Erm, I think you mixed up your laws of physics liao. Firstly,
the energy imparted to the bullet will includes all the propulsive
kenitic energy afforded to it by the expanding gases, and that sum
total of KE is obtained after subtracting all the other energy
conversions (light, sound, heat). If the KE of the bullet as you
suggested, that would violate the law of conservation of
energy.
The "pure brute force" you refered to here is not a seperate entity
from the expanding gases, they are one and the same. As the gases
expand and the projectile is propelled forward, the reaction force
in the opposite direction generated will always be the same as the
force throwing the projectile forward. That means the recoil force
will be equal to the force of the bullet.
As of such, it is impossible to have a recoil force
less then the propulsive
force of the bullet because that would violate newton's law of
motion, which is completely seperate from the law of conservation
of energy. You appear to have the concepts mixed up.
but on the whole steel helmets can and stop bullets cuz
the soft tip bullet which is built the kill infantry will smash on
inpact.......
As far as I note, most armies used jacketed bullets as opposed
to the hollowpoints you suggested. They will blast through the
steel helmet will no problem and it will be nothing more then a pot
for spilled brains.
As a matter of fact, I suspect even hollowpoints can penetrate a
steel helmet, the steel is thin enuff to allow that. That's becos a
typical rifle bullet contains about 1,500-3,000 joules of energy,
concentrated on a spot, more then enuff to exceed the mechnical
strength and thickness of the steel helmet. The inner lining is no
problem.
