How to Make Ballistics Gel

Step by step guide to make your own ballistics gel at home! I used this chunk of ballistics gel as my target while shooting my 3D printed bullets out of my MAS air gun( • 3D Printed Airgun Bullets ). You can also see me turn a 3D printed bullet into metal here( • From 3D print to Metal! )! And lastly, you can see my old ballistics gel video here( • How to Make Ballistics... ) Thanks for watching, and subscribe for a new video every week!
NOTE: 10% ballistic gel is the most commonly used formula for ballistic gel and has a bloom strength( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloom_(...) ) of around 250 bloom( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballist... ). While I did not test the bloom strength of Knox gelatin myself, after a quick google I am now an expert and it sounds like Knox is about 225 bloom ( www.chefsteps.com/ingredients... ). This puts it at 90% the bloom strength of the common 10% gel mixture. So yeah, the FBI probably wouldn't use it, but for a amateur like me an A- gel is indistinguishable from an A+ gel.
buy knox gelatin here: www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss...

[@jodyjohnson3146]

Short and to the point with good narration. That's the kind of videos I like. God job.

[@user-yi9mb9dy8g]

God job ?

[@jodyjohnson3146]

@@user-yi9mb9dy8g OOOPs, Good job

[@catherineharris4746]

Hell yeah!👍👍👍

[@cupidok2768]

Looks like jellyo.... its very delicious dessert

[@skeet25s]

Great video. Thank you for not stretching a 3 minute video into 25 minutes of jaw-flapping, like most other channels.

[@HardBloodNelza]

I will for sure use this for scientific purposes only.

[@flaply7691]

Yes indeed

[@varsega]

For sure

[@bensfractals43]

same

[@theman2110]

Wtf bro

[@atharvabhosale3529]

What do you mean by this?☠️

[@disturbeddemons1]

Thanks for this! Gel turned out nearly perfect first try and I just tested it on 3 different guns this morning. Very impressed.

[@GB-go6gp]

FINALLY, Someone genuinely dedicated to the promulgation of science and scientific endeavors. It's easy to tell this is a great channel when the narrator uses scientific adjectives like 'goopey'. I'm now a fan

[@ithepreacher8309]

Thank you for the recipe!

[@markhuebner7580]

Awesome! Who knew it was so easy! Thanks for the temperature heads-up!

[@daviddoe6228]

Very cool I was thinking of ordering one but I might try this first keep up the good work

[@imabeginnercreatingthings1064]

This is great dude 👍

[@alexmaruvis]

thank you, you are a good man

[@AllThingsLoud_]

Thanks for the video I plan to make some to pour into a 3d silhouette target i bought. If it goes well I'll have a 3d silhouette gel target that I can practice putting shots on target at common self defense distances and analyze wound channels left after

[@lati_da]

So quick and easy thanks for the short vid

[@bheaps82]

Thanks for the info man!!!

[@richfoster4189]

Just for clarity, 1oz gelatin to 1cup(8.2oz) of water is 10.8% gelatin. To get closer to 10% you want to mix just below 10% because some water will evaporate off during the making process. You want to be right about 0.9oz gelatin per 1cup of water. But there is a scale in this video, so best to just zero the scale with empty cup on it, weigh 9oz water and then use 1oz gelatin. Not sure the little diff matters here for the use in this video, just noting some math.

[@wifelifelubbock]

I can confirm this works. I made this for my husbands birthday. I did 8 oz with 8 cups distilled water. Does work with 9mm defensive ammo but do put something behind the gel to catch rounds if your block is shorter than 16 inches. I posted a video on my page of us shooting the gel. Thanks so much for posting this my man loved it!

[@jonwhite1479]

I watched your video very cool, thank you for being such an awesome woman, I thought what you did for your husband was so personal and heart felt, theres alot of women out there that could use your influence, your husband is fortunate for your love. Awesome!!!

[@wifelifelubbock]

@@jonwhite1479thank you! Yeah I was so excited to give him that gift probably my favorite I’ve ever given him!

[@synthesizer301]

Very nice video to learn from

[@charlieskarts1934]

Just put mine in the fridge for the first time. Thanks ☺️ Edit: It turned out great! Thanks

[@eriklarson2066]

Thanks for the info

[@ShitStainedBallSack]

Thanks for this

[@Like2Truck]

I feel like you deserve more subs

[@hydrolistconlanka4729]

i saw this in google, but i came cus you deserve a like

[@6sixFace]

Thanks!

[@NefariousEnough]

The box used for the mold looks like a Velveeta Cheese container. Velveeta Cheese itself is known to make a great ballistic gel.

[@spazerplus]

😂

[@ronenjoyer]

thanks dude

[@rhettperpruner5319]

Awesome

[@kalieblashea4221]

Wow its so easy awesome, is it possible to melt it again to reuse it?

[@bigbearplays7285]

thx man

[@beefkake5]

New video every week? It's lit.

[@Sciencish]

+Bmankelley5 no that's just the flamethrower video

[@ryanjofre]

Only a sucker would pay $285 for ballistic gel when it be made so cheaply and easily. Thanks allot. Godspeed🙏🙏

[@bigldiesel]

How long is the mold good for once made? Does it spoil?

[@AsianDudeX01]

How does the consistency compare with more "official" ballistics gel?

[@johnny-smith]

Nice vids. Nice channel. Will this work for full-sized rifle bullets? Most other methods take a whole lot longer and require more steps.

[@Sciencish]

+john smith I've yet to try any rifle calibers, but I imagine you'd want at least a 8x8x16in block for handguns, and probably two of those blocks for rifles. So I'd suggest buying the commercial stuff, it would probably save you time and money in the long run

[@sjeverett75]

it'll be fine for rifle. it's good for figuring out of your hollowpoints are expanding at 100yds or so.

[@666hobart]

Just go over the wikipedia page on ballistic gel it's not all that hard actually. only the 20% solution needs more time synthetics may as well but this isn't that.

[@robinkopeikin5802]

What were you shooting into the block? BB gun or .44 mag?

[@tacktiician4978]

i mixed mine and it is much more clear than yours looked. idk if its because ita a newer mix? its chilling in the fridge now

[@Gabriel-yk4it]

I was here for the comments, but they weren't here for me

[@judymoskowitz7510]

I tried to make this but it spilled all over the counter…how did you make the mold water tight???

[@alexmaruvis]

this is so cool

[@zackc09]

Can I make mine strawberry flavor?

[@jansonmur4362]

New video every week. Last video over a year ago...

[@OTORAT]

Is it necessary to use knoxx gelatin, and also can you use gelatin papers instead of powder?

[@psychovfx3575]

you can use any geletian brand it does not have to be knox. but u cant use sheets

[@elliottmaray9766]

Hello, I want to make a strong and unbreakable gelatin that is durable and resistant to temperature. Thank you

[@e815usa]

What were the dimensions of the final container you poured the gel into? Nice job by the way!

[@disturbeddemons1]

The mold he used appeared to be the box that velveta cheese comes in which is what I used. The dimensions of mine in inches are 8.5" x 2.75" x 2.5". 3 cups water to 3 ounces of knox is the perfect amount to fill right to the edge of a container of those dimensions making a 12.5% gel which, for my testing, (pcp airguns) was perfect. All pellets/slugs were caught, highspeed (slow motion) camera demonstrated hydrostatic shock (cavitation) and ease of reuse was great. I have the videos of 3 different guns I tested unlisted here on youtube which I can link to you if you like. They're only a minute each but demonstrate well the usefulness of the gel. These are all guns I use for hunting small to medium-small game so I was curious to see how well they were all performing once the projectile entered the animal.

[@davidmorley1606]

Looks like he used the bottom of a Velvita cheese box. I suppose you can use a Pyrex loaf pan

[@mitchellrepp7456]

Just asking but what did you shoot at the ballistic gelatin

[@Wet_honeybun564]

Can you make a recipe with normal jelliton

[@Mothermoon420]

Do you think this will be good for 40 cal s&w hollow point bullets?

[@kalieblashea4221]

God damn. Yes lol perfect for hollow points

[@j_pedraz]

Where was the plastic wrap used??

[@Landon_Chrud]

Do u need hot water when mixing in the powder or just room temp

[@gpoutdoors4749]

i just did it an i used room temperature water

[@Landon_Chrud]

How many packets and cups of water did u use

[@luisbezerrak6727]

i want a gel resistant to hot weather, is there any ingredient i can add to give it a permanent life like silicone?

[@disturbeddemons1]

I've never seen any recipes for that. There are polymer gels that are much more heat resistant but their recipe is a closely guarded secret. I've only ever seen the gel for sale, never a recipe. It's more expensive than ballistics gel and far more expensive than homemade ballistics gel but is worth the price in that it's reusability far exceeds that of traditional ballistics gel, as does its transparency. I'd recommend Clear Ballistics if you decide to buy some.

[@claylocker8475]

Can the mold be styrofoam

[@mrdrone2758]

Will this work with a .22LR and A 9mm

[@ohyeayea6201]

How long does the gel stay good like before the gel goes bad

[@Sciencish]

it is food based, so it will age and mold like other foods. I'd say you have no more than a couple weeks, less if it gets exposed to the elements often. Keep it clean, cool, and sealed so it doesn't dry out. remelting it after use may help kill some of the molds that like to grow on it before they really take root.

[@luigiviking3667]

Seems 90% of the way there there's got to be a way to make it clear it seems a little bit too bouncy but it seems like would work

[@solidfern15]

Will this stuff melt under flames?

[@MRDEWVOLTAGE]

Am i mixing it too much? When doing the first step with mixing the powder and water, I had a very bubbly solution on the surface and liquidy underneath. I might add more gelatin next time, but what do you think? How long did you mix yours for?

[@Sciencish]

After mixing it all together it will be fairly granulated and bubbly. Putting it in the fridge to bloom is to give the gelatin time to hydrate. After remelting and pouring the now hydrated gel it will be much more clear with little to no bubbles when solidified

[@Sciencish]

And I mixed until there were no large clumps left, the goal is just to get it mixed well enough that the water can reach each grain of gelatin. Also hand stir. Electric mixers tend to put more bubbles into the mix.

[@MRDEWVOLTAGE]

Yeah that's what ended up happening, thanks.

[@benfeld1]

King

[@yohanecgvj922]

Hey is it possible to not use a fridge ? Maybe after 2 days it'll have the same result ?

[@Sciencish]

As far as I know, gelatin needs to be refrigerated to congeal, and to be the right toughness to act as ballistic gel, it needs to be chilled

[@desolatedreams1078]

So 5 gallon bucket concrete mixer drill attachment and ice

[@wankima2.069]

whitty's favorite gel

[@onursoyturk7548]

Is it reuseable? After shooting test, can we remelt it, then freeze it for reuse?

[@BlueRedGooGoo]

I think after it fully sets it's permanent. But I would love to be proven wrong if anybody wanted to test it before I get around to it

[@OctaApe]

I'm guessing you didn't watch the video....... -,-

[@1.4142]

Don't need to it for 2 hours, will be same consistency after melting.

[@jeroenfeher8107]

where did that outro tune come from?

[@ChronixBlazes420]

Nick eh 30

[@srstime2354]

What did you shoot it with

[@cuteoctopi8413]

Maybe pellets or BBs

[@dogfather68]

Has anyone tried using a home made slime or the like?

[@stephenarnold7163]

Have you thought of adding glycerine to plasticise the gelatin. I would be interested to know the ratio if you do this please. It means that you can keep it out of refrigeration!!

[@pirateboyfearless]

if you flavour it strawberry you can eat it after you shoot it.

[@SuperPhexx]

This channel is au pair with veritasium, applied science, smarter every day and steve mould.

[@universalexplorer5957]

do you mean on par???

[@SuperPhexx]

@@universalexplorer5957 yes😂 mai inglish is greit

[@universalexplorer5957]

@@SuperPhexx 😂😂😂 I was like wait.. au pair? this man is a nanny?

[@luisbezerrak6727]

some tutorials say 4 parts of water for one of gelatine, you say 8...others say to add one part of glycerin...why there are so many different recipes?

[@disturbeddemons1]

It's for the different types of analogues it's meant for. Traditional fbi standards is 10% gel to analogue human flesh, an even combination of muscle and fat. But if you were using gel to test ammunition for hunting, specifically large or tough game like bore or bear you would use 20% gel as boar, bears, etc have much more and much tougher muscle than humans.

[@DenwarTheoriginal]

cardboard milk containers make a good mould.

[@itechhen]

Yeah but how much water do you add initially to the powder when melting it down? You only gives the final weight of the gel block. That's not the formula

[@Thorneazy]

1oz of gelatin to every 8 oz of water. The gelatin thickens during the heating and cooling process

[@Yasin_Abdul]

I made my own gel just like you did and I’m target shooting it from 12 yards than at 15 yards but every ammo goes straight through. I’m not understanding this trick. So how far (YARDS) are you setting your gel target?

[@leafrusenov2142]

@James Larson fuck you are the saddest person I've ever seen on KZbin wtf Is your problem? Some people like bb guns and find it satisfying shooting gel, some people can't afford real guns or live in a country where they can't get the guns they want. Not everyone has to bankrupt themselves or uproot their lives just to satisfy YOUR idea of a "big kid" and while I'm at it as if shooting at ballistics fell with a real gun tells you anything important "oh it planted itself in the gell again big surprise" like you think you're a real top dog FBI guy shooting at gell that (spoilers) PROBABLY ISN'T A GOOD ANALOGUE FOR FLESH ANYWAY its just a fun thing people do weather they've got a real gun, bb gun, pallet gun, knife, axe, fucking grenade launcher. Fuck off stop being a wanker no ones impressed that you think people who like bb guns are like kids

[@jnnyg65]

lol what did you shoot it with a bb gun?

[@samzam7890]

Gold fish he shot

[@barbarafike4487]

what were you shooting into it?

[@519FIREARMS]

450 Bushmaster

[@hiseminencetheholymacdiarmada]

So first we put it in the fridge for 2 hours (0:51) then 12 hours (1:29) ??? Why do we need 10 extra hours?

[@Sciencish]

The first 2 hour refrigeration hydrates the powder but leaves the mixture crumbly, cloudy, and overall no good for testing. This is why we melt it back down and remold it, so that it is a consistent firm block of gel at the correct temperature to be as strong as it needs to be for testing.

[@hiseminencetheholymacdiarmada]

I made some, except the second setting, I left it in the fridge for about 3 hours and it was good and rubbery

[@sirduckoufthenorth]

will it become stronger if I put a higher concentration of gelatin?

[@Sciencish]

I think it would, but I’d also imagine that at some point there wouldn’t be enough water to hydrate all the powder. I’d say you could probably double up the amount of gelatin powder but that could be pushing it.

[@chikken_wangz5184]

Can you use great value

[@AdzzyM]

nigga

[@pain6362]

Guys, dont let the gel outside, it gets a horrible smell

[@519FIREARMS]

I made some ballistic gel using the ratio from the video. In my opinion it's much too soft and floppy, for lack of better terms. I increased the ratio to double the gelatin. So 2oz of gelatin for 1 cup of water. I don't know what the guy in the video is shooting with, but I used a large caliber and it absolutely annihilated my first slabs of gel. Didn't work at all. Try double the gelatin!!!

[@barbarafike4487]

he was using a pellit gun

[@henriklopperi6686]

Does not really matter what gun is used. Gel is a test platform to make assumptions what the bullet does to living tissue.

[@henriklopperi6686]

10% gelatin is supposed to be very close to the FBI standard.

[@519FIREARMS]

@@henriklopperi6686 I was shooting .450 Bushmaster, a 250gr polymer tip jacketed hollow point going 2200 fps @ 50 yards out of an 18.5" barrel. The whole block of gelatin just exploded.

[@henriklopperi6686]

Nato uses 20% gelatin and FBI 10% according to my sources. So it it blows up, you need to make it bigger.

[@evilbrynn3802]

Is this stuff bodysafe cause what if some child ate some by accident?

[@benzo7660]

Question; After being 2hours in the fridge, the first mixture is still not jelly-like. How could i prevent this ? I used more than enough gelatine.

[@Sciencish]

The two fridge time is to bloom the gelatin, when you poke it does it kind of break and crumble? If so you’re doing fine, just remelt and refrigerate again for 12 hours and it should be ready

[@benzo7660]

Sciencish It's after you mix the water and gelatine, and put it i the fridge. It was still a fluid, but no crumbs or bubbles on top. Atm I'm putting it an extra hour in the fridge, I used hot water maybe that was a no-go ?

[@Sciencish]

It could’ve been the water, let me know how the extra time in the fridge works out

[@benzo7660]

Sciencish Will do. Next time I'll use cold water in the beginning.

[@benzo7660]

After 3 hours it became a jelly like substance, I'm keeping it in for another hour to be sure the inner parts are 'bloomed' aswell. I'll let you know if it worked out if you'd want that.

[@BlueRedGooGoo]

"If it's hot outside it wont be as strong as it needs to be, so keep it cool" *Wyoming regularly gets up to 110 farenheit in the summer*

[@bluewaterboof82]

Well that still leaves you with about 3/4 of the rest of the year to play with it, right?

[@BlueRedGooGoo]

@@bluewaterboof82 winter normally gets below negative 20 and lasts 4 months. And summer stays over 100 for 3 - 4 months too. So 1/3 of the year I guess

[@ILik3PH0T0]

@@BlueRedGooGoo Keep it in a cooler till your ready to use it and stop complaining

[@BlueRedGooGoo]

@@ILik3PH0T0 hey, fuck you. Lol

[@BlueRedGooGoo]

@Andrew Coles Fremont. Aside from the two or more weeks straight we had in and over the 100 degree mark earlier last month, the unusual amount of humidity and mixture of smoke in the air from Colorado and Montana burning to the ground has the temp hovering right around 75-85. But the humidity isn't normal, and this years weather is just kinda fucked. August is usually BALLS hot, so this year is throwing curve balls

[@wolflahti412]

This 8:1 ratio of water to gelatin doesn't come close to the FBI spec for ballistic gel. 4.5:1 would be much closer.

[@crusaderthememer6523]

NATO standards are 2x as much as FBI standers I believe

[@Santiago-qb8pb]

I will make it not because I have weapon to test it with, ill make it to hit it when im stressed

[@sketchessays6940]

Best part is this thing is recyclable and reusable

[@outbreaksbillyboby4864]

I just wanted to be appreciated

[@miranda.cooper]

Wonder what I need Ballistics Gel for... maybe I'll think of something lol

[@jenniferwright8215]

?

[@sandmanlopez9920]

Hard background music 😤😤😤

[@joelopezjl28]

its not cheap...

[@T-DsGaming]

Buy the gelatin on Amazon, it's cheap that way compared to buying ballistics gel.

[@ShitStainedBallSack]

It's 15 dollars for 1lb of Knox gelatine how's that not cheap

[@papaemeritusiv1687]

is it edible

[@cuteoctopi8413]

Probably but idk

[@asmodeus1234]

Upvote for channel name

[@theclassicgmodminger8680]

I'm about to be put on an fbi watch list for this

[@EggsBenedict1]

dude if you can make thermite without a license im pretty sure they dont give a shit if you make ballistics gel, besides its for testing firearms

[@ramzirmz786]

I thought it's something to eat

[@thebestojf7160]

Hot water?

[@danhenry8163]

Is it eatable?

[@Sciencish]

knox is an edible gel, but after handling and testing with it, I wouldn't eat it.

[@funnybusinessinvestigator1245]

I always eat mine after I pump a bunch of lead through it. I do it that way mainly because the state of California tells me it is a bad idea.

[@terranceriggs578]

Probably should tell everyone it's for air guns only and not suitable for real guns or ammo

[@cheeselord8153]

Terrance Riggs unless you make a crazy high ratio of gelatin to water and have a pretty long block

[@chonchburger9092]

Ballistics gel isn't made to stop projectiles, it's made to get a visual on the wound channel a projectile makes. You can use it to stop bullets and people do but that's not the intended purpose.

[@AdzzyM]

pickled pie

[@iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii3048]

Anyone else lonely enough that they instantly thought about making this into a fleshlight?

[@brodieclamp5090]

Anyone else also read greentexts and or the stolen reddit versions

[@iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii3048]

@@brodieclamp5090 dafuq is redit?

[@iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii3048]

@@brodieclamp5090 okay just looked it up and you do realize that just because you know something that knowledge doesn't get instantly uploaded to every single person's mind right? Jeez you're just like that kid that you definitely know from kindergarten who saw that one funny episode of a show you never saw and asked if you thought it was funny too.

[@brodieclamp5090]

@@iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii3048 You need to enable cloud sync

[@brodieclamp5090]

Then you'll know, and on the tiniest chance this is serious how the fuck do you have a youtube account, a meme image, and know what a fleshlight is without knowing of reddit or 4chan, your not a boomer or you'd of heard of at least 4 chan on cnn or fox and your clearly not an old man because of the fact you refrenced kindergarden and your obviously american because of the way you said it, your not 9 because they're dank memers so who the fuck are you

[@daveuppercut1]

Is anyone else thinking homemade fleshlight? what just me?

[@baron5595]

He shot a but plug into it. WTF?

[@walterhartwellwhite5655]

fun to shoot with a 120 mm cannon feels just like Iraq