ballistic gel

[1canvas]

looking at the chest area of the human body and all the bones it appears that any bullet would have more than a 50% chance of hitting bone and close to a 70% chance of glancing off of bone for COM hits. with all the development of hollow point bullets and shooting into ballistic gel through layers of denim and other clothing, why isn't there any testing through rib size bone in ballistic gel whether real or simulated? it just seems bullet to bone is very likely and should be more of a concideration in choosing caliber and bullet design. it would seem most hollow points would be deformed and even redirected, quite different from the text book mushroom with a nearly straight wound channel. i'm hoping you could shed some light on bullet to bone and its effects.
thank you.

[Mas Ayoob]

Ricochet off bones in the chest is not common at all with the service calibers, though you find the occasional case of a .22 or a .25 skidding around the outside of the rib cage. Jacketed hollow points strike with a "cookie cutter" effect and tend to punch straight through. There have been cases where cartilege got into the hollow cavity and prevented it from expanding, but the bullet still went through on course.

With a serious fighting handgun, a bullet being stopped or detoured off course by the sternum or rib cage is not something I'd worry about.

Best,
Mas