Deal Wood Test

[Harish Asnani]

Hi members, there is this question that has been bothering for quite sometime and I guess it will be quite appropriate if I ask the fraternity here. All imported Airguns are tested through Deal wood method before they are allowed IN, now I'm curious whether there is a benchmark set for this deal wood or simply any type of wood as long as it satisfies the test in favor of Gun owner since I guess Deal Wood comprise of lot of varieties or there is any specific grade used for this purpose

[AnandNair]

Hi members, there is this question that has been bothering for quite sometime and I guess it will be quite appropriate if I ask the fraternity here. All imported Airguns are tested through Deal wood method before they are allowed IN, now I'm curious whether there is a benchmark set for this deal wood or simply any type of wood as long as it satisfies the test in favor of Gun owner since I guess Deal Wood comprise of lot of varieties or there is any specific grade used for this purpose

Deal wood is soft wood like Pine "dealwood: a term loosely used to denote light timbers used for packing cases,crates and similar work " 1" thick, no knots, 1square foot.
even if it is soft wood, if a flat head light weight competition pellet or Hollow points are used, i doubt they will pass thru 1 inch soft wood.
You may like to go thru this post : http://indiansforguns.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=20940

[Harish Asnani]

@Anand- Thanks for your response, I really admire Bennedose for the test and clear description of his results but what I like the best is the concluding part and this is what I was also hoping
Quote
These experiences have brought up a lot of questions in my mind
1. Deal wood itself is not freely available and most of it is probably imported. After shooting 20 test shots it has to be discarded.
2. Wood can be of variable quality with knots and seams. There is no scientifically acceptable "standard"
3. The law does not stipulate how far apart each pellet penetration should take place. One pellet could cause a crack/split or weakness in the wood resulting in the next pellet that lands nearby to penetrate the wood causing an unfair fail of deal wood test.
4. In this day and age a chronometer or even a smartphone can be used to calculate pellet energy as long as pellet weight is known. Muzzle velocity is not the issue. It is pellet energy that matters.

I believe the deal wood test as defined in the 1962 law is archaic. In my view the way to define the law precisely is to calculate the pellet energy required to penetrate a 1 inch thick board of deal wood using standard defined pellets of specific weight and shape and by repeating the test 1000 times and taking the average to correct for error, That will require a lot of deal wood boards initially but once defined properly deal wood will not be required any more. Once the pellet energy (of a standard pellet) required to consistently penetrate deal wood of 1 inch thickness is defined, the legal limit can be defined as pellet energy lower than that limit.

Unqoute

[Ultimate Sniper]

I believe the deal wood test as defined in the 1962 law is archaic. In my view the way to define the law precisely is to calculate the pellet energy required to penetrate a 1 inch thick board of deal wood using standard defined pellets of specific weight and shape and by repeating the test 1000 times and taking the average to correct for error, That will require a lot of deal wood boards initially but once defined properly deal wood will not be required any more. Once the pellet energy (of a standard pellet) required to consistently penetrate deal wood of 1 inch thickness is defined, the legal limit can be defined as pellet energy lower than that limit.Unqoute

You got an excellent point there Harish.
But the problem is, in the Indian law for Air Guns, as far as I know, there is no clear definition of the maximum energy that an Airgun should have to be legal to be used by public. So there is no point in identifying the velocity at which the gun can shoot, weight of pellet, etc.
The laws are quite old and not really scientific.

-Arvind S.

[bennedose]

I now know that Deal wood is freely available as boxes in which fruit is packed - especially apples. And I have changed my own mind since I made that post

I would say that the deal wood test gives Indian gun enthusiasts an advantage that we, to our eternal shame, have not utilized.

No need to change the law to Joules or foot pounds. Stick to deal wood but someone has to manufature a rifle that fails the deal wood test and then start selling rifles that just pass. It is my guess that rifles wil need to produce a lot more than her majesty the Queen of England's 12 fpe" to fail the deal wood test. Unfortunately we in India are still behaving like subjects and servants of the queen of England and keeping out air rifles well below the British 12 fpe which is a load of crock. We need to depend on our own lovable deal wood law and make sure our weapons are just within the legal limit. Screw that joule/fpe limit. It is someone elses' law - we have our own laws and that is the deal wood test - why discard that without using our heads? Balls to the science - I will later put forward arguments to show that the "scientific limits" are a double edged sword.

We need some innovating free thinker in India to design a poweful air rifle that meets Indian legal requirements (Deal wood test) rather than resting on our sorry backsides meeting the queen of England's 12 fpe demands. I am certain that even 14 or 15 fpe rifles will be within the deal wood test limit in India. (Oh how I hate that stupid "Imperial" fpe unit - a pox upon it!)

What are we not doing that? Are we blind or are we blind?

[Harish Asnani]

@ Bennedose- I so much admire your response, crisp, clear and to the point. See me bowing down for you

I guess someone from this forum only will jump out of his slumber one day and start a unit that can get a AR which can fail that DW test (pass in real sense) but the question here is will our baboos ever allow such initiative to move forward without stalling and the biggest factor is whether it can be successfully marketed here.....

[brihacharan]

IMHO - Let's unanimously re-name the "DEAL WOOD TEST" as "DEAD WOOD TEST"
This topic has been discussed endlessly without arriving at a 'conclusive decision'
I am led to believe that this asinine term 'Deal Wood Test' was proclaimed much before the advent of 'Chronographs' to determine the velocity / delivered energy of Air Guns....
Change it is said ....is good for progress....Guys please 'Let Us Move On'....
Briha