a puff of cloud to know you hit it, and dont forget about the awesome tannerite ones that goes up in a huge poof of white smoke. If you have targets that surprise the eyes then kids will want to get involved in it too. Getting kids outside is alot better than letting them sit playing videogames and watching their cellphones everyday. Get them shooting at fun targets, an your gel blocks they will love help making them an using them. Then after that the next day get the outside and take them fishing. Believe me they will love it too.

[@John5.56]

Reactive targets are definitely the way to go for little ones. Whether that be clays, steel targets, water bottles or a good old empty pop can. It keeps it entertaining and the instant feedback of whether or not they hit what they were aiming at is a plus.

[@chrissewell1608]

We got some kind of kit, from a craft store (years ago) for one of our kid's school project. We made clear gell in a jar. We sunk stuff inside the gell, while it was setting up. It dried crystal clear!

[@Kaa-Bumm]

Jägermeister! 🍻

[@doingitoutdoors7083]

Very good, informative video. Thanks for posting.

[@Jagdtyger2A]

For your next video. how about a ballistic torso?

[@thelonggunner762]

That would be cool if I could get a mold

[@Jagdtyger2A]

@@thelonggunner762You can make a mould by using Vaseline on a T-shirt and then coating it with wet strips of plaster gauze while it is on a person. Just make sure that you include heavy duty cordage on the sides to allow separating the front half from the back. The front and back half are given a heavy layering thinning along the sides. Once set up, the front and rear halves are removed and further reenforced using fiberglass on the outer surfaces, Once this is done, you can use it to make castings of many different low temperature materials. You can even make fiberglass manequins

[@livefreeordie7368]

How many times are you able to melt it down and reuse it

[@thelonggunner762]

Most of the time 3 to 4 uses if you don't lose chunks of it

[@Screamingtut]

have you tried an emmersion blender to mix the gelatine?

[@thelonggunner762]

I just picked up a small paint mixer for a drill yesterday.

[@user-in3mg1sg1w]

Thank you.

[@paulcadic1285]

Thanks to the metric system, 1L of water equals 1kg 👍 Can't believe you're still stucked with feets and pounds and gallons folks

[@Texas-Chris]

Very cool video- thank you for sharing Sir, Blessings to you and your family And it looks like Malt-O-Meal to me

[@ellenlaszakovits936]

You can also bloom the gelatin by mixing it in a 1: 2 (gelatin to water) ratio with super cold water and letting it sit for a minute, makes a sludge type thing that you can add to hot water and completely avoid clumps.

[@voytron1]

Great video thanks dude I will be making me some

[@bob3036us1958]

What about using a mixer?

[@cputecch]

TRY THIS.. when you put the gelatin in, put it in and let it sit for 15 min. that’s called letting it bloom. then mix it. your gelatin will come out clearer and less mixing required

[@TheBeefSlayer]

Use a whisk or a beater hand blender like for making cakes.

[@chrissewell1608]

Why or how, is it, some people's ballastic gellatine is crystal clear?

[@thelonggunner762]

Some of the clear ballistic gel that you buy isn't actual gelatin, it's some type of polymer

[@thomream1888]

@@thelonggunner762 Or they just have better juju...

[@christopherslate1625]

Thank u I liked ur video a lot I plan on trying it and I hope I find that 22LR test I would also be interested in seeing sub sonic suppressed 22LR

[@wilwulpje5684]

That imperial system works so well. Why make it easy when you can make it difficult?

[@cotyreed047360]

Could you mold a hole in it? And can you reheat it? Lets say, to 98.6 degrees? Lol asking for a friend. . .

[@reaper106]

Thank You

[@ScarletFlames1]

Well, if you used liters weight and volume are pretty much identical :D

[@davejalenderki]

That's pretty cool. Thanks.

[@raulduke7142]

Excellent.

[@RobertPyland-t9g]

I like to add a fresh sprig of pine or lavender to really give my ballistic gelatin a pleasant Springtime scent. (Kidding)

[@toddshook1765]

Thanks. After watching many episodes of Mythbusters finally see how it’s done with ballistic gel. Really cool.

[@GeezerGramps]

Wouldn’t a little electric hand mixer make it a little easier to mix?

[@thelonggunner762]

I need to get one of those small paint mixers you put in a drill, it would be easy enough to clean off when it's done.

[@haydenc2742]

Warm/hot water would also help immensly!

[@deantaylor1251]

HEY MY FRIEND IF YOU HAVE A COMPRESSOR JUST PUT THE NOZZLE IN THE TOP WHERE YOUR FINGERS WERE, BLOW AIR IN AND IT WILL RELEASE EASY....

[@arrobrewer2730]

Thank you

[@stigcc]

3:00 Glad Im on metric lol. 1 litre of water weighs 1 kg (1000 gram)

[@rodneyharouff5739]

cool!

[@motorgearhead]

Very helpful video!!

[@markteaney8381]

Ever think of useing a electric mixer on low speed.